Winter Projects for the Do-It-Yourselfer

Winter time is right around the corner, and what better time is there to redesign your home? Although the temperature might be dropping, sometimes the cost that goes with seasonal projects isn’t always as cool. If you still want to accomplish your goals on a small budget, there are still plenty of options for the “Do It Yourself” aficionado. So, before you shell out big bucks for a second-rate job or appliance, check out these brilliant alternatives!

Setting up a New Door

A beautiful home can be ruined if the first thing people notice is a hideous door. What sort of message are you sending when the most welcoming part of your home is chipped or broken? It’ll also help to ensure that your home will be sealed off from the intense cold from outside. Installing a door is actually relatively easy when compared to everything else that goes into constructing a house, and they can be well within your budget. Not paying for labor will free up more funds for other projects, after all!

Build Your Own Furniture

Summer might be over, but that’s no excuse to forgo building your own furniture! You may not be able to rely on warm weather standards such as wood to fashion your chairs or tables, but metal table legs and tops can be purchased to reduce incurred costs. In a few minutes you can build the perfect table for your humble winter fashion statement. Try mixing and matching different styles to find what works best for your home.

Ditch the Floral Pattern

Were you unfortunate enough to buy a house from previous owners with horrible taste? It happens to the best of us, but there’s no reason to stare at that terrible wallpaper any longer! With a small collection of tools and materials, all worth less than $100 together, you could replace it by yourself. Considering that an interior decorator or carpenter would want nearly five times that amount, it may be worth rolling up your own sleeves.

Bring Mother Nature to Your Backyard

So, what should you do with all the money you’ve saved? Taking a nice, relaxing break sounds like a great idea! Why should the most ambitious “Do It Yourself”-er be content with needing to go out for vacation? Wouldn’t it be perfect if you could bring wildlife to your back door? Well, with a little bit of time and money, it could happen! Building a bird feeder or other food containment device could attract animals to your home, even in the coldest months. If the natural appeal doesn’t work for you, the same strategy can be used to install a hot tub instead. Imagine having your own personal hot spring to enjoy when the snow starts to fall.

Three Simple Work Day Tips for Better Health and More Energy

Are you sitting as you read this? Stop immediately! Although Churchill may have asked why one should stand when they can sit, the truth of the matter is that sitting all day is one of the worst things you can do for your health.  In one Mayo Clinic report, those who sit more are also more likely to die of a cardiac event or have a chronic illness. Now, the skeptic might argue that those who sit also the ones who eat badly and smoke. However, research indicates that those who exercise and eat right are being affected by chronic sitting as well.

That's because a great majority of us sit in front a computer throughout our workday. So even if someone exercises for an hour a day, they are still sitting for a large percentage of the day, negating many of the benefits of healthy habits. In addition, most of us who sit don't know how to sit correctly either. We hunch over and our wrists are positioned incorrectly, causing spinal injuries and carpel tunnel syndrome. Does this sound bleak? Luckily, there are many different ways to amend your daily routine to get more time on your feet. Here are several easy solutions:

Get up at least once an hour: The easiest thing you can do is make an effort to stand more. At least once an hour, get up from your desk and go for a five minute walk to the water cooler, the bathroom or just around the office. This will not only recharge you, but it will add up to more time spent on your feet.

Stand when you get home: Unfortunately, when most of us get home after a long day, our first inclination is to grab a soft drink and sit in front of the television for a few hours. After sitting all day and commuting home, the last thing you should do is sit some more. Make it a point to stand and move around – either through regular exercise or chores – to restore your energy levels and improve your health.

Invest in a Standing Desk: There are some standing desks that you can purchase online, but to save money and have a desk customized to your height, you can very easily make one yourself. We carry adjustable table legs that are perfect for the DIY standing desk. They are easy to install and cost much less than an assembled desk. With a standing desk, you'll hopefully achieve better health and avoid becoming part of a growing statistic.

For more information on our adjustable table legs, contact a representative today. 

Building Your Own Table for that First Apartment

As fall progresses and the leaves begin to fall to make way for winter, you're bound to see a number of moving vans all over your town. Many people move during the fall as summer vacations are over and winter snow storms are still a time away, and a number of those people will be moving for the first time. Whether you're moving for that very first job or you're in college and are getting out of the dorms, one thing that you'll learn very quickly is that moving out costs a lot of money.

Between paying for rent and utilities as well as food, laundry and expenses that you wouldn't even imagine are involved with living on your own, you might be a little short on money in the beginning. However, you still need places to sit, eat and sleep, which might take a little creativity. While you can certainly consider purchasing a used table on Craig's List or an auction, or a cheap one at a discount furniture store, we happen to think that it's more fun and a better investment to build your own.

Get your dimensions right: The first thing you'll want to figure out is the size of the table you want. Chances are you won't have a very large dining room, if any, so you'll probably only need a table that is about 34 inches in length and width. However, it's best to get precise measurements to account for your own needs. Otherwise, you might end up with a table that won't fit in your apartment.

What kind of top do you want? When it comes to a top for your table, you'll have a number of different choices to choose from, depending on your budget and personal taste. Some of the most common materials used for the top are plywood, particleboard and traditional lumber.  The type of material you use for the top will determine if you need to do extra sanding, edging, etc.  You can also buy a table top that’s already finished and ready to go if you don’t have the time or tools to make your own.

Finding sturdy legs: While you could certainly construct your own table legs, it actually makes more sense to purchase sturdy metal table legs to provide the support needed for your table to stand. We have a variety of table legs and bases that are under $100.

By taking a little time during the weekend, you can have a table you can be proud of at a price that will make your parents proud. There's no reason that you can't have quality when you start out – you might just have to make it yourself.

