Fixing metal legs to table?

[Chris_Pallet]

Hiya,
If anyone has any advice on the following it would be appreciated...

I want to fix metal legs to a table top, the weakest point will be the fixings into the wood.
What's the best way of fitting?
Screw bolts?
It's 4 holes on each

It may well be a simple question but someone may have a fixing the recommend?

Thank you kindly in advanced

 

[--Tom--]

How thick is the table top?

if it’s thin may be worth thickening where the legs attach to allow longer fixings

If you think they’ll be removed and reattached often threaded inserts and machine screws, otherwise some small coach screws with the appropriate predrilling.

 

[Simon89]

I am a big fan of Threaded inserts. Even if the legs are not Designed to be removable, there may come a time when they need to come off for moving.

 

[Yojevol]

What is the arrangement of the 4 holes?
If they are in an L shape, as on hairpin legs, they will be inherently stronger than in a straight line.
Brian

 

[Richard_C]

I've used both round and hairpin legs, never a problem. In solid hard and softwood and veneered MDF. A pan head screw of the right size, small pilot hole so it goes in straight, fit all 4 before you finally tighten. Impact driver if you have one.

Most of the time it's a straight downward load, only seems likely to fail if you drag the table around a lot.

 

[Chris_Pallet]

 

[Chris_Pallet]

I'll be fitting something like this with screw in legs. So easily removed.
The table top is around 50mm thick, cheers for the advice I now have been looking at strong decent branded coach bolt screws...

 

[msparker]

+1 to threaded inserts and machine screws. Very easy, secure and makes the legs removable.

One note, if your legs are just simple legs then no problem.... If your legs are the boxey kind that span a lot of width (e.g. a leg assembly has two legs and a plate across the width of the table) then make sure to extend the holes in the legs with a file to allow for seasonal movement or you'll have issues