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.

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.

This article about furniture or furnishing is a stub.