If you’re looking to modernise your home and you have some free time on the weekend, why not create some cool homemade concrete lamps? These hanging lamps are minimalistic and will add a rustic feel to any kitchen, dining room or bedroom.
You only need a bag of ready-mix concrete, some old plastic bottles and a few other household items. Ready-mix concrete is a cheap and versatile product that is perfect for home-based projects such as these.
Just remember to strain the wet mixture through a mesh to remove larger pieces of gravel if your ready-mix concrete contains any. For intricate and detailed DIY projects, you’ll want a smooth concrete mix with no big stones or lumps.
Items needed to make a concrete lamp
- Two old plastic bottles, one 500ml and one 2l
- Ready-mix concrete
- Hanging light socket with wire
- Four wood screws
- Threaded tube (~1cm diameter) with two nuts
- Drill (cordless if you have one) with 1cm diameter drill bits
- Craft knife
Steps to making a concrete lamp
- Drill through the caps on both water bottles and cut off the bottom of the big bottle using the craft knife.
- Screw the threaded tube through the cap of the big bottle and use the nuts to bolt the cap in place (one nut on either side of the cap).
- Insert the small bottle into the big one. Also, screw the threaded tube through the hole in the small bottle’s cap.
- Screw the wood screws through the base of the big bottle so that the screw tips touch the small bottle inside. These keep the small bottle from moving while you pour the ready-mix concrete.
- Create your ready-mix concrete and pour it into the bottom of the big bottle. The small bottle will create a cavity in the concrete. Shake and tap the bottle to remove trapped air in the wet concrete mix.
- Leave the concrete to cure for 24 hours.
- Remove the wood screws and cut away the big bottle using the craft knife. Then, cut off the base of the small bottle so that it is flush with the concrete. File down rough edges if desired.
- Insert the light socket into the small bottle and thread the wire through the tube at the top.
- Insert a bulb into the socket and connect it to a light switch.
Feel free to experiment with different bottle shapes – cutting off the base of the big bottle at an angle gives the concrete lamp a chic look. Visible air bubbles and jagged edges can also add to the charm of the lamps, so don’t worry about being a perfectionist when removing the trapped air or filing down the edges.
___
Release your inner creative-being and get stuck into some trendy DIY projects. We share ways to add personal flair to your life with some homemade décor and unique craft ideas.
___
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for more articles, videos and content to keep you inspired.
___
Mobimeme offers content marketing, SEO, analytics, social media management and expert direction in the digital sphere. Building and growing online audiences for your business is what we do best. Get in touch with us to find out more about our package offerings and how you can improve your website and following.