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A concrete lamp base is a heavy, modern little block that turns a plain glass vase into a glowing table lamp. This version comes from DIY Creators on YouTube. He casts two bases in short lengths of PVC pipe, hides the electronics in a hollow core, and fills tall glass cylinders with LED fairy lights. The result works as a pair of end table lamps you can switch on with one remote.
The glass vase has to slip over the top of the base. So the top needs to be narrower than the body. Lining the inside of the rim with 1 inch foam weather strip does that for almost nothing. The concrete fills in around it and leaves a stepped collar. It will not be an exact fit, so plan on sanding the collar until the vase slides on snugly.
Buy the vase first, then match the pipe to it. The vase opening should be a little wider than the collar and a little narrower than the body, so it rests on the step. A 4 inch pipe pairs well with a 10 1/2 inch glass cylinder. For a squatter lamp, try a wide bowl vase on a bigger pipe.
This build uses battery-style LED fairy lights on a plug-in adapter, not a mains lamp socket. The lights run cool and low voltage, which makes it a friendly first lamp project. If you want a regular bulb socket instead, use a lamp wiring kit and follow its directions closely.
Make two and set them on matching end tables. Tint the mix with pigment for a darker grey, or seal the base for a soft sheen. Warm white lights feel cozy in a bedroom. Color lights make a fun night light for a grandchild.
New to concrete? Read how to mix concrete for crafts and how to fix air bubbles in concrete crafts. Finish your base with how to seal concrete crafts, then make a matching concrete candle holder for the same table.
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Make a concrete lamp base in a PVC pipe form, sand a collar to fit a glass vase and fill it with LED string lights. A medium project: about 2 hours, plus 48 hours to dry or set. Materials cost about $25 to $45. You need 24 things, including 4 inch PVC pipe, plastic water bottle and 1 inch foam weather strip. The 10 steps start with cut the PVC Pipe Into Short Concrete Lamp Base Forms.
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Measure about 5 inches along a 4 inch PVC pipe. Clamp a stop block at that mark on your miter saw so both cuts come out the same length. Cut two pieces, one for each lamp base. If the pipe has been sitting outside, wash it before you use it. Dirt on the inside of the form transfers straight onto the concrete.
No miter saw? A hacksaw and a miter box will cut PVC cleanly.
The electronics need somewhere to hide, so the base has to be hollow. A plastic water bottle makes an easy placeholder. Cut it with a utility knife so it stands at least an inch and a half below the rim of the PVC form. Place it in the center later. A core that sits off to one side leaves a thin wall that can crack.
Keep the bottle cap on so concrete does not run inside it.
Peel the backing off 1 inch foam weather strip and press it around the inside of the top rim. This makes the top of the base narrower than the body, so a glass vase can sit over it. Then stretch plastic wrap or foil across the bottom of the pipe and hold it with painter's tape. That seals the form so wet concrete stays put.
Wrap the tape all the way around the pipe for a tighter seal.
Pour high strength concrete mix into a bucket and add water a little at a time. Turn it over with a hand shovel until every bit of powder is wet. Aim for thick oatmeal. Too wet? Add more dry mix. Too dry? Add a splash more water. Wear gloves and a dust mask while you work with the dry powder.
Keeping the mix in a lidded bucket is easier than working from the paper bag.
Set the cut bottle in the middle of the form. Spoon concrete in around it with the shovel, working your way up the sides. Tap the outside of the pipe with a mallet as you go so the concrete settles to the bottom. The bottle is loose and wants to float up, so keep an eye on it and push it back to center.
Fill the second form the same way while the mix is still workable.
Hold a palm sander against the side of the filled form and switch it on. The buzz shakes trapped air up to the surface, and you will see bubbles pop on top. Press a nail into the bottle to keep it from rising while the form shakes. Work all the way around the pipe, then let both forms cure for several days.
No sander? Tap the form steadily with a rubber mallet for a few minutes.
Clamp the form in a vise. Cut along the PVC with a hacksaw, but stop before you reach the concrete. Make two cuts about 2 to 3 inches apart. Leave a thin skin of plastic, then pry the strip loose and peel the rest of the pipe away. Remove the foam strip from the top to reveal the stepped collar.
Scoring the pipe before you pour makes this step much easier.
Fit a palm sander with 60 grit paper and work around the narrow collar. Coarse paper takes concrete off fast. Stop often and test the vase. You want the glass to slide over the collar and rest on the shoulder of the base. Sand the bottom edge lightly too, so the base sits flat on a table.
Sand outdoors and wear a mask. Concrete dust gets everywhere.
Put a masonry bit in your drill and bore down through the middle of the collar into the hollow core. If the bit pushes the plastic bottle down, pull it out. Then cut a small channel across the bottom edge with a multi-tool and a grout blade, or a masonry bit, so the power cord can run out flat under the base.
Let the drill do the work. Pushing hard can chip the collar.
Feed the LED string lights up through the hole. Pass the remote sensor through too, so it sits on top where the remote can reach it. Plug the controller into the adapter. Run hot glue into the channel, press the cord in and cover it with more glue. Stuff the lights loosely into the vase and set the glass over the collar.
Loose, random loops look better than a neat spiral.
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How to Make a Concrete Lamp Base With LED String Lights
E6000
E6000 Craft Adhesive, Clear (3.7 oz)
The industrial-strength craft glue that bonds glass, wood, ceramic, metal, fabric, and concrete. The one adhesive most craft projects reach for.
OLFA
OLFA 18" x 24" Self-Healing Cutting Mat
The pro-standard cutting surface. Gridlines for square cuts, self-healing so blades never leave grooves, and big enough for paper, fabric, and leather.
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