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I'm building a big working table, and it has 4 legs of 90mmx90mm. I want to put some leveling mechanism that also protects the wood uneven floor.

I found these pieces in Ali Express as I could not find anything in local shops (Diameter 80mm, thread 12x100mm): enter image description here

My question is, how do I install this in the wood?

Glorfindel
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nck
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3 Answers3

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Here's what I'd do...

Those leveler feet are often sold with T-nut fasteners. If not, you will also have to purchase appropriately sized T-nuts.

Bore holes in the legs so that the threaded shafts will fit inside and install T-nuts in the bored hole. Turn the foot/threaded shaft to the desired height and tighten the nuts back against the T-nuts to lock the height.

Installing leg levellers in wooden legs Image stolen from here via Google.

Other options include leveler feet that screw on to the side of the legs like these available from Rockler (and a slew of other retailers) which look a little more robust and might be better suited to a heavy workbench-like table:

Side-Mount leveler Feet

Image stolen from Rockler.

gnicko
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    Do you know if many feet have lefthand thread Greg? XD – Volfram K Oct 10 '21 at 06:28
  • Thanks, I did not know about those second ones. Why are they more suitable for heavy weights if they are supporting the weight slightly from the side instead of completely like in the first example?

    I have not bough yet the first one so I would consider getting the second one as looks way easier to install.

     – nck Oct 10 '21 at 10:44
  • @VolframK Depends on where you buy them... – gnicko Oct 10 '21 at 11:42
  • @nck Speculation. I'm guessing they will handle more weight and maybe sliding across the floor better because they attach to the wooden legs at more than one point (4 screws vs. 1 T-nut) while the weight also rests directly on the lip at the bottom of the hanger bracket. – gnicko Oct 10 '21 at 11:49
  • @nck, the externally fixed ones sure are easy to install, but I am not at all convinced they're more robust, in fact quite the opposite. This is in terms of how they're fitted, the item itself looks beefy enough. Look at the screw holes in the mount — it aligns two screws each side, and aligning fasteners is one of the things traditional advice specifically warns against even when not near the end of a board or post. This is why mending plates these days nearly always have staggered holed. Mounted in this way I could easily see just the installation causing one split (eight opportunities!) – Graphus Oct 10 '21 at 16:27
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    @Graphus - Probably should drill some pilot holes. The OP mentioned 90x90 legs (essentially 4x4s?) which I imagine could take substantial length/girth screws without splitting...especially with pilot holes. – gnicko Oct 11 '21 at 02:52
  • @GregNickoloff, yep they're 4x4s. And yes of course, pilot holes are a given if not using self-tapping screws. Doesn't change the fact that aligning fasteners along grain lines, likely in at least a few cases, near an end, is just asking for trouble. If not at time of installation then later, when the table is moved and a foot encounters resistance. Plus, they're fugly :-) Seriously though, I have no philosophical objection to exterior mounting for utility stuff. But the bracket is poorly designed, those screw holes should be staggered, same as on any decent mending plate or corner bracket. – Graphus Oct 13 '21 at 07:22
  • @Graphus - You're right. There is the potential that the 4x4 could develop a split because the mounting screws are aligned....and they are fugly. I think the "side-mount" levelers might be the better option still--if only by virtue of the ease of installation. Looking at various e-commerce marketing copy they seem to be rated for substantially more weight by the people who are selling them (insert grain of salt here). I've had the "embedded" style fold up under the leg when sliding furniture around and it seems like these might be a little bit more forgiving in that situation...maybe. – gnicko Oct 13 '21 at 13:15
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    @Graphus - I've got a "shop furniture" project coming up and I just bought a set of the "outrigger" levelers. I'll install them experimentally. Hopefully, I'll remember to come back here and update... – gnicko Oct 13 '21 at 13:30
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I wouldn't recommend T-nuts for this. They're best used on the opposite site from where the bolt is inserted, as they can't resist any sort of pulling force or moments if the foot should get kicked or get bumped while being moved.

I would use a threaded insert. It's a cylindrical piece of metal with threads on both the inside and outside.

The outside is a coarse thread for the wood, and the inside is a finer thread for the metal bolt. Some are also 'key locking' in which there are parts to hammer in to keep the insert from being able to rotate out (or further in), or 'screw locking' in which the outer threads are a bit irregular to create extra friction.

Make sure you buy inserts for the correct material -- they make them for wood, plastic, and particle board.

Joe
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    Uh, the opposite side thing is for tension. You want the same side for compression, for things like feet. – hildred Oct 10 '21 at 16:57
  • Joe, you make some good points but Answers should as much as possible not refer to other Answers, although I can see why you did it. But T-nuts aren't mentioned in the original Q, and as such arguing against their use is sort of a non sequitur. – Graphus Oct 11 '21 at 17:27
  • @hildred : yes, the table leg is in compression most of the time, but when you're moving it, and you've taken weight off the leg, it's not. When you through-bolt it, the t-nut is being held securely via tension. When you attach it to the bottom of a leg, it's just sitting there, waiting to fall out when you move the table and bump the foot against something. I once found a bunch of bed support legs laying in a room because someone had mounted a board up-side down, so the t-nuts were on the bottom, and the roomba knocked them all free – Joe Oct 11 '21 at 19:23
  • @joe, if you use the right size drill bit and set the t nuts with a hammer into the end grain, they take serious effort to remove, i.e. prybars. – hildred Oct 12 '21 at 01:15
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    @hildred The T-nuts always (98.9% of the time) lose their grip and the leveler leg folds up under the table leg. – gnicko Jan 24 '22 at 13:55
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My question is, how do I install this in the wood?

For the feet pictured you will need two drill bits of different sizes. Because they do not come with T nuts you will also need epoxy glue.

Bits needed:

  • Size of 1st bit you get from measuring nut point to point, not flat to flat. You want same size or larger. Best bit type would be Forstner, but cheaper flat bits may work ok.

  • Size of 2nd bit you get from threaded rod. You want 1mm larger diameter otherwise you will have strong resistance screwing feet in the legs. Ensure it is long enough for full depth!

Process:

  • Mark center hole on leg with awl or nail. Find center of square feet by drawing diagonals. For round legs see tips here How do I drill a hole exactly in the center of a circle?

  • Make larger hole first, then smaller hole one will automatically center on it.

  • Degrease nuts with e.g. acetone.

  • Epoxy nuts into each foot

  • Wait for epoxy to harden, then thread feet into legs and level your table - check using long level, or short level + long plank with parallel edges.

Be careful to drill on axis of leg or feet will not be level!

Volfram K
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    You might want to add in that the nuts should be degreased with e.g. acetone prior to glueing in with epoxy to ensure a good hold. – Graphus Oct 10 '21 at 10:18
  • Instead of drilling out the larger diameter hole he could use a chisel to create a hexagonal recess to glue the nut into. – gnicko Oct 11 '21 at 03:06
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    Yes but didn't know if poster had chisels. And I wanted to keep process as simple as possible @GregNickoloff – Volfram K Oct 11 '21 at 06:41