Stretcher (furniture)

A stretcher is a horizontal support element of a table, chair or other item of furniture; this structure is normally made of exposed wood and ties vertical elements of the piece together. There are numerous styles of the stretcher including circumferential, double and spindle design.^[1] This term is sometimes referred to as a stretcher beam. A very common pattern for chairs has each front leg connected to the back by the lateral stretchers, which in turn are connected by a medial stretcher. In the William and Mary period chi (from the Greek letter chi - Χ) stretchers were common, connecting the legs diagonally, frequently with a finial where the stretchers crossed.

See also

• Gateleg table
• Hayrake table
• Refectory table
• Palisander chair

Notes