Build a Changing Table Using Repurposed Materials

While a changing table is an essential part of every nursery, it can be one of the more expensive pieces to purchase. Rather than spending money that could be used for other baby necessities on a pricey changing table, consider building one with supplies that can mostly be found at local thrift stores and consignment shops.

This fun and inexpensive nursery project requires the following items:

• Old wooden bench

• Metal table legs

• Sand Paper

• Household tools: hammer, nails, small handsaw, etc.

• Paint

• Paintbrush

• Clean cloth

To build baby's new changing table, first take apart the wooden bench so that the bottom is free from the back and legs. If needed, use the handsaw to cut the bench seat to the desired size. Once the seat is ready, sand all surfaces to remove splinters and old paint or stain remnants. Then, wipe each section down with a clean cloth. Next, paint the seat with the desired color and let it dry (using non-toxic paint, of course). When the paint has completely dried, attach each metal table leg to the four outside corners of the wooden seat. Using a metal table leg at each of the ends provides added strength and stability to the baby's new changing station. Place a covered changing pad on top of the old wooden seat, and the changing table is complete.

Optional elements that can be added to this station include side railings or panels that enclose the top of the table for added security, additional shelves beneath the table top, baskets for storage, or a side bag to hold extra diapers, wipes and changing supplies. Consider using storage containers that complement the color theme of the baby's nursery. Using a changing pad cover in a corresponding shade is another way to add personality and pop to the room's environment.

Once the changing station is no longer used by the baby, the piece can be repurposed yet again by converting it into a storage table. Simply remove the pad on the top of the table and replace it with baskets, bins or containers to store toys, clothes, blankets or other children's necessities.

Metal Table Legs Add to a Labor Day Party Cooler Table

Finding affordable and convenient ways to spice up Labor Day parties isn't always easy. Many of the most eye-catching and useful entertaining supplies and props that you can buy have a tendency to cost a fortune and be nigh impossible to find a reasonable substitute for.

The recent DIY movement has put an end to all of that; from lighting to seating, cheap and manageable innovations are taking the world by storm. One of the most creative ideas that we've come across at Legs and Bases is the patio table with a built-in drink cooler compartment. These can make a perfect Labor Day DIY project, though you should give yourself a few days to complete it before the big weekend. Metal table bases can be used for such a table, giving it both a contemporary look, and the support it needs to withstand the rigors of partying.

Originally conceived, designed and built by Sarah Bowes-Pope and Alex Pope (as detailed on their blog), the design can be adapted in several styles and used throughout the warmer months for many events. In fact, the coolers in the design are convertible and can be covered up to form a completely solid table with some extra space.

Guests will be awed at the utility of this table, with sunken compartments to hold beer, wines, soft drinks, water and more. Ice can just be dropped in, drinks added and the hosts and guests spared from running back and forth to the kitchen.

Lumber for the top and modern or traditional metal table legs are all that’s needed to create the perfect hosting table for your Labor Day event. With solid materials and construction, this table will hold up to the outdoor elements and provide you with a thoroughly utilitarian, yet stylish, piece that will serve you well for years to come. 

Invigorate the Office Environment with New Metal Furniture Legs

Employees who work at a desk all day long may become bored in their work due to the drab, unattractive look of worn out and old furniture. Sometimes, something as minor as updating the office furniture can have a profound effect on employee productivity, morale and overall happiness in the workplace. Invigorating the office environment with metal furniture legs is an affordable solution to the problem of an uninspiring office space.

Change Is Good

A small change such as replacing worn, drab or just plain ugly furniture legs with new metal ones is a small enough change that it will not send employees into an uproar but will be noticeable and memorable. Seeing that their employer is invested in making the workplace an attractive, functional and comfortable place in which to work could add a new level of motivation to otherwise burnt out staff.

Enhancing the Office Environment

Metal furniture legs are made for many years of use in all types of office environments. This style of office furnishes has many advantages. These furniture legs are:

• Adjustable to accommodate people of various heights
• Contemporary styling
• Different than the usual office furniture
• Sustainably sourced
• Attractive with a variety of colors and styles of office furnishings

Metal furniture legs are easy to install onto existing office furniture. The metal legs are also simple to maintain and rarely require any repair. The solid construction of the metal office furniture legs means that they will provide many years of daily service while still maintaining attractiveness and dependability. Employees will be certain to notice their up-to-date office environment the moment they walk in the door.

How to Give Your Patio Furniture a Makeover

One of the biggest misconceptions about patio furniture is that when a piece of it becomes worn or damaged, the whole thing has to be tossed out and replaced. Likewise, when an owner of a set grows weary of a look, it is commonly believed that the only solution is to buy an entire new set and toss out the old. Nothing could be further from the truth, however. The reality is that it is very possible to revive patio furniture by giving it a bit of a makeover. One of the best and most economical ways of doing that is by acquiring iron table legs to replace the legs of the patio table.

Whether the legs from the original table set are weather-worn or have been damaged over time, a new set of iron table legs will make the patio table look brand new. There really is no need to buy a full set of patio furniture if the only problems are chipped, cracked, or broken table legs.

A makeover of a patio table via a new set of iron table legs is also a great opportunity to update an old, out-of-date style table into a modern contemporary look. An amazing set of legs will give any table a fresh new appearance that changes the overall complexion of the entire set.

There are several types of iron table legs to choose from, depending on the specific need of the table. For example, there is a basic bolt down base, one simple yet stylish stainless steel piece which is ideal for windy locales. There is also a high quality leg with a chrome-plated leveler that is perfect for almost any setting, be it the office, a dining area, or the outside patio.

Replacing weathered and scratched legs with stainless steel legs is the optimal way to makeover a patio set without wasting a perfectly good and still usable tabletop and chairs. The new legs provide a sleek appearance that brings the table into the current era of furniture fashion. It is a cost efficient way to revitalize any patio set.