It turns out that the well-known concrete is not so prosaic as to be a sign of extremely dirty construction projects. This is a very artistic material, from which interesting crafts are obtained in skilled hands.
We are ready to visually confirm what has been said. We look at the photo, dear readers.
Rooms for houses
Such a cute thing can be placed in your garden (found on chezlarsoon).
Drawer handles
To make these things, of course, you will need concrete itself, screws and small cardboard boxes, for example, from under light bulbs. It's very simple (found on projektila and signedbytina).
Bottom for a vase
Not every interior will fit the design shown. However, the novelty and remarkableness of the idea is no less from that (found on adailysomething).
Watch
The thing is easy to make. Any shape and design. You just need to find a suitable mold, pour the solution into it. After it dries, a mechanism is attached (found on instructables).
Tablet stand
The basis of the product is a regular popcorn bucket.
Framed crafts
Concrete is great for small crafts. A mold, a solution, some time to dry, and now you have an original piece in your hands. It can be decorated with a frame (found on skonahem).
Heart shaped handles
Hooks
Hook bulbs - such a project is perhaps one of the most interesting. Why? Because the idea of a new life of ordinary old things in itself is always attractive.
And the functional component of the craft is also essential. You can even hang quite heavy things on the devices - a coat or a raincoat (found on instructables).
Refrigerator magnets
An uncomplicated subject. The key here is to press in the magnet before the concrete hardens completely (found on athomeinlove).
Numbers for tables
The durability of the products is obvious. And after drying, you can diversify them with bright paint (found on loveandlavender).
Cutting board
The finishing touch to such a household item should be sanding to make the board perfectly smooth (found on adailysomething).
Candlesticks
An ordinary milk carton was used (found on chezlarsson).
You can play with the shapes and sizes of the items (found on inmyownstyle).
To create original crafts, absolutely any means at hand will be useful - coins, adhesive tape, plastic cups, baking dishes (found on sayyestohoboken, signepling and naver).
Used the bottom of a plastic bottle (found at ellasinspiration).
And then the master found a use for a simple tin can (found on monsterscircus).
A bit of fantasy and here's the original (found on nimidesign).
Concrete plant pots
Items can be of any shape, different colors (found on ruffledblog).
Several triangles were connected and made a pattern. And already this piece of furniture was made using it (found on abeautifulmess).
And again, the creation of a cute gizmo is inspired by an ordinary plastic bottle. Convenient in that you can vary the height of the product (found on handmadecharlotte).
Flowers in concrete! Moreover, stylish asymmetry in performance. Such a trinket is good as a gift (found on the site).
And here are examples of symmetrical pots of all shapes and sizes. Looks nice, quite modern.
Concrete fixtures
Another bright idea. When the shape for the base of the lamp is selected, then you just need to be patient. You will have to wait a bit until the solution hardens (found on pastill).
Concrete is great for lighting fixtures. It is durable and stable. In addition, there is an opportunity to experiment freely with the design, casting exactly the form that you want (found on the site).
This lamp only needed a balloon. Then remember to make holes for the wires and smooth the surface with a sponge (found on elinsvra).
A lampshade of this shape will look good in the kitchen. It can be painted in your favorite color (found on esmeraldas).
Concrete and plastic bottle are made for each other. So many interesting options. The bottle is also advantageous in that it is convenient to lead the wires through the neck (found on brit).
Designers increasingly began to use concrete as a material for creating lamps and chandeliers. Despite the heavy weight and coldness, such concrete products are suitable for any interior. To do this, it is enough to give the cement a suitable shape, arrange it gracefully, paint it in the color of gold, silver or copper. If you have some skills and knowledge, you can create lamps from cement with your own hands. This will require a minimum of materials and time. Several notable ways are presented below.
Cement lighting fixture with bag application
To create an original lamp you will need:
- milk box for creating formwork;
- a plastic bottle for attaching a light bulb;
- dry mix of cement to create a suitable shape.
