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How to Create a DIY Metal Lampshade

I so excited to have another lamp project.  I am not sure why but they are a lot of fun.  This one includes a DIY metal lampshade too.  BONUS!  I think I am on a lamp roll!  You can see my Farmhouse Look Lamp here!

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DIY Metal Lampshade - www.michellejdesigns.com - I created this from a piece of metal and some embroidery hoops and you can too!

 

DIY Metal Lampshade and a Lamp Re-Vamp

Ever since I got the great deal on 24 Edison bulbs I have been on the search for lamps to re-do.  I was in Omaha last weekend and my cousin and I spotted this guy in a really cool junk shop.  Thanks to my relatives for putting up with my junking adventures.  I appreciate it you guys!

 

DIY Metal Lampshade - www.michellejdesigns.com - I created this from a piece of metal and some embroidery hoops and you can too!

 

The price tag said $18 but the guy at the counter gave it to me for $10 because the top was very wiggly.  I was going to re-wire it anyway but I took it for $10.

When I got it home I cleaned it up, took out all of the wiring, and took the existing light kit off.

I spray painted the whole thing white.

It did not have a shade so I began the search for something that would go well with the Edison bulb.  I thought maybe just the metal frame of squared off lampshade, I thought of using the wiring from a lampshade as a base for metal then I saw a pin that showed a metal lampshade held together with two embroidery hoops.  I knew this was the one I wanted to try.

DIY Metal Lampshade Supplies List

Piece of sheet metal –  mine is 36″x 24″

Metal cutters (Tin Snips)

Embroidery Hoops (preferable wood) – Mine are 10″  but I used the plastic ones (not recommended)

Wood piece for the top to attach to the light kit – Mine was a piece of square basswood  1/2″ x 1/2″

Wood Screws

Small nuts, bolts and washers

Spray paint

Electric/cordless drill

 

DIY Metal Lampshade - www.michellejdesigns.com - I created this from a piece of metal and some embroidery hoops and you can too!

 

The first thing I did was cut the metal using my new cutters.  I thought it would be much harder than it was.  It was really easy.  I did wear gloves just in case there were some sharp pieces sticking out.  There didn’t seem to be many of these.  Like I said, it was pretty easy.

 

DIY Metal Lampshade - www.michellejdesigns.com - I created this from a piece of metal and some embroidery hoops and you can too!

 

I calculated the circumference of the 10″ hoop using this calculator.  Easy peasy!  No one said that creating a DIY metal lampshade would include hard math!  LOL!

Then I added an inch-ish so the ends would overlap.  We needed room for the nuts, bolts and washers so the shade would stay together.

My piece ended up being 10 1/2″ x 32 1/2″.  This means I still have enough for another shade in the future.  Yay!

 

DIY Metal Lampshade - www.michellejdesigns.com - I created this from a piece of metal and some embroidery hoops and you can too!

 

I had already spray painted the embroidery hoops.  This is where the wood hoops would definitely be better.  Hobby Lobby was closed the day I was shopping so I picked up the plastic ones at WalMart.  They are probably half the price but the paint just chips off so easily that it just isn’t worth it.  I will probably be ordering the wood hoops and replacing them onto my shade.

After painting the hoops we created a circle with the metal and clamped one end.  Then we added the hoop to the other end.  (This is where the 2 people come in handy)  It is just too much to hold onto with just one person.

After we got one hoop on Jeff added the nuts, bolts and washers (3 sets) along the “seam” of the lampshade.  Then it is held together and the other hoop is much easier to attach.  Since there are holes in the metal he just added them using a screw driver.  No drilling was required.

 

DIY Metal Lampshade - www.michellejdesigns.com - I created this from a piece of metal and some embroidery hoops and you can too!

 

Here is the back of the shade showing the nuts, bolts and washers!

 

DIY Metal Lampshade - www.michellejdesigns.com - I created this from a piece of metal and some embroidery hoops and you can too!

