DIY - Concrete Lamp

A lamp from concrete easily can be made by yourself with quite simple tools and materials. Of course there are some steps must be noted to achieve good results. Exactly these steps I would like to show in a short video.

I would be pleasured if you would share your experience of making the lamp of concrete with me.

Here you can download the template as a PDF file for free.

Step 1: Download

For a precise work I have prepared for you a drawing as a PDF file which contains measurements I used. The drawing can be downloaded here free.

Tamplate free download: DIY - Concrete Lamp

Step 2:

First you will need a wooden board which is 14cm wide and 80cm long. From this board you need to saw five pieces with following dimensions:

4 pieces 14x16cm
1 piece 14x14cm

Therefore you can use any electric saw or a hand saw.

Step 3: Assembly

After you have sawed out all the pieces drill the holes at each position where you will set screws. Do not forget to drill a hole for the wire on any sidewise pieces. Now screw all the wooden pieces together to a box. All the inner joints of the assembled box have to be sealed with silicone so that water cannot escape.

Step 4: Socket

Stick your lamp socket on a piece of double-side tape and cut out cleanly the overcoming tape. Remove now the cover paper of the other side and glue the socket centrical on the bottom inside the box.

Tip: Mark previously the position of the lamp socket. It will be important to place the socket correctly the first time so that the tape adheres better.

Step 5: Wire

I would recommend you to use a part of a pipe to put the wire through the wooden hole. With that firstly the textile wire will be protected and secondly water will not escape later. Finally mask all the places on your lamp socket with waterproof tape where water maybe can get through. That will be necessary in order to keep the socket clean and dry from the inside.

Step 6: Concrete

Now it gets exciting! You need approximately 6kg of ready concrete mixture. Depending on which concrete you are using pay attention to the correct volume of water and to the manufacturer’s notification.

Step 7: Fill Concrete

When the concrete is mixed, fill it into the box slowly. Knock and shake the box frequently while you fill the concrete to avoid air inclusions.

Step 8: Drying

Only after 48 hours the box can be disassembled carefully.

Step 9: Connect Wire

Now you need only to connect the wire and your concrete lamp is ready.

Attention: If you are not well informed of electricity you have to get a specialist to plug the electric cable.

Comments

[smustafaali]

Can someone guide me why the concrete is moulding like this. Used things are in the pictures attached.

Used simple cement that I got from the local hardware shop, mixed it with water and poured it in the mould.

The size is 4.5 inches cube made by a ply wood.

PS How much time I should have it like this before unscrewing it.

[brad ley]

Looks like you are using particle board which cannot be exposed to moisture or it will swell tremendously. Use solid pine or melamine board and coat the inside of the form with oil or Vaseline before pouring in the concrete.

[olivierph]

Hello, thank you for the step by step tutorial.

I'm having trouble with cracks appearing from the socket to the edges.

When i took it out of the mold, it was perferct but after a few hours, cracks appeared.

2 attempts, same result, (1 week and 2 weeks of drying though).

Any ideas ? What kind on concrete are you using ?

Thank you for your help !

[Matthiasl]

Made it!

[georgydaly]

Hi Matthias, the lamp looks great- congratulations! I'm just wondering what the name of the bulb you used was, or where you purchased it alternatively? I'm living in France but if I could order online that'd be great

[georgydaly]

Thanks for the info Matthias! I will definitely give it a go and will share the results :) Best,
G

[Matthiasl]

Hi, thanks for the comment!

The bulb is called "Danlamp Deco Globe Deluxe Light Bulb". Mine was 60w which can be a bit bright if you want to look at it a lot, I think you can also get it in 25 and 40 watts. (The company's website: http://www.danlamp.com/Products/Aesthetics/Globe-de-Luxe.aspx ).

I live in Iceland and purchased it from a local shop, but it is also available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Danlamp-Deco-Globe-Deluxe-Light/dp/B005N8VUOE

Hope this helps!

[zowzow]

Great instructions! I had a great time making this!

[Charteroak]

Where can you buy that bulb and what is it called?

[MartinT6]

It's called the Edison bulb and you can buy them on Ebay for example :)

[alexejnagel]

Thanks for your comment :)

[planea2]

Felicitaciones Muy buen trabajo !

[chrisjlionel]

N1

[chrisjlionel]

Include light shades that would be so cool

[platdujour]

Brilliant.

That would look great with Plumen bulb [http://johnlewis.scene7.com/is/image/JohnLewis/000264014?$prod_exlrg$] but the, but the socket would have to be set deeper to hide the transformer part. I'll have to think about this..

[chrisjlionel]

Cool bulb

[AlexN2]

Concrete or Cement? I see both at Home Depot.

[マークス祐]

Great！

I would try this.

[ooohlaa]

Luvlee presentation, so clear and precise. Opens up all kinds of ideas for concrete I bought over a year ago and is in my shed. Hope its not solid by now!

[erickruse]

Wow! Great job. I am going to have to make this. Thanks for sharing.