The size of the carton is not critical. It all depends on what size the lamp should be. The main thing is that the package is waterproof, since concrete loses its strength characteristics from excess moisture. The foldable edges of the box must be trimmed and the plastic bottle placed in it. The structure should be secured with bolts that are threaded into the holes previously made with a nail or screwdriver. To maintain the waterproofness of the package, the joints should be lubricated with sealant. In such a simple way, a mold is prepared for pouring concrete.
The dry mixture should be diluted with water according to the instructions on the packaging in which it is sold. It is important here not to pour excess water. The filling density should be similar to the cookie dough. It is recommended to add water in portions so that each particle of cement gets wet. The finished mixture must be thoroughly mixed twice. When the desired consistency is reached, the prepared form is filled. In the process of laying out the concrete, it is important to compress it well so that no voids form. At the end, you should shake the future lamp well. This will remove any residual air.
The utensils and tools used must be immediately cleaned and thoroughly washed from concrete. Otherwise, everything will have to be thrown away when the mixture hardens. The finished form is left for two days, since the concrete needs to be seized. Then the packaging is removed and the bolt is unscrewed. To make concrete lamps look original, and the light is more diffused, you can drill several holes in them. A cartridge with a light bulb is inserted into the prepared form from a plastic bottle, the wires are connected to the switch, and the product itself is suspended from the ceiling or wall.
Lamp using a bottle (pendant)
Making a light fixture from concrete using a bottle. Other, no less interesting, are suspended concrete lighting fixtures. Products are easily made by hand. This will require a strong cement-sand mixture with stone or gravel as a filler, a small amount of water, an outlet, a cord, a switch, wood screws, two plastic bottles of different sizes, a lamp holder, an auxiliary tool in the form of a knife, a drill, a tube with carving.
At the first stage, the bottles are prepared. Their bottom is cut off, holes are drilled for a threaded tube. The chuck is fixed with nuts and self-tapping screws on both sides. In this way, a form is prepared for a concrete lamp. After that, you can start mixing the cement-sand mixture. When the mixture is ready, fill the mold with a spoon, squeezing lightly from the edges. This is done in order to release unnecessary air and distribute the mixture evenly.
After the concrete has hardened, the plastic is cut off with a knife, and the screws are removed. Since the concrete will have a rough shape, it is recommended to sand the surface with 120 grit sandpaper. In the last step, connect the cord through a metal tube to the socket and to the switch. Finally, it is important to check the fasteners well so that they can support the significant weight of the concrete. In this way, concrete ceiling lamps are made.
Concrete garden lighting fixtures look very good. They fulfill not only the main purpose, but perfectly decorate the space. They can be done quite simply by hand, just follow the instructions below.
At the first stage, the formwork should be made of plywood sheet with a thickness of 1.2 cm. It is important to design the form so that it is easy to disassemble at the end. It is recommended to open the component parts of the form with varnish. This will help further separate it from the hardened concrete without damage. If you repeatedly open the formwork with varnish, the finished concrete lanterns will acquire a corresponding shimmering sheen.
At the second stage, it is important to carefully consider the way of conducting the wiring. Two versions are offered:
- Use a corrugated plastic pipe as an internal formwork.
- Create a wire mold from pieces of Styrofoam.
The second method is more acceptable, since the weight of the lantern is reduced and cement is saved. You can connect the foam to each other with a special glue. After the concrete hardens, the material is easily separated. If pieces remain in hard-to-reach places, it is always possible to use acetone. As a solvent, it easily corrodes foam.
Formwork for a luminaire from a milk box. In the third stage, the internal formwork is created. For its manufacture, plywood or cardboard is used. It is important that the thickness of the walls is more than 2.5 cm. It is recommended to use a trapezoid as a shape. This formwork is easier to remove, especially if the walls are pre-treated with oil. Foam grooves for the wire are laid in the opening.
A cement mixture can be prepared from a ready-made dry mixture, but self-preparation of the composition is allowed. For the second method, it is recommended to use M500 cement in a ratio to sand of 1: 3. Gravel or granite chips are used as an additive. One part of such a filler is enough. The water should be added until the mixture is neither too dry nor too wet, with the consistency of a cookie dough. This will be the fourth stage.
