Make a Table Taller: 8 Easy Weekend Upgrades That Refresh Everything

There is nothing quite as frustrating in interior design as finding the perfect vintage table, only to get it home and realize it looks like furniture for a dollhouse next to your modern sofa. Scale is one of the hardest things to master in a home, and table height plays a massive role in both the visual flow of a room and your physical comfort.

As an architect and designer, I often see clients discard incredible pieces simply because the ergonomics are slightly off. But whether you are trying to fit an armchair under a desk or just need a dining table that doesn’t crunch your knees, you do not have to toss the furniture. For plenty of visual inspiration on how height changes a room, make sure you scroll down to the Picture Gallery at the end of the blog post.

Adjusting furniture height is a standard practice in evidence-based design, where we prioritize physical well-being alongside aesthetics. From swapping hardware to clever carpentry hacks, you can usually solve this problem in a single weekend. Let’s look at how to elevate your furniture, quite literally.

1. The Mathematics of Comfort: Assessing Height and Ergonomics

Before you buy new legs or drill a single hole, we need to diagnose exactly why the table feels “wrong.” In evidence-based design, we look at the interaction between the human body and the built environment. If a table is too low, it causes hunching (thoracic strain) or leg cramping; if it is too high, it causes shoulder elevation and tension.

Start by measuring your current table height and your seating height. For a dining table, the standard height is between 28 and 30 inches. However, vintage mid-century pieces often sit at 27 inches, which is tight for modern dining chairs that tend to have thicker cushions.

The Golden Rule of Spacing: You need 10 to 12 inches of clearance between the top of the chair seat and the underside of the tabletop (or the apron). If you have armchairs, ensure the arms can slide under the table, which usually requires a clearance of 26 inches from the floor.

If you are adjusting a coffee table, the rule changes. The table should be the same height as the cushion of your sofa or one to two inches lower. Never go higher than the sofa seat, or you risk hitting your shins and disrupting the visual sightlines of the room.

Designer’s Note: When measuring, don’t forget to account for your area rug. A thick wool rug can “swallow” half an inch of leg height, while the chair might be sitting on hardwood, throwing off your calculations.

What I’d do in a real project:

Measure the table height at all four corners to check for warping.

Measure the seat height of the specific chairs being used.
Calculate the difference needed to reach the 10-12 inch “drop” zone.
Check the floor level; often the floor is crooked, not the table.

2. The Hardware Swap: Replacing Legs and Bases

The most robust way to add significant height—think 4 to 6 inches or more—is a total leg replacement. This is upgrade number one and is often the most stylish solution. Many tables, especially IKEA hacks or mid-century modern pieces, use screw-in legs attached via mounting plates.

You can purchase prefabricated legs in metal (hairpin styles are popular) or solid wood. If you are going for a custom look, I prefer tapered wooden legs with brass ferrules (the metal caps at the bottom). They add a level of sophistication that elevates the perceived value of the piece.

Checking the Connection: Most screw-in legs use a standard hanger bolt, usually M8 (metric) or 5/16 inch (imperial). If your new legs have different threading than the existing plates, you will need to replace the mounting plates as well. This is a five-minute job with a power drill.

Upgrade Two: The Pedestal Swap. If you have a small dining table with four legs that feel cluttered, swapping to a central pedestal base can add height and legroom simultaneously. This is particularly effective in breakfast nooks where knee-knocking is a common annoyance.

Common Mistakes + Fixes

Mistake: Using legs that are too thin for a heavy tabletop.
Fix: If your top is solid oak or stone, avoid thin hairpin legs. They will wobble and damage the floor. Use chunky wooden legs or a solid metal X-base.

Mistake: Ignoring the center of gravity.
Fix: If you make a table significantly taller, it becomes top-heavy. Ensure the new legs splay out slightly (angled) rather than going straight down to increase the footprint and stability.

3. Mobility Meets Function: Adding Casters and Bun Feet

If you only need a modest boost—say, 2 to 4 inches—adding casters (wheels) is my favorite “pet-friendly” hack. Why pet-friendly? Because it allows you to easily move heavy coffee tables to clean up pet hair or make space for a dog bed. It turns a static piece of furniture into a flexible tool.

Upgrade Three: Industrial Casters. Look for casters with a rubber tire (to protect your hardwood floors) and a locking mechanism. The lock is non-negotiable for safety, especially if you have children or large dogs who might lean against the table. A 3-inch caster will typically add about 3.5 to 4 inches of total height once installed.

Upgrade Four: Bun Feet or “Furniture Feet.” Sometimes a table has block legs that sit flat on the floor. You can screw “bun feet”—round, wooden spheres—into the bottom of the existing legs. This is a very traditional look, often seen on sofas, but it works beautifully on heavy, boxy coffee tables or sideboards.

When installing these, you must pre-drill a pilot hole into the bottom of the existing leg. If you try to force a screw into dry, old wood without a pilot hole, the wood will split, and you will ruin the structural integrity of the table.

