How to Make a Table Taller: 8 Weekend Fixes

You can make a table taller by replacing the legs, adding casters or bun feet, building up the top, or setting the legs on risers. Most of these are weekend jobs with basic tools, and the right one depends on how much height you need and whether you can alter the piece.

It's very common to fall for a vintage table and find it sits too low for modern chairs. Don't toss it. Measure first, then pick the method that fits the gap.

Dining table with a raised height styled in a living space, shown as the cover for table height upgrades

How much height does your table actually need?

Start with numbers, not a hunch. A standard dining table is about 28 to 30 inches high. Many mid-century pieces sit closer to 27 inches, which feels tight with thick modern chair cushions.

For dining, leave about 10 to 12 inches between the chair seat and the underside of the tabletop or apron. If you use armchairs, the arms need to slide under the table, which usually means roughly 26 inches of clearance from the floor.

A coffee table should sit at the height of your sofa cushion or one to two inches below it. Higher than the seat and you'll be knocking your shins.

Measure the table at all four corners. Floors are often crooked, not the table.
Measure the seat height of the actual chairs you'll use.
Account for the rug. A thick one can swallow half an inch of leg.
Subtract to find the lift you need, then choose a method below.

Which upgrade fits a lift of 4 inches or more?

1. Replace the legs

A full leg swap is the cleanest way to add serious height. Many tables use screw-in legs on mounting plates, and you can buy replacements in solid wood or metal. As an architect, I'd choose tapered wooden legs with brass ferrules for a vintage top, because the proportions stay calm.

Check the thread before you order. Many screw-in legs use an M8 or 5/16 inch hanger bolt, and if the new legs differ, you'll need new plates too. Match leg weight to the top: thin hairpin legs wobble under solid oak or stone, so go chunkier or use a solid X-base.

A taller table has a higher center of gravity. Angle the new legs slightly outward to widen the footprint.

2. Swap to a pedestal base

On a small dining or breakfast-nook table, a central pedestal adds height and gets rid of knee-knocking corner legs. It does mean a new base, so it suits tables you're happy to partly rebuild.

Table with replaced legs or a pedestal base, illustrating a larger height increase

What if you only need 2 to 4 inches?

3. Add casters

Casters are my pet-friendly pick for coffee tables, since you can roll the table aside to vacuum fur or make room for a dog bed. Choose rubber tires to protect floors and a locking mechanism, especially with kids or big dogs leaning on it. A 3-inch caster adds roughly 3.5 to 4 inches once mounted.

With long-haired pets, pick sealed-bearing casters. Open bearings clog with fur and seize.

4. Screw on bun feet

Round wooden bun feet work on boxy coffee tables and sideboards with block legs. Drill a pilot hole in the bottom of each leg first. Forcing a screw into dry, old wood splits it.

Table fitted with casters or bun feet for a modest height boost in a home interior

How do you raise the tabletop itself?

5. Glue and screw on a thicker top

A 0.5-inch top can look flimsy. Fixing a 1.5-inch butcher block slab over it raises the surface and gives the table more visual weight. Check that the base can carry the extra load, especially if you move to stone or quartz.

6. Build up under the top

Detach the top, add a wooden frame or blocks between the legs and the top, then reattach. Paint the frame to match the legs and it reads as a deliberate shadow line rather than a patch.

Wobbly furniture makes a room feel less settled, so screw and glue everything and run the wobble test afterward.

What are the renter-friendly options?

7. Use wood risers

Skip the plastic dorm cones. Wooden blocks with a recessed divot hold each leg in place, and you can stain them to match the floor. The recess must be deep enough that a bumped table can't hop out. A thin layer of non-slip rubber inside the divot helps grip. Painting risers the color of the wall behind them makes them nearly vanish.

Working on seating too? The same logic applies to raising a couch with risers and legs.

8. Fit adjustable leg extenders

Metal sleeves with telescoping feet slide over existing metal legs. They let you dial in the exact height, which helps on uneven floors in older homes.

Raised table on risers or leg extenders, a renter-friendly way to gain height

How far is too far?

I don't recommend adding more than about 6 inches to an existing base without reinforcing it. The taller the table, the more leverage a bump puts on the joints. Going from an 18-inch coffee table to a 30-inch dining table means a new base, not an extension. If you have toddlers, use methods where the new legs are screwed or bolted on, not resting on loose blocks. For structural changes you're unsure about, ask a carpenter.

More weekend projects like this are in our utility upgrades you can do in a weekend.

Finishing checks and styling the taller table

Press on all four corners. If it rocks, adjust the levelers.
Step back. If the table looks like a bird on stilts, a rug underneath grounds it.
Sand the bottoms of new wooden legs flat and add felt pads.
Slide the chairs in and confirm the arms clear the apron.
If the space underneath feels airy, a basket or pouf fills it.

Height also changes dining table decor and settings. On a table that now sits higher, keep the centerpiece low enough to see across. If you're wondering what to put in the middle of dining table, a runner with a low bowl or short candles works, and anything taller should stay slim.

For a basic table setting, forks go to the left of the plate, and knives and spoons go to the right, with the knife blades facing the plate. Then use utensils from the outside in, starting with the outermost for the first course.

Finished taller table styled with a low centerpiece and place settings in a dining area

Frequently asked questions

Can I raise a glass dining table?

Yes, but you can't screw into the glass, so you modify the base. If the glass rests on a metal frame, add casters or risers to the frame. A glass cylinder base can sit on a custom-cut wooden plinth.

How much height can I safely add to a table?

About 6 inches is a reasonable limit without reinforcing the structure, since a higher center of gravity stresses the joints. For bigger jumps, such as coffee table to dining height, build or buy a new base.

Is it safe to raise a table if I have toddlers?

It can be, with care. Loose risers can detach and top-heavy tables can tip, so use legs that are screwed or bolted to the table and check that it doesn't rock.

How do I match new legs to an old table's wood stain?

Aged wood is very hard to match. Contrast instead: black or brass legs under a walnut top, or a clearly different wood, reads as an intentional two-tone design.