At the fifth stage, the formwork is filled with the finished mixture. To do this, first, the cement is placed in hard-to-reach places so that the edges of the luminaire are even and smooth. The rest of the formwork is then filled in. For this, it is recommended to use vibration, with the help of which the mixture fits more tightly into the mold.
So that water does not come out of the concrete, and it gains strength, after pouring and tamping it must be covered with plastic wrap. In this form, the future lamp is left for at least three days. However, it is recommended to wait longer for the cement to mature enough. After the exposure time has elapsed, the formwork is removed, the finished surface is sanded and a light bulb is connected.
Glass, concrete and LEDs in this product are combined to create a modern, original and stylish lighting element that will be a great addition to the interior. Details of the manufacturing process in the given master class.
Materials (edit)
To make an LED lamp with your own hands, prepare:
LED garland;
a cylindrical glass vase 26.5 cm high;
PVC pipe;
concrete mix;
miter saw;
thermal gun and hot glue sticks;
cling film;
electrical tape;
hacksaw;
stationery knife;
drill;
grinder;
plastic bottle;
foamed adhesive tape;
nail;
a piece of plywood or wood plank.
Step 1. Cut a piece about 13 cm high from the PVC pipe. This will be the mold for the concrete base of your lamp. Adjust its height yourself. The pipe diameter for this project will depend on the diameter of the vase you have taken. There is no need to process the PVC part, it will become the outer wall of the concrete base mold.
Step 2. A cylindrical luminaire base with an empty recess inside is to be made of concrete. To make it, you need a small plastic bottle, which must be cut in height about 2 - 3 cm lower than the outer part of the mold.
Step 3. At the top of the concrete base of the lamp, there should be a small rim on which the vase will be mounted. To make it, glue foam tape on the inside of a piece of prepared PVC pipe.
Step 4. Cover the bottom of the form with cling film and fix it with electrical tape.
Step 5. Dissolve the concrete mix with water in the ratio indicated by the mix manufacturer.
Step 6. Place the prepared part of the pipe on a piece of plywood. Place an upside-down, cut and empty plastic bottle right in the center of it.
Step 7. Gradually start pouring concrete mortar into the mold. Periodically knock on the wall of the PVC pipe with a rubber hammer so that the parts of the mortar settle to the bottom and do not rise. As the material is poured, the plastic bottle may be pushed upward. Take a nail and lower it to the bottom.
Step 8. Take a grinder and use it to create vibrations to shrink the concrete mortar. Continue to hold the bottle with your nail during this process.
Step 9. Leave the entire structure to dry completely. This process can take several days.
Step 10. The resulting concrete base for the lamp you need to get out of the mold. To remove the concrete from the bottom side, gently tap it with a hammer.
It will be easy to remove the mold if you have previously oiled it. If you poured concrete into an unprepared mold, make two small cuts on it with a hacksaw or saw, and remove the PVC part.
Step 11. Sand the resulting workpiece with sandpaper or a sander using the 60 grit attachment.
Step 12. Drill a hole at the top to accommodate a wire that is connected to a plug or other power source. On the bottom side, make a small groove for the wire. This will keep the lamp base stable on a flat surface.
Step 13. Thread the wire through the prepared hole and fix it using hot glue.
Step 14. Connect the LED string to the wire. Place it carefully in the vase. To do this, pre-wind the product on any cylindrical object. Cover the concrete base with a makeshift glass jar.
Among home craftsmen, the most demanded consumable material is concrete, from which you can make a wide variety of interior items, for example, a decorative lighting fixture. This building material is quite easy to use, while it is inexpensive. Luminaires made of concrete are quite heavy, but this does not affect their functionality in any way. Such decorative items are perfect for any design solution when decorating the interior of the premises.
With the help of concrete mortar, designers create interior items of a wide variety of shapes, paint and decorate them with additional accessories, give the product shades of gold, silver, copper and others.
It is important to note! Handcrafted concrete lighting fixtures by experienced designers are quite expensive. Therefore, not everyone can afford to decorate their home with such an exclusive piece of furniture.
To save your home budget, you can make such a lighting item yourself.
In this article:
DIY concrete illuminator using a package
Before you start making a lighting fixture of a cement structure, you should first prepare for this event - collect all the necessary consumables and tools.
To make a concrete lamp, you will need the following materials:
- Milk carton bag (the more light you need, the larger the bag should be).
- A plastic bottle for placing a light source (light bulb).
- Dry concrete mix.
Step-by-step instructions for making a lighting fixture
Step 1
It is necessary to free the milk carton and cut off its folding edges.
Step 2
Next, a plastic bottle is inserted into the box and a through hole is drilled through them. To make it convenient to do this, it is recommended that you first make small holes in these places using a nail or a knife.
Step 3
Insert a bolt into the resulting hole and fix it securely.
Important! Concrete luminaires must have a sufficiently sealed enclosure. It should not allow moisture to pass through. Therefore, the areas of the docking of the package with the bolt must be covered with sealant.
Step 4
Preparation of the cement mixture in accordance with the instructions from the manufacturer of the material. In this case, the main thing is not to add extra water. The finished solution should resemble cookie dough. In this case, the mixture must be thoroughly mixed so that there is not a single dry grain.
Step 5
The free space between the bottle and the package is clogged with a concrete mixture (it must be compressed well - there should be no hollow sections). To get rid of the formed air bubbles, the workpiece must be shaken thoroughly.
Important! Immediately wash the container in which the cement mixture was prepared, otherwise, when it seizes, it will already be quite difficult to remove it.
Step 6
It is necessary to give the product time to dry - the concrete should take good hold, that is, all moisture should come out of it. This may take approximately two days. After that, the milk carton is removed, the bolt is unscrewed.
Step 7
In the resulting concrete blank for the illuminator, you need to drill holes of the same or different diameters.
Step 8
A light bulb is placed inside the case, wiring is done, connection to the switch.
The unique lighting fixture made of concrete is ready for use!
DIY concrete illuminator using plastic bottles
No less unique are the concrete lamps made on the basis of two plastic bottles of different sizes.
Expendable materials
- Two plastic bottles of different sizes.
- Light source.
- Cartridge with cord.
- Cement mixture.
Tool
- Electric drill with drills.
- Self-tapping screws for wood.
- Sharp knife.
- Threaded tube.
Instructions for making a decorative lamp
Step 1
The bottom of both bottles is cut off, a hole is drilled under the threaded tube. The bulb holder is fixed on both sides with screws and nuts.
Step 2
The cement-sand mortar is mixed, the base of the product is filled with it.
Step 3
After the concrete has completely dried, the plastic is removed with a knife along with self-tapping screws. With the help of emery paper, all irregularities are removed on the resulting concrete blank.
Step 4
Connecting a light bulb with an electrical cord to a switch.
A unique illuminator is ready! These hand-made concrete lamps will help to embellish any room!
In the XX-XXI centuries, the loft style became popular in the interior, the architectural details of which are some kind of factory elements. Luminaires made of concrete fit perfectly into such a design, not only because of their texture and heaviness, but also due to the cold color, which is also characteristic of this direction. For a separate room, a special appearance, shape and size of the chandelier or sconce is created. This will add personality to the setting.
Pros and cons of such lighting fixtures
There are various concrete lamps on sale and their wide range, strength and durability will be a plus. In the case when it is made independently, it also has a low cost, unique design and the possibility of self-expression. The downside is the considerable weight of the product, however, this problem is solved by a reliable fastening. Not only chandeliers, sconces, floor lamps for the home, but also lamps for the street and garden are successfully obtained from concrete. The Japanese lantern is popular with gardeners, is traditionally made of stone, but can be replaced with concrete.
TOP popular manufacturers of concrete lamps
- Garage Factory from Kazan.
- 28Code in St. Petersburg.
- Lamp Art Studio from Vladivostok.
- Concerte. fun in Krasnoyarsk.
- Bet-On.by from Minsk.
How to make a concrete lamp with your own hands?
First you need to decide on the shape and color of the product, then make a sketch and prepare the necessary materials. Having decided on the place of installation of the future lamp, think over its style, shape, size, color. It is advisable to make a sketch, it will help you understand what additional elements will be required. It is possible to mold an interesting ornament from concrete