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How to Add Legs to Furniture the Easy Way

 How to Add Legs to Furniture the Easy Way
Today I’m going to show you how to add legs to virtually any piece of furniture. It’s super simple and pretty fool proof! If you can use a drill, you can do it!
I have always loved this hack because it can change the look of an entire piece.
First, you’ll need the materials. I got the bookcase on the side of the road and the metal brackets and legs from Lowes. They have a bunch of different sizes and styles so choose the size and style to suit your piece of furniture and your style. You will need a drill or a strong arm and a screwdriver. For this piece, I needed 4 brackets (under $2 each) and 4 legs (also under $2 each). Note: only 3 are pictured but I obviously needed 4. *winks*

Next, you’ll simply screw the metal plates on the bottom of your piece.

Then, the leg screws into the metal plate and that’s it!
All done! Now, I’m sure you know I’m not a fan of faux wood laminate furniture so I painted it. There’s an excellent tutorial for painting laminate here..

Here’s a close up of the legs. I love the added height and since the bookshelf was going in such a small space, the legs make it look less heavy in the room. I love how it turned out.

Told ya you could do it! Check out the full post for baby’s nursery nook here.
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25 Comments

  • Reply
    Jana@Transformations From the Heart
    March 5, 2013 at 2:31 pm

    Adding the legs sure made the bookcase look so much better and suited for the space.
    I have an old 1960’s dresser sitting out in the shop to repaint. I’ve been putting off the job as it looks so, well…60’ish. Each time I look at it, I think it needs legs for added height and also to bring it the 2000 era. Now all I need to do is to get some legs and brackets at Lowe’s.

  • Reply
    Gabbi @ Retro Ranch Reno
    March 5, 2013 at 6:04 pm

    Adding those legs make SUCH a difference…love it!!

  • Reply
    Michele
    March 5, 2013 at 7:25 pm

    Where did you get the legs?

  • Reply
    Jenny @ Simcoe Street
    March 5, 2013 at 3:55 pm

    The legs make such a huge difference. Great job!

    Jenny
    http://simcoestreet.blogspot.ca/

  • Reply
    Leslie Stewart
    March 6, 2013 at 12:39 am

    Great idea! Thanks for sharing this quick and easy update!
    Leslie
    House on the Way

  • Reply
    Susan Jackson
    March 11, 2013 at 10:34 pm

    This is a fantastic idea. Will need to try this on a bookshelf I have in my son’s room. Thanks for sharing. Susan @ throughmyporchwindow.blogspot.com

  • Reply
    Foragli SEO
    March 12, 2013 at 10:50 am

    Beautifully Post, Very nice
    Nice furniture is also available for your home at forgali.com

  • Reply
    Carl
    March 15, 2013 at 6:16 pm

    I love placing legs on my cabinets and everyone else finds it weird. I guess I have someone like you who supports me with my habit. Haha! You have an easier process in adding legs to that cabinet and I guess I’ll try using metal brackets for my next project. 🙂

    < Carl Patten >

  • Reply
    modular office furniture
    March 16, 2013 at 10:21 am

    It is my great pleasure to visit your website and to enjoy your excellent post here. I like that very much. Office Furniture

  • Reply
    Jamie -Better With Age
    March 25, 2013 at 5:06 am

    So sweet! What a great idea 😉 I love how you styled the room 😉
    Jamie @ somuchbetterwithage.com

  • Reply
    Wing Chairs
    May 3, 2013 at 6:21 am

    Hmm.. i love such kind of DIY projects..!

  • Reply
    Yvonne @ Sunnyside Up-Stairs
    August 16, 2013 at 9:20 pm

    I’m planning to build a little bench later this year, and I found some retro legs to use. =D Now I have a better idea of how to attach it to the bench base! =D Thank you; this was so helpful!

  • Reply
    skin tightening
    October 12, 2013 at 12:24 pm

    Do it yourself projects are great. I sear my kids learn more from building furniture than from school!

  • Reply
    Classy Clutter's BEST of 2013
    December 30, 2013 at 10:26 pm

    […] How to add legs to furniture […]

  • Reply
    Jackie
    June 24, 2014 at 9:45 am

    Hello, where do you purchase the legs from?

  • Reply
    springfield office supplies
    August 12, 2014 at 1:55 am

    wow, such a adorable article this is! I really liked it and the ideas that are mentioned above.Thanks a ton.

  • Reply
    Deb
    August 29, 2014 at 10:19 pm

    Lovely! But…if the cabinet/bookshelf is heavy, or if you’re going to put heavy things on it, then putting the legs only on the floor/lowest shelf of the piece could result in the bottom shelf ripping out of the cabinet. Depends on how the bottom joints are made. Your photos show particleboard, which has very little integrity. I’d reinforce the bottom in some way, shim if necessary (because you can see that the sides project just a tiny bit below the bottom), and make sure that 3 of the bracket screws are in (or underneath) the sides.

    I’m planning to add legs to what I think is a solid wood cabinet, and I haven’t looked at the construction details yet, but I’m considering building a simple frame of 1×4 held together with mending plates — like we used to do in high school stage crew to build flats — maybe with a middle cross-piece if I think the floor might sag.

    Any updates? Had any problems with this?

    Thanks. The description is really helpful.

  • Reply
    Heidi
    June 20, 2016 at 2:23 pm

    DiD the legs come with the screws in them? If not how do you screw then in?

  • Reply
    Grainne Sehring
    September 19, 2016 at 1:36 pm

    Yes the legs do come with screws already in them.

  • Reply
    Karen in NH
    December 22, 2017 at 1:09 pm

    Great blog post, but what are the brackets CALLED that you bought at Lowe’s (the metal plates)? I have been searching on all key words I can think of but they are not coming up. Unfortunately I can’t read the label on the photos. HELP! 🙂

  • Reply
    Birchi
    May 17, 2018 at 2:36 am

    A solid wood furniture is a always demanded furniture item and is a brand of good quality solid wood furniture items need of the time.People enjoy their home furniture, dining room furniture, kitchen furniture, bedroom furniture made of solid wood. If you are in USA there are many brand like IKEA, Birchi, Akin and many Other for solid wood furniture items. Thanks for your time to read my post.

  • Reply
    How to Add Legs to Furniture the Easy Way – Classy Clutter | 1000 – Modern
    June 25, 2020 at 12:33 am

    […] DIY add legs to bookcase http://www.classyclutter&#8230; […]

  • Reply
    Kristin Ullman
    April 30, 2021 at 10:33 am

    How have these held up on the particle board? I plan on adding legs to my bedside table and worried it won’t hold up. I may be overthinking it, especially because it won’t have anything heavy on it.

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