Driftwood Buoy Lamp



DIY Driftwood Buoy Lamp

I try to spread out my lighting projects but this week I was on a roll. Tuesday I shared with you a salad bowl pendant and today I’m making a lamp out of a piece of driftwood.

I can never  seem to find any driftwood when I’m at the beach but I managed to find this nice chunk of wood  washed up on the shore on the Potomac River.

Driftwood Lamp diy, no wiring required

This is not my first driftwood lamp.  You may remember this lamp which was put together with absolutely no wiring. It’s probably more what you think of when I say driftwood.

DIY Driftwood Buoy Lamp

I used a chop saw and a reciprocating saw to shape the top of the driftwood to look more like a buoy and the chop saw again to level out the bottom.

DIY Driftwood Buoy Lamp-004

I’m holding my block of wood steady  with my feet while I drill a nice long hole with  a drill and a very long  3/8″ drill bit.   You will need to drill a hole the entire length of your lamp. 

The drill bit I’m using is 16″ in length.  You can find them at your local hardware store or at Amazon here. I think it’s a good investment because once you make one lamp you’re gonna want to make one for everybody…or maybe that’s just me.

DIY Driftwood Buoy Lamp

Paint as desired.  My base coat is just leftover white trim paint.

DIY Driftwood Buoy Lamp

Google ” painted buoys” for 100’s of paint color ideas.

DIY Driftwood Buoy Lamp

I couldn’t leave my fresh paint looking new for long.  I had to show some of that pretty driftwood.  There was even some charred wood at the end of my buoy.

IMG_7997

For this lamp I’m going to use a Make-A-Lamp Kit.  For full instructions with lots of pictures, I’m gonna refer you back to a post I did  in October of 2014..How to wire a Lamp.

A more inexpensive option would be to use the wiring from an existing lamp.

DIY Driftwood Buoy Lamp

Thread your lamp wire up from the base and insert your nipple…the metal threaded rod. Tighten with a nut.

DIY Driftwood Buoy Lamp

The underwriters knot in position.

DIY Driftwood Buoy Lamp

To attach my rope, I drilled a couple holes from both sides near the top, not deep enough to interfere with the wiring.

 The rope is just hot glued into place.

DIY Driftwood Buoy Lamp

DIY Driftwood Buoy Lamp

DIY Driftwood Buoy Lamp

DIY Driftwood Buoy Lamp

DIY Driftwood Buoy Lamp

DIY Driftwood Buoy Lamp

If  you get a chance check out the remainder of my upcycled lighting ideas.

As always, stay inspired and have a wonderful holiday weekend.

Shared at DIY Salvaged Junk,

Metamorphosis Monday, Show and Share,

Wow us WednesdayTalk of the Town,

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