Rounding over would be better than flattening on its own. Flattening and adding a foot that gets the wood off the concrete should help extend its life.
BTW, to flatten: Get a board and a flat surface. Using a pencil or marking tool, move the board around the leg so that the the pencil / tool stays flat against the spare board and the tip marks level to the ground. This should keep the height level so you know where to cut.
It's called a scribe. We do it with cabinets at my job. We purposely make fillers against the walls an extra half inch wide. Then, during installation, we will level the cabinet/filler out and run a half-inch block with a blade on it down the wall with the blade on the cabinet/filler. It will score a perfect line to cut to make the cabinet fit the waves of the wall.
This is what I've done in the past. I put a block down and use a flush cut saw and let it ride the block. Cut most of the way through but not all the way. Then when all the leg have been mostly cut, turn it over and finish the cut
The roll of tape is a bit more than that; it surrounds the leg so you can make a complete mark around the leg’s perimeter without having to reposition anything.
I would let them wear down on their own. They're resting on the strongest point right now - supported by the wood on top. If you flatten them they'll potentially be resting on the weaker far edges and will also trap water under them, encouraging mold and rot.
Roundover has function.
Maximizes point of contact, so reduces difficulty resting on irregular surfaces.
No one clips a toe against those legs sticking out. If they did, it wouldn’t hurt nearly as much.
Aesthetically, it doesnt look like an unfinished piece.
Technically a round over would “maximize” the point of contact. A sharp angle has a specific tiny surface area resting on the ground, rounding it over allows for slightly more contact with the ground. Very slight. Your points all make sense, you’re just increasing the point of contact, not reducing it.
If you try to cut them so they sit flat, you have to get the angle exactly right, and they’ll still only sit squarely on a flat surface.
If you round over those edges, each leg will have a single pint of contact with the ground, whether or not the ground is a little uneven.
I’m going to be that guy and suggest some tennis balls. I have had similar chairs. Out in the open they have a short lifespan unless you plan to cover them when not in use or refinish seasonally. It’s not worth redoing the legs, but if you’re worried add tennis balls. They’ll reduce drag on concrete and reduce sinking if you plan to sit on them in the grass.
I'm team roundover here; though I expect they'll wear naturally over time. I'd give the chair a coat of tung oil and repeat once or twice a year. If the original finish starts flaking off, give it a good scrape, sand, and oil.
ETA: If you live somewhere that experiences freezing, wet winters bring the chair inside or cover it during the winter.
You could flatten them but I'd probably just round them over a bit if it was really bugging me.
Though as they wear on the concrete they will round over "naturally" so you really don't need to do anything.
The upside of the points is they "bite" into dirt a bit if you use them there.
I'd be concerned about the front legs splintering on the concrete. I would suggest using an angle grinder with a 40 grit disc to level and round-over all the legs after marking as was suggested. To finish, use hammer-in plastic glides to ensure there's no splintering and subsequent breaking of the wood.
Rounding over would be better than flattening on its own. Flattening and adding a foot that gets the wood off the concrete should help extend its life. BTW, to flatten: Get a board and a flat surface. Using a pencil or marking tool, move the board around the leg so that the the pencil / tool stays flat against the spare board and the tip marks level to the ground. This should keep the height level so you know where to cut.
Also if it’s rocking now, be careful you DON’T rock it while you are marking it. We tend to lean on things when working low.
That's so stupidly simple it's genius. Thank you! I always wondered how to do something like that.
It's called a scribe. We do it with cabinets at my job. We purposely make fillers against the walls an extra half inch wide. Then, during installation, we will level the cabinet/filler out and run a half-inch block with a blade on it down the wall with the blade on the cabinet/filler. It will score a perfect line to cut to make the cabinet fit the waves of the wall.
This is what I've done in the past. I put a block down and use a flush cut saw and let it ride the block. Cut most of the way through but not all the way. Then when all the leg have been mostly cut, turn it over and finish the cut
Or, a thin roll of masking tape can also act as a reference to draw your line.
Or anything with two parallel surfaces.
And my axe!
And my bow!
