Natural materials are very trendy when it comes to decoration. This is the case of the driftwood floor lamp which provides warmth to your interior decoration. In addition, it adapts to all styles: contemporary, chic, vintage, industrial or other. Making a driftwood lamp is quite simple to do with the right tools and some basic electricity.
The accessories needed to make a driftwood floor lamp
If you want to start making a driftwood lamp, you need to be well equipped. Among the necessary accessories, you need:
- A socket, a bulb and a wire with a switch,
- A lampshade or an object that can be used as a lampshade,
- A medium board to act as a support,
- Wire,
- Hot glue,
- Screws, dowels and other fixing accessories.
In addition, you also need to have some tools like a jigsaw and a glue gun. You will also need a powerful drill. Once you have gathered the necessary materials, all you have to do is find the driftwood .
To do this, you will only have to walk along the seaside or along the rivers. Thus, you can collect the wood carried by the waves .
Prepare the support
The first step is to build the support for your wooden floor lamp. To do this, take the medium board and cut it to the shape you want using a jigsaw. This board will serve as the base for your lamp .
Then you can paint it with the same color as the lampshade. Also, take the driftwood to build the vertical element of your floor lamp. Therefore, you can use a trunk or a bundle of driftwood of smaller dimensions.
If you are using a bundle, it is advisable to tie it with wire or brass wire. Now move on to fixing the driftwood to the base . To do this, drill from below the sole and insert the fixing screws with dowels. Alternatively, you can also use hot wood glue to glue the wood to the support.
Drill holes to pass the electrical cable through
The next step is to drill the holes for the electrical cable. To do this, you will need to equip your drill with a wood drill bit that is larger in diameter than the electrical wire. If your cable is, for example, 6.2 mm, use a drill bit that is about 8 mm. Also, make sure that the drill bit is long enough to go through the diameter of the board .
Drill holes about every 10 cm so that your electrical cable can snake around the base of the lamp. Next, you need to run the wire through. The length of the wire will depend on the height of your lamp.
If the lamp is 70 cm high, equip yourself with a 2 m wire. Also, if it is visible, cover it with a fabric to have a nice cable. Don't forget to let the cable stick out for the light fixture suspension.
Fix the socket and connect
At the top of the lamp base, allow 10 to 12 cm of excess electrical cable . This allows you to strip about 2 cm to fix the socket. If the socket is not drooping, but fixed at the top of the branch, screw a threaded connector into the wood.
Using a cutter or knife, strip the end of the sheath to reveal the electrical wires. Then, open the socket and connect the phase, neutral and earth wires.
Close the socket once the wires are connected . At the other end, you need to install the plug. To do this, strip the sheath and rubber by 1.5 cm.
Then, open the plug and screw the coppers into the two compartments, neutral and phase. This will later be connected to the socket. Finally, cut the cord to install a switch.
Put up lampshades
The last step is to adorn your lamp with its lampshade. For this type of floor lamp, you have the choice between different styles of lampshades . In wood, fabric or metal, it's all a matter of taste.
You can opt for a round wooden model to match with driftwood. You can also opt for a metal mesh model in the recycling center.
Once your driftwood hanging lamp is finished, all you have to do is find the ideal location for it. In general, driftwood floor lamp bases are straight. It will therefore make a decorative and designer table lamp. You can also use it as a bedside lamp or desk lamp.
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