Pet-Friendly Design Tip:

If you choose casters, ensure they are “hooded” or have a fender if you have long-haired pets. Open ball bearings quickly get clogged with fur, making the wheels seize up. Sealed bearing casters are worth the extra investment.

4. The “Top-Down” Approach: Thickening the Surface

Sometimes the legs aren’t the problem; the tabletop is just too thin. In modern manufacturing, we often see 0.5-inch tops that feel cheap and flimsy. In high-end design, we associate “chunkiness” with luxury. By building up the tabletop, you add height and aesthetic weight.

Upgrade Five: The Butcher Block Overlay. You can glue and screw a new, thicker piece of wood directly onto the existing tabletop. For example, placing a 1.5-inch butcher block slab on top of a flimsy desk instantly raises the working height and improves the look.

Upgrade Six: The Under-Mount Build Up. If you like the existing surface but need it higher, you can detach the top from the base. Then, build a wooden frame (an “apron”) or install wooden blocks between the legs and the tabletop. This lifts the top by the thickness of the wood you insert.

I utilized this method recently for a tall client who loved a vintage desk. We removed the top, added a 2-inch recessed frame painted matte black to match the metal legs, and reattached the top. It looked like an intentional shadow line, not a patch job.

Material Selection: When adding a top layer, consider weight. If you add a stone or quartz slab, the existing legs must be strong enough to support it. Evidence-based design tells us that stability is key to reducing anxiety in a space—wobbly furniture subconsciously makes us nervous.

5. Temporary and Renter-Friendly Lifts

Not everyone can drill holes or glue wood, especially if you are renting or dealing with a precious antique you don’t want to permanently alter. Fortunately, there are non-destructive ways to gain height.

Upgrade Seven: Wood Risers. Forget the ugly plastic cones you used in college dorms. You can now buy (or make) elegant wooden blocks with a recessed divot in the center. The existing table leg sits inside this divot. You can stain the wood to match the floor or the table legs, making them disappear visually.

Upgrade Eight: Adjustable Leg Extenders. There are metal sleeves available that slide over the bottom of existing metal legs (common on utility tables or metal desks). These often have a telescoping foot that allows you to dial in the exact height. This is excellent for uneven floors in older homes.

When using risers, safety is paramount. The recess in the block must be deep enough that the leg cannot hop out if the table is bumped. I recommend adding a layer of non-slip rubber inside the divot to grip the leg foot securely.

Designer’s Note:

For a seamless look with risers, I often paint them the same color as the wall behind the table. This is an old theater trick; if the object matches the background, the eye skips over it, focusing only on the furniture itself.

Finish & Styling Checklist

Once you have successfully raised your table, the job isn’t quite done. Changing the height changes the balance of the piece. Run through this checklist to ensure the piece is safe, functional, and beautiful.

The Wobble Test: Apply pressure to all four corners. If it rocks, adjust the feet levelers immediately.

The “Stork” Effect: Step back. Does the table look like a bird on long, skinny legs? If so, you may need to add a rug underneath to visually “ground” the piece.
Floor Protection: If you cut new wooden legs, sand the bottoms perfectly flat and apply heavy-duty felt pads.
Chair Check: Slide your chairs in. Do the armrests clear the apron? If not, you might need to swap for armless chairs or raise the table another half-inch.

Visual Weight: If the table now feels too airy underneath, place a basket or a pouf beneath it to fill the negative space.

FAQs

Can I raise a glass dining table?
Yes, but it is trickier. Since you cannot screw into the glass, you have to modify the base. If the glass rests on a metal frame, you can put casters or risers on the frame. If it is a glass cylinder base, you can place the entire base on a custom-cut wooden platform or plinth.

What is the maximum height I can add safely?
Generally, I do not recommend adding more than 6 inches to an existing base without reinforcing the structure. The higher the center of gravity, the more leverage is applied to the joints when the table is bumped. If you need to go from coffee table (18″) to dining height (30″), you need a totally new base.

Is it safe to raise a table if I have toddlers?
You must be very careful. Risers are a choking hazard if they detach, and top-heavy tables can tip over. For homes with small children, I only recommend methods where the new legs are mechanically fastened (screwed or bolted) to the table, not just resting on blocks.

How do I match the wood stain of new legs to an old table?
It is very difficult to match aged wood perfectly. Instead of trying and failing, I recommend contrasting. If you have a walnut top, go for black painted legs or brass legs. If you must use wood, go for a completely different species or stain to make it look like an intentional two-tone design choice.

Conclusion

Modifying your furniture is one of the most empowering skills you can learn as a homeowner or renter. It allows you to customize your environment to fit your body, rather than forcing your body to adapt to the furniture. Whether you choose a simple set of casters for a coffee table or a complete leg overhaul for a vintage dining set, these changes impact how you live in your home daily.

Remember that design is not static. As your needs change—perhaps you need a standing desk, or your new puppy needs more clearance—your furniture can evolve with you. Grab your tape measure, check your clearances, and give that table the lift it deserves.