Simple and Chic Wooden Table Lamp DIY
Last updated August 21, 2024
Sam is a full time psychologist with a passion for making and building things in her spare time. As a full blown weekend warrior, Sam's goal has always been to share fun and attainable woodworking, DIY, how to, and home improvement projects that can be completed with a busy work schedule!
A Note From The Home Depot
Just looking at, it’s hard to believe this elegant wooden table lamp is a DIY project. And it’s a pretty easy project, too.
Sam Raimondi of DIY Huntress built this wooden table lamp for our DIY Challenge here on The Home Depot Blog. We asked her to create any DIY project she liked, as long as it involved wood from our Millwork Department.
Just follow Sam’s step-by-step instructions to build your own chic, DIY wooden table lamp.
Table of Contents
How to Make This Wooden Table Lamp
Step 1 – Build the Frame
Step 2 – Make the “X”
Step 3 – Finishing
Step 4 – Install the Lamp
How to Make This Wooden Table Lamp
When The Home Depot challenged me to make something cool out of wood, I jumped at the opportunity to make something epic for the new desk that I built. Being a graduate student and blogger, I spend a lot of time writing papers and posts at my desk. But, it’s really hard to stay inspired when there is very little to look at around me. Pictures and plants are cool and all, but it is so satisfying to stare at something you created.
That being said, I scoured my local Home Depot’s millwork aisle for some inspiration, and came across 1 in. square dowels. Naturally, my brain went to the opposite end of the home improvement spectrum, and I immediately thought, “a lamp!” So, I gathered up my supplies from my local store and got to it.
Step 1 – Build the Frame
To build the frame, you will need to cut some of your dowels into the following parts:
(4) 12 in. Long Pieces
(9) 5 in. Long Pieces
(Make sure to keep the left over dowels for the step where we make the “X”)
Attach two of the 12 in. pieces to two of the 5 in. pieces to build two separate frames with brad nails and wood glue.
Attach the frames together by nailing and gluing the other four pieces to create a box.
The left over 5 in. piece will be attached to the top of the box with nails and glue for installing the lamp kit later (see Step 4).
Step 2 – Make the “X”
To figure out the angle of your larger “X” pieces, line up a longer dowel diagonally underneath the frame.
Once you’re happy with where it is lined up, make markings with your pencil for the cuts.
My pieces ended up needing 47-degree cuts on both ends and were around 10 5/8 in. on each side.
Cut one piece with your measurements and run a dry fit to make sure your calculations are right.
If it fits, then cut seven more diagonal pieces (eight in total).
These “X” designs are made with three pieces in total. To find the smaller pieces, repeat Step 1, but this time, keep the long diagonal piece in place, and hold one of the cut pieces underneath.
Use your pencil to find the inside angle (you will be cutting out the middle of the piece you marked). Mine were 19 degrees.
Run a dry fit with all three pieces (don’t worry about small gaps, you can fill those with wood putty later).
Make markings where the smaller pieces meet the longer pieces.
Use wood glue and the brad nailer to attach the three pieces together.
Follow the markings you made with your pencil as a guide.
Attach the “X” to the frames with wood glue and brad nails.
Step 3 – Finishing
Apply wood putty to any gaps and holes in the piece. Once the putty is dry, sand down the entire base.
Apply a stain and/or finish.
Step 4 – Install the Lamp
Drill a hole in the piece that you installed at the top of the lamp. This is where you will be threading the lamp kit through the wood.
Use a drill bit that is around the same width of the rod that is included with your kit.
Install your lamp kit as per the directions on the package.
Add your favorite lampshade, and that’s it!
What I love most about this lamp (besides how affordable it was to make) is that it meshes contemporary and rustic beach design really well. So, if you’re like me and can’t ever seem to decide on just one style option, then creating this lamp might be a great option for you!
Sam Raimondi is a yoga teacher, school psychology Ph.D student and avid DIYer from Long Island, New York. On her blog DIY Huntress, she specializes in basic woodworking projects, home improvement ideas, and creative crafts on a strict budget and is a firm believer that creative doesn’t have to break the bank.
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This post was created in partnership with The Home Depot. The author may have received compensation for this article and associated images or video, potentially in the form of products and/or services. All expressed opinions and experiences are the author’s own words.
