apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

There are places that rechrome things like faucets.

Did you get it at Boomerang? I love that place!

I too would recommend having the legs re-chromed rather than trying to replace them.

At the very least, try giving them a rub-down with steel wool and Windex. You'd be amazed what a difference this can make!

I'm sorry that I can't help with suggestions but what a great table!

Clean those legs with Barkeeper's Friend before you try and replace them. I think original is always best.

I would also suggest removing the legs and take them to be sand blasted and rechromed. It might be on the expensive side but worth it if you like the table and want shiny legs.

Yeah! Clean them with barkeepers friend, or a simple metal polish then use a electric buffer and I bet they could be salvaged. You can use a stainless steel pen or a paint for little spots of rust and it wouldn't be that noticeable.

Agreeing with dede concerning Barkeeper's Friend -- I bought a table very similar to that one a little over a year ago and after a weekend scrubdown with the stuff, it looked brand new.

Also, check the underside of the table -- mine has the stamp from the manufacturer that lists the month and year it was made (mine's from 1963), and I suspect a lot of companies that made tables/dinette sets did the same thing.

fine steel wool and marine jelly. It works like a champ (my husband uses it to fix the chrome on old bikes that are far more rusty than these legs- so this will be easy!)

I bought a completely trashed out old kitchen step chair with chrome legs. (You know the kind that the seat flips up and then there is a set of steps tha flip out). The legs are completely rust covered.

I just ran a wire wheel over it, and they are as good as new. Just a wire wheel on your drill will amaze you. I haven't tried the other products everyone else suggested... just throwing out another option.

http://cottageofstone.blogspot.com

I just gave away that table's cousin, along with the four matching chairs! When I initially got the set, I scrubbed the chrome with some fine steel wool, then applied a coat of chrome polish from the auto parts store (mine was turtle wax). The steel wool knocked off the most obvious rust spots--and they were only spots, nothing structural--and the chrome polish did a very good job restoring the shine. All told, it was less than $7 to fix the legs up.

Unfortunately, the white enamel top on mine wasn't in such good shape, so I sanded it down using emery cloth and had it painted at an auto-body shop.

I've used WD-40 and steel wool on vintage chrome light fixtures, chairs, and tables, and every time I'm amazed how much rust comes off.

This isn't very helpful because I don't have any exact items for you, but on HGTV once I saw them take all the rust off some chrome legs very simply. They just used something to scrub it off. Maybe some of the stuff mentioned above will work or someone will know what I'm talking about.

I'm clueless about the legs. So, selfishly: what's the name of the store in JC?!

After searching for marine jelly, I cam across "Naval Jelly" at Ace Hardware. Thanks for the tip lorijo, I have to try it out!

You could also try giving them a scrub with aluminum foil. Sounds strange, but it works.

Don't replace them! Just pick a way from the previous comments to clean them up, but don't go so far as re-chroming ... too bright and cheesy. Let their well earned wabi-sabiness be.

We used Top Brite metal polish on our table with chrome legs and it looked like new.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far! Yup, it was from Boomerang on Brunswick Ave in Jersey City. Love that store!

One more thing to try is Turtle Wax's chrome polish. It will bring back the shine and remove the rust in one step.

Showing my age here.... Coca Cola polishes chrome. Really.

Lots of good suggestions! I have to say Turtle Wax Chrome Polish is the way to go. Get the sealant they make as well to maintain the shine you'll get with the polish.

If you need to bring in the really big guns try Noxon metal cleaner. But I would get most of the gunk off with a Magic Eraser first (I love those things.)

Combine what emmbemma and Forestdweller said: polish w/ Coke and aluminum foil (saw it on Mythbusters - worked great on a 50's chrome bumper).

You could also take the legs to a plating company and get them zinc-coated. Lasts longer than re-chroming.

I second the aluminum foil suggestion I use this all the time, chrome bmx, table legs, scooter bits it cleans the lot.
If you take a piece of kitchen/ tin foil scrunch it up and use the dull side against the chrome it will polish out all the rust and any dirt without damaging the chrome.
Great table by the way.

If you are not able to clean them based on all the great suggestions, you could try www.tablelegsonline.com.

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Huh? In the first sentence you say they don't need to be replaced, then in the next sentence you ask who sells replacements or reproductions. This post completely contradicts itself.