How to Attach Bun Feet to Furniture

Replace the worn, scarred bun feet on your ottoman when you reupholster it.


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Bun feet come in handy if a piece of furniture needs new feet, or if you simply want to change the overall style of the piece by changing the type of feet. The method used to install the feet on the furniture depends on the furniture itself -- flip the furniture on its side to examine the bottom. If the wood where the feet attach is more than an inch thick, use a dowel screw; if the wood is thin and you can reach the other side, such as with a wood brace, a hanger bolt holds the bun foot in place.


Place a piece of paper on the work surface and set a bun foot atop it so the foot is upside down; the part of the foot that attaches to the furniture should rest directly on the paper.


Trace the top of the foot on the paper using a pencil. Cut out the circular shape and fold the circle into a quadrant. Unfold the paper and poke through the center with the pencil. The center is the point where the lines intersect.


Align the paper over one of the bun feet and draw a pencil dot on the center of the bun foot's top; this shows you where to drill. Repeat the process with each bun foot.


Hold a dowel screw or hanger bolt next to the drill bit, noting where the one set of threads ends on a dowel screw, or where the only set of threads ends on a hanger bolt. Wrap a small piece of masking tape at the corresponding point on the drill bit to act as a depth gauge for drilling the feet.


Drill a pilot hole straight down through the top of a bun foot, stopping when the tape reaches the top of the wood. This ensures the hole does not go too deep. Repeat the process with the remaining bun feet.


Insert one dowel screw or the threaded end of a hanger bolt in the pilot hole on each bun foot. Turn the metal clockwise, or the foot counterclockwise, to tighten. Grip the metal with pliers if it is too hard to tighten it completely by hand alone.


Flip the furniture on its side. Hold one bun foot in the desired location on the bottom of the furniture, marking where it belongs with the pencil. Repeat the process for each remaining foot in its respective area on the bottom of the project piece. Use a tape measure, if desired, to ensure accurate spacing for all feet.


Drill a straight hole through each of the markings with the drill bit you used earlier, stopping once again at the tape mark. Each hole should be completely straight; the holes will be vertical when the furniture is upright. Screw one bun foot into each hole if using dowel screws, turning the feet until they rest completely against the bottom of the furniture. If using bolts, remove the washer and nut from each bolt, pushing the bolt through the narrow piece of wood and out the other side. Attach one washer and nut to each bolt. Tighten the nuts by hand, then with an adjustable wrench.

Things You Will Need

  • Bun feet
  • Paper
  • Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Dowel screws or hanger bolts (one per bun foot)
  • Drill bit slightly narrower than the screws or bolts
  • Masking tape
  • Drill
  • Pliers
  • Tape measure


  • If the already furniture has feet, check the means used to hold them in place and use the same method, if the construction seems solid and sturdy.


  • The bun foot should be at least 1/4-inch taller than one of the set of threads on either the screws or bolts; otherwise, the metal may go through the wood. Choose feet and hardware that are compatible in height.

About the Author

Kathy Adams


Photo Credits

  • Hemera Technologies/ Images
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