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I'm making a table and I wonder how to improve the horizontal stability so that the table does not wobble/move from left to right.

Here are the details: The table width is 160cm, depth 70cm, height 76cm.

The table top is 6cm thick and is made out of block-board (14mm pine core + 2mm birch + 1mm oak veneer). It's empty inside.

The table legs are 70cm tall and 70cm wide. They are made out of a stainless steel closed profile (width 4cm, depth 2cm, thickness 0.2cm).

I need more reputations to post more photos/links so I redirect you to this question where I've already posted them horizontal stablity

The leg is connected to the table top by two screws. Additionally, a flat metal bar is welded to the leg and it is mounted to the table top by another two screws.

Right now the entire connection is bad and hence the table top doesn't touch the leg nearly at all. There are only few touching points; even where the screws are, the table top doesn't touch the leg perfectly (I think the leg and bar are not completely straight). All in all, the table wobbles and the horizontal displacement is around 2-3mm.

The design of this table has to be however as clean and simple as possible so adding a cross member is the last thing I want to do :/

I think that improving the connection will decrease the horizontal displacement. However, I wonder if the table will still wobble a bit just because of table and legs dimensions (especially because the leg width is only 4cm and the table width is 160cm while the table height is 76cm).

The other issue is how to make the leg-table-top connection better (assuming that the leg and bar are completely straight). Right now the screw goes through the entire profile of the leg, like on left figure. Would it be better if it connects the table top only with the upper horizontal wall of the leg, like on the right figure?

enter image description here

If I use more screws, is it better to fix them in an alternate manner? like this: screws order

I could also make new legs which are wider e.g. 5cm x 2cm x 0.2cm (width x depth x thickness). Would it improve the stability considerably?

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  • You've asked this question before and didn't respond to any comments nor the reasonable answer that was given. – bpedit Feb 25 '17 at 16:34
  • Actually I did respond but I posted the question as a guest and continued the discussion from my current account. The only respond I haven't done was like "thanks". However, according to the rules of the forum: "Avoid comments like "+1" or "thanks" ". – dipolos Mar 2 '17 at 18:02
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Well, if this were a woodworking question, which it should have been, there are a few standard answers:

1) Add an apron, i.e. a frame of boards surrounding the table just below the top. These often have drawers in them.

2) Add eight corbels around the base of the table. These are small braces often make to look decorative. They are surprisingly effective.

3) Add cross pieces near the bottom of the two shorter sides and add a vertical piece between them the length of the table.

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    Thanks a million for such clear answer! So these are the options to add different kind of support which will surely increase horizontal stability. Is there any chance of stabilizing this table by only increasing the width of the legs, e.g. from 4 to 6 cm? – dipolos Mar 1 '17 at 20:33
  • I don't think adding 2 cm would have any noticeable effect. – Carl Carlson Mar 2 '17 at 0:40

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