DIY Quikrete Concrete Lamp

Mimzy lombardo
by Mimzy lombardo
6 Materials
$20
1 Hour
Easy

This lamp was inspired by the rejuvenation lamp that's a very similar shape. I saw the lamp on a blog and fell in love with it, but the price tag is out of my range, so I devised this plan to make my own version with fast setting concrete.

I love this lamp so much I think I'll make another for the other side.

I bought a bag of fast setting quickcrete and got to work

I used quickcrete colorant to make the cement a beautiful charcoal grey.

TIP: pour some water in the bucket FIRST and then added the cement and colorant to the water(makes mixing much easier), and mixed until it was the consistency of toothpaste.

I poured the quickcrete into the glass container while holding the threaded lamp pipe. The first attempt(in the video below) I poured the cement into the glass bowl and then inserted the lamp pipe into the wet cement. Even though I shimmied, and muscled that pipe until I thought it was at the bottom of the bowl, it didn’t actually reach the glass at the bottom of the bowl. So when I tried to push the pipe all the way through the hardened cement, it broke off a chunk of cement. Lesson learned. Put the lamp pipe in first, and pour the cement around it…it may take an extra set of hands.

I used a magnetic level to ensure the plumbness of the lamp pipe. I really think checking for plumb can be done with the naked eye adequately. You just have to make sure to walk around the piece 360 degrees to make sure the pipe is plumb at every angle. Otherwise, when the lamp shade is installed, it’ll be immensely obvious that the pipe is not plumb. Take it from me…

After the cement is cured for about 30 minutes or so, I broke the glass off the outside of the cement ball with a hammer. Just be sure to wrap the piece in a couple bags or fabric because glass will fly. Just a little tap, tap, tap is all it takes. I found the cement released from the glass a lot easier when the cement was still warm from curing.

Then I reassembled the lamp. I threaded the lamp cord through the cement ball, the lamp pipe, and screwed it all together. I had to install a new plug on the end of the lamp cord where I cut off the old plug. The drawings on the package were a little vague so I included this picture above for reference.

Also…before I put the whole thing back together I used gold Rub N Buff to paint the lamp pipe. Rub and Buff is kinda miraculous. I’m not sure what it is exactly, but it comes out of the tube like paste, rubs on like shoe polish, and coats like a thick opaque oil paint. I love it…I recently used it on these cheap brass bathroom faucets and they’re like brand new.

I love the Dr. Sueuss-ish silhouette of this lamp. And the size is just right for a small space like this.

I did buy a new shade for my lamp here. All in all this lamp cost me about $28 including the brand new shade. I love the way it turned out and I think I may make another for the other side. It brings such a nice glow to the room at night. 

This is a time-lapse video...so it's short. Just enough to prove this is an easy project and you can do it too!

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3 of 5 questions
  • Barb Barb on Jul 08, 2019

    Same as "Birdz.." how does the lamp sit flat?

  • Pbkmeme Pbkmeme on Jul 08, 2019

    So cool. Love it.

  • Peggy Peggy on Jul 18, 2019

    Where did you get that beautiful table? I have been searching for one like that.

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  • Bill Boyden Bill Boyden on Jul 25, 2019

    Neat idea! I have a floor lamp that flops over at the base. This would be a good fix. I might try using a plastic beach ball.

    • See 2 previous
    • TK TK on Sep 24, 2019

      Or you could use a large- like an old punch bowl- glass bowl making sure the concrete was level after pouring. Then you would have a flat surface to stay level on the floor. Felt stick-on dots would keep it from scratching the floor if it was moved.

  • Berni Berni on Sep 24, 2019

    So beautiful.........and classy......just right....thank you for sharing...can't wait to try it

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