Asked by: Emilo De Abajo
home and garden interior decorating

What fabric is best for lamp shades?

12
The Outer Fabric
The best fabrics for making your own lampshades are those made from natural fibers such as cotton or linen. Select a fabric that can be ironed; otherwise, it won't look smooth when you adhere it to the styrene.


Hereof, what fabric are lampshades made of?

Lampshades are made of fabric, parchment, glass, Tiffany glass, paper or plastic. Common fabric materials include silk, linen and cotton. Fabric shades are reinforced by metal frames to give the lampshades their shape, while paper or plastic shades can hold their shape without support.

One may also ask, what are the different types of lamp shades? Types of Lamp Shade Fitters
  • Spider Fitter Shades. The spider lamp shade is the most common type of fitter for table and floor lamp shades.
  • Clip-On Fitter Shades. As the name suggests, clip-on lamp shade fitters attach directly onto the light bulb with no additional hardware.
  • Uno Fitter Shades.

Also to know, can I cover a lampshade with fabric?

A straight drum lamp shade. Fabric (make sure it's enough to cover the lampshade obviously but I used around a metre for both so you don't actually need loads) A light coloured pencil to mark the back of your fabric.

Are paper lampshades safe?

Paper lamp shades and paper lanterns pose a fire hazard, and when not used properly, the risk of fire increases. If you wish to use a paper lamp or lantern, follow all safety precautions.

Related Question Answers

Bakari Mele

Professional

Can you put fabric over a lamp?

If you are using your fireplace on a regular basis, make sure you have your chimney professionally cleaned every year. Never put anything over a lamp, like clothes or a blanket. Lamps, especially halogen lamps, can give off enough heat to ignite flammable objects.

Ying Babar

Professional

What is adhesive styrene?

Adhesive (or "pressure-sensitive") styrene is a thin polystyrene sheet with a sticky adhesive backing. Adhesive styrene is perfectly suited to making lampshades. Styrene is light but sturdy and durable, so it helps the lampshade keep its form over many years.

Hedi Tillett

Explainer

Do lamp shades need to be fire retardant?

There is no such thing as a special fire retardant spray for lampshades. Rather, you will need to read the label to see which materials each fire retardant spray works on.

Recaredo Vedananda

Explainer

Can I cover my lamp with a towel?

No, the open bowl creates a danger of collecting flammable items and students often put fabric covers on (towels) for dimming. Ok as long as the bulb is not halogen.

Lianlian Schmidbauer

Explainer

What kind of paper is used for lampshades?

For the most durable type of DIY lampshade, we recommend using a sturdy type of paper, wallpaper or even cardstock in combination with adhesive styrene.

Efigenia Plassmann

Pundit

How do you decorate a lampshade with fabric?

Custom Fabric-Covered Lampshade
  1. Materials Needed:
  2. Cut Fabric.
  3. Place lampshade on front side of fabric.
  4. Place Fabric Around Shade.
  5. Wrap fabric around shade and trim off excess fabric, leaving two inches for overlap.
  6. Glue Fabric to Shade.
  7. Run a line of fabric glue along the shade's existing seam and press one end onto glue.
  8. Wrap Fabric Around Shade.

Eligio Mik

Pundit

Can lamp shades be recovered?

Lampshades can usually be recovered with similar materials and trims to retain the original look or the customer can change the look with a new choice of fabrics and finishes.

Jette Fluke

Pundit

How do you line a lampshade with paper?

Lining Lampshades with Metallic Paper
  1. The general idea is really easy.
  2. Trace the edge of the shade while you roll so you can get the curve of the shade just right.
  3. Then cut out the template, but cut about 1/4″ inside the line so that the liner easily fits inside the lip of your shade.

Enemesia Kreidenweis

Pundit

How do you recover a lampshade with paper?

Place the lampshade on its side. Apply hot glue to the outside of a vertical rib. Center the height of the paper so that there are even amounts of paper above and below the top and bottom of the shade. Apply hot glue along the outside edge of the top and bottom frame and press the paper into the glue.

Sofya Rahimbaev

Teacher

Can I use acrylic paint on a fabric lampshade?

Yes! Any acrylic or fabric paint works. I've used plain craft/acrylic paint and same paint with additive to make it compatible with fabric. The best paint is the one that is designed for specific material of your lamp shade.

Domicio Wickenheisser

Teacher

How do you make a simple lampshade?

SIMPLE LAMPSHADE #2: RIBBON
Cut 3/4"-wide grosgrain in lengths equal to height of shade plus 1/2". Hot glue to shade, overlapping pieces and allowing 1/2" to hang below the bottom edge. Turn under loose pieces; hot glue to underside. Cut a piece of grosgrain the length of the perimeter of the top of the shade.

Estibaliz Kubitzki

Teacher

How do you cover a tapered lampshade with fabric?

Use Spray Adhesive to adhere the fabric to the lampshade.
It works best to spray the reverse of the fabric, lay it on a flat surface, and then roll the shade onto it. Start with the existing 'seam' on the finished shade, and roll the lampshade over the sticky fabric till you get to the other end.

Leendert Birnthaler

Reviewer

How do you make lampshades?

Method 2 Paneled Shade
  1. Get organized.
  2. Remove the old fabric from your frame.
  3. Wrap the spokes with seam tape.
  4. Drape muslin over each size of panel to create a pattern.
  5. Cut out your fabric for each panel.
  6. Stitch the vertical seams together.
  7. Line up the seams with the spokes.
  8. Glue to the top and bottom.

Ismelda Jaescke

Reviewer

What can I use as a lampshade?

The best fabrics for making your own lampshades are those made from natural fibers such as cotton or linen. Select a fabric that can be ironed; otherwise, it won't look smooth when you adhere it to the styrene.

Fonda Martell

Supporter

Can I paint a lampshade?

Using a low-grit sandpaper, sand any lumps and bumps out of lampshade. Apply paint colour (the same that was used on your walls) to shade. We prefer latex paint and a foam brush, but spray paint will also work, you simply have to mask the inside of your shade. Let dry completely before hanging shade.

Nayala Mullensiefen

Supporter

How do you gift wrap a lampshade?

What you do
  1. Measure height of drum shade.
  2. Lay out gift wrap.
  3. Use piece of jute to measure circumference of the shade.
  4. Lay jute out on gift wrap.
  5. Cut along marked-off line scissors.
  6. Glue along height of drum and carefully attach wrapping paper.
  7. Once completely wrapped, clamp bottom of lamp using clothes pin.

Naika Raderecht

Supporter

How do you make a lampshade out of waste material?

Just follow these steps:
  1. Take water and fevicol in a bowl in equal amounts, and mix well.
  2. Dip the wool or yarn in this mixture, and keep it soaked for one hour.
  3. Blow up a balloon as big the size as you want the lampshade to be.
  4. Wrap the balloon with the wet wool or yarn.
  5. Tie its end tightly.

Rosalee Geldmacher

Beginner

Do lamp shades have to match?

Please don't match your lampshades. They can be different shapes, textures and colors. I don't go crazy on colors--I stick with white, cream and ivory (okay, sometimes gray or browns).

Dagmara Mudigonda

Beginner

How are lamp shades measured?

To choose the right lamp shade width, measure your lamp base and multiply by two. For a round base, measure straight across; measure diagonally for a square base. The widest part of your shade should be at least a half-inch wider than the widest part of your base on each side.

Co-Authored By:

EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

5

7th June, 2020

32

93% of readers found this page helpful.

4.6/5

Click a star to add your vote

Similar Asks
Trending