 

As we added the hoops to the metal the paint chipped really bad and the colored hoops were showing.   I don’t think the wood hoops would have done this.  Anyway, then we added the piece of basswood across the top.  Jeff had to bore a place for the top of the light kit to fit in because this piece that we had on hand was the exact height of the screw piece at the top of the light kit.  We needed to be able to screw the top piece on to hold the shade in place.

 

DIY Metal Lampshade - www.michellejdesigns.com - I created this from a piece of metal and some embroidery hoops and you can too!

 

Then he drilled holes through the top hoop and into the ends of the basswood piece and used a wood screw on each side to hold it in place.  Then because of the chipped paint I had to mask all of the metal, inside and out, and repaint the hoops.  What a pain!

 

DIY Metal Lampshade - www.michellejdesigns.com - I created this from a piece of metal and some embroidery hoops and you can too!

 

But it came out good in the end!

 

DIY Metal Lampshade - www.michellejdesigns.com - I created this from a piece of metal and some embroidery hoops and you can too!

 

I really thought this would be harder to make than it was.  It was awkward at times trying to deal with the metal but it all came together!

 

DIY Metal Lampshade - www.michellejdesigns.com - I created this from a piece of metal and some embroidery hoops and you can too!

 

DIY Metal Lampshade - www.michellejdesigns.com - I created this from a piece of metal and some embroidery hoops and you can too!

 

DIY Metal Lampshade - www.michellejdesigns.com - I created this from a piece of metal and some embroidery hoops and you can too!

 

DIY Metal Lampshade - www.michellejdesigns.com - I created this from a piece of metal and some embroidery hoops and you can too!

 

DIY Metal Lampshade - www.michellejdesigns.com - I created this from a piece of metal and some embroidery hoops and you can too!

 

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial.   If you like it be sure to pin it and share it!  I appreciate all of the shares and pins I can get.  LOL!

You can find a lot of these products on my Favorite Things Store page!  Check it out!

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Michelle

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Sandra

Tuesday 18th of January 2022

Great job!! I've seen sheets of metal like this at home Depot and if often thought of different things to make with it cool to see someone did similar thing. Quick question when it is the only source of light in the room does it cash to the pattern onto the wall? I've always thought that was a neat effect and am wanting to make something that does that . Of course shades are sold that do that but they cost an arm and a leg and I need all my appendages. Again, great job thank you so much for sharing!

Michelle

Thursday 20th of January 2022

Hi Sandra! Thank you so much! Yes it does show the pattern on the wall. It is pretty cool.

Samique March-Dallas

Thursday 12th of November 2020

We saw some decorative sheet metal at Lowe's and as our Tiffany Chandelier shade had broken we wanted to figure out how this could be used. I googled sheet metal ideas and happened upon your site and I was so excited to see this done. Now, we have a chandelier shade that makes our chandelier look like we just paid some beaucoup bucks for it. I wish I could attach a pic on here, but I loved your lamp and I love my chandelier shade!

Michelle

Friday 13th of November 2020

Oh yay! I am so happy it worked for you. I would love to see it. You could post on my facebook page if you want. It is Michelle James Designs. Or you could email me a pic at [email protected]!

Toni

Thursday 20th of August 2020

What a great idea, I love how the metal looks on the lamp!

Michelle

Friday 21st of August 2020

Thank you Toni! I love it too. We using in our living room and I still love the way it looks.

Judy Silvas

Thursday 27th of February 2020

Can you tell me where you got the metal? I love this idea and I want to replace a lampshade in the living room using this idea.

Michelle

Thursday 27th of February 2020

Hi Judy. I got the metal piece at Menards. If you are not from the midwest it is comparable to Home Depot or Lowes. Tin snips and a second pair of hands were helpful too.

Felicity

Friday 18th of November 2016

This is a lovely project and your plumbing piece wall lights fantastic

Michelle

Friday 18th of November 2016

Thanks. I think I am starting to really love lamp and lighting projects.