Types of wooden furniture legs, selection tips

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The stability and quality of the manufacture of hardware elements always determine the reliability of furniture products, wooden legs for furniture are one of such indicators. These devices are made of various types of wood, have a diverse design and style. To determine whether the selected product is reliable, you should study the varieties of elements in more detail.

Kinds

In addition to supporting and aesthetic functions, the legs can also be adjusted, thereby allowing furniture to move around the room. They also give the furniture a complete look. All wooden supports can be classified according to 2 main characteristics:

• according to the manufacturing method;
• in form and style.

It is worth considering the species diversity of the legs more carefully, so that in the future you can choose the option suitable for the home.

According to the manufacturing method

Depending on how the elements of the furniture support are made, they can be divided into the following classes:

• turned tools;
• milled options;
• carved supporting devices for furniture.

For the manufacture of products, appropriate machines are used that give the tree a shape and endow it with decorative elements. Legs of different production methods are used in various types of furniture.

Turned

Such devices are made on a lathe by turning blanks. On the unit, the base for the support is fixed, which rotates around its axis with high speed, while the apparatus grinds the desired shape out of it.

The master can give the product a figured silhouette with the help of special chisels that connect to the machine. The lines in such products are smooth, curved. Turned furniture legs are used to complete tables, chairs, stools, flower stands. Models have several advantages:

• reasonable price of products;
• simplicity of form and ease of manufacture;
• variety of species: conical, drop-shaped, cylindrical and spherical models make turned legs popular.

On upholstered furniture, such variations are practically not used: to see the whole beauty of the leg, it should be long, which is not acceptable for sofas and beds.

Milling

No less original supports are made using wood milling. Thanks to this technique, stylish and functional furniture devices are obtained. The essence of the technology is as follows:

• the material is installed on a special milling apparatus;
• a drawing is entered into the cnc program according to which cutting is carried out;
• the machine processes the wood, making the decor on it exactly according to the drawing.

Thus, you can get a beautiful product, devoid of chips, unwanted holes.This method is advantageous in the case of the use of valuable wood species, when accuracy and accuracy are the main fundamental work.

Carved

The appearance of wooden legs for carved furniture is considered the most attractive. Previously, only manual labor was used to achieve such beauty. Today, it has been replaced by multi-axis milling machines, allowing you to make a model for a short period of time.

Handwork has always been highly valued, therefore, carved legs made with the help of manual cutting of the decor will have a high cost. Such products are characterized by curls, complex ornaments and elegant shapes. Carved legs are used for such types of furniture:

• chairs;
• tables
• beds;
• dressers, cabinets;
• banquettes.

Carved legs are always exclusive, they are more suitable for luxurious classic interiors, such as rococo or empire.

In form and style

Among the huge variety of geometric shapes and styles of model execution, it is worth highlighting the main ones that are popular today:

• cabriole legs - distinguished by a double bend;
• Empire products - characterized by the presence of antique motifs;
• legs in the style of the Victorian era - the main feature in an elongated shape and the presence of a floral pattern;
• various geometric forms - the presence on the support of an element of a certain geometry;
• combination of styles - a combination of strict figures with ornaments.

We offer to consider in more detail each type of furniture support.

Cabriole

Convertibles are legs that have a double bend. In the manufacture of such models, there is one characteristic feature: the curved line of the legs first bends in one direction, and after a while the second, but in the other direction.

They make such a gracefully shaped foot from solid wood by working on a machine tool. In addition, the product can be made by yourself using a hand saw and appropriate tools. It will take a lot of time to work, but the result will exceed all expectations.

The cabriole is characterized by rounded shapes, and the style of execution dates back to the 18th century, when furniture finished using this method was considered a sign of wealth.

Empire

Such models are represented by wooden blanks with the image of sphinxes, griffins, lion heads and paws. Empire refers to the ancient times, when the legs themselves were made in the form of paws of revered animals. Today, diversity is represented by products with embossed ornaments that fit perfectly into the interior of the classic style.

The empire is characterized by the borrowing of ancient forms, therefore the tree for the products is selected dense, so that when working with it there are no chips. Here, beech, pine and ash have proven themselves well.

Victorian classic

Carved legs in the Victorian style are very popular among lovers of classic furniture. They are used for cabinets, chests of drawers, beds, miniature tables. The legs are characterized by such features:

• symmetry of the ornament;
• elongated forms;
• curved and straight lines;
• massiveness;
• the use of only valuable species of wood;
• the use of gilding in the decoration of the legs.

Wooden poles with expensive decor are often used for furniture such as upholstered sofas, armchairs and chairs.

Geometric shapes

Such options are used in modern furniture design. They are represented by products in the form of a ball, cube, cone and other geometrically regular figures. They complement well the furniture in the interior of minimalism, hi-tech and other modern styles.

The manufacturing feature is relative simplicity - there is no need to cut ornaments, patterns, complex drawings. The highlight of the support is its unpretentiousness, therefore, such models are produced on a large scale in furniture factories. They also have an affordable cost.

Combination of styles

Another variety of furniture supports is their design using a combination of several styles.Such a unison can be made by models that are externally shaped with curved lines, but at the same time an element in the shape of a ball is placed in the center of the leg. In the assortment of ready-made variations, one can find carved legs with ornaments that combine with the usual geometric shape.

Products can be made of wood with your own hands, for this you will need special cutters. You can process the blanks in special workshops, and then cut the necessary pattern yourself. Thus, we get stylish options in an individual design that perfectly complement the pieces of furniture.

Materials of manufacture

For the production of furniture supports, not only valuable tree species are used today, but also those that are used to make the corresponding furniture:

• Oak is a high-strength and technologically advanced material; therefore, it is popular in furniture factories. It is not affected by temperature changes, humidity, it is not prone to putrefactive processes. The cost of the products is rather big, in addition, special tools are used to make carvings on such material;
• walnut - refers to expensive types of raw materials. Walnut is easy to polish and does not absorb moisture;
• ash - has a light structure, high strength and is not prone to cracking. The only negative - the legs are treated with a special anti-spoilage agent;
• beech - not too resistant to moisture, but comparable in strength to oak, has a beautiful color;
• wenge - refers to tropical wood and is resistant to mechanical damage;
• Mahogany is a valuable type of material that has high rates in any field. Mahogany supports are considered the most expensive and elite.

Furniture leg is one of the most important elements of products. When choosing the material and style of the model, pay attention to the quality of its implementation, as well as to the color, which should harmoniously match the existing furniture.

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