Builder's Studio: DIY Lantern Posts from Table Legs

Choose a table leg of your choice. We decided to use the French Country Island Leg which has a 35 ½” height. For this project, we will be trimming the ends to create an overall height of 28 ¼”. To get this desired height, we trimmed 4 inches off the bottom block and completely removed the top block. We used a miter saw to trim the island leg since it needs to be perfectly square on both ends.

Once the island legs are trimmed to the property height, you can add extra material at the base to make the post sturdier. To do this, use some leftover 1x2 lumber to create a mitered board. Cut the 1x2 pieces to the exact width of the bottom block, accounting for the 45 degree angle of the miter.

Once the pieces are cut to size, test fit them. If all is good, apply some wood glue to the backside and use a finish nailer to attach the pieces to the base of the leg. When attaching the mitered board to the leg base, make sure that both pieces are sitting flush on the work surface. This will avoid any wobble during final installation. Repeat for the second post.

Use wood putty to fill the holes left by the finish nailer. A finish sander can then be used to smooth out the wood putty and get a smooth surface ready for finishing.

We chose to paint our lantern posts black, but the wood type and finish used is up to your preference. Just be sure to avoid painting the top of the post where the lanterns will be installed.

To attach the metal lanterns, use a two-part instant setting epoxy adhesive. You can pre-drill a hole through the bottom of our lantern and attach using a wood screw into the top of the post. Depending on the epoxy and your project, you may need to scuff smooth surfaces with sandpaper.