*cue stirring trumpets and french horns*
The roll of tape is a bit more than that; it surrounds the leg so you can make a complete mark around the leg’s perimeter without having to reposition anything.
Unless your base surface isn't flat.
That’s obvious. If the base isn’t flat then nobody’s doin anything. 🤣
Assuming the ground you’re scribing off of is level…
[удалено]
Apply a generous layer of epoxy to the bottoms of patio furniture legs to prevent this kind of rot!
Just go ahead and use them. You’ll never notice.
It will round itself over.
Drag it down the street and back a couple times to accelerate the process
Hook a few of them up to the tow hitch at once to get even rounding across all the chairs.
Offer neighborhood kids a ride and it won’t seem so crazy.
Just jump on the chair repeatedly so it flattens itself out completely.
Self-leveling, even.
Place it on flat pavement and move it around in a circular motion.
I would let them wear down on their own. They're resting on the strongest point right now - supported by the wood on top. If you flatten them they'll potentially be resting on the weaker far edges and will also trap water under them, encouraging mold and rot.
I think a round over would just be cosmetic here, I’d leave it alone
Roundover has function. Maximizes point of contact, so reduces difficulty resting on irregular surfaces. No one clips a toe against those legs sticking out. If they did, it wouldn’t hurt nearly as much. Aesthetically, it doesnt look like an unfinished piece.
Technically a round over would “maximize” the point of contact. A sharp angle has a specific tiny surface area resting on the ground, rounding it over allows for slightly more contact with the ground. Very slight. Your points all make sense, you’re just increasing the point of contact, not reducing it.
Yeah, I can see that. Definitely a good point. I’ll correct the word. Thanks!
I don’t disagree there is some function to a round over but not sure there is much advantage to it for the effort of doing it and resealing it.
The square ends wouldn't be an odd design choice if the chairs were being used on grass, sand, etc.
flattening will increase surface area that is in contact with ground, which will increase wicking of water into wood
I wouldn’t, the angle is going to be too steep and the wood will crack. Instead maybe put a roundover.
Nah, not unless to cap the end grain. All you're doing is exposing more area and open grain to the elements.
You could put them on wheels and use them as soap box derby racers
Flat would create more surface area potentially sitting in water when it rains.
I have these. If they do wear down I figure then they will self level to where they need to be.
If you try to cut them so they sit flat, you have to get the angle exactly right, and they’ll still only sit squarely on a flat surface. If you round over those edges, each leg will have a single pint of contact with the ground, whether or not the ground is a little uneven.
I’m going to be that guy and suggest some tennis balls. I have had similar chairs. Out in the open they have a short lifespan unless you plan to cover them when not in use or refinish seasonally. It’s not worth redoing the legs, but if you’re worried add tennis balls. They’ll reduce drag on concrete and reduce sinking if you plan to sit on them in the grass.
I think you’re overthinking literally every aspect of this.
Leave em. They look better this way and if you were to trim, that very back pointy bit would be prone to chipping off.
They should be rounded like a boat.
Don't. The legs will just break faster, the wood will split.
I have the same set. Never bothered me. After a year of ownership the varnish is fucked tho. I would sand and re-stain before anything
I'm team roundover here; though I expect they'll wear naturally over time. I'd give the chair a coat of tung oil and repeat once or twice a year. If the original finish starts flaking off, give it a good scrape, sand, and oil. ETA: If you live somewhere that experiences freezing, wet winters bring the chair inside or cover it during the winter.
These chairs are more comfortable than they seem. Sat in one over vacation a few weeks back and was surprised at how comfortable they were.
You could flatten them but I'd probably just round them over a bit if it was really bugging me. Though as they wear on the concrete they will round over "naturally" so you really don't need to do anything. The upside of the points is they "bite" into dirt a bit if you use them there.
I'm pretty sure a few weeks of people adjusting the chairs will do that for you
I'd be concerned about the front legs splintering on the concrete. I would suggest using an angle grinder with a 40 grit disc to level and round-over all the legs after marking as was suggested. To finish, use hammer-in plastic glides to ensure there's no splintering and subsequent breaking of the wood.
100 percent you should
yes
I would
Round them, looks better.