A: While the 1 5/8 in. cradle is sturdy and thick enough to attach hardware, the front face is only 1/8 in. thick and too thin for screws to attach hairpin legs to it directly. The thicker cradle exists only along the outer edge. Especially with the larger sizes, the painting panel is more likely to start to bow in the middle and maybe even split if too much weight is concentrated towards the center. If I push down in the middle of a panel that is 16 in. long, I can feel it give slightly. To create a functional end table as you've described, I believe modifications would first have to be made to reinforce the center of the panel in order to convert this product from its intended decorative purpose to a light weight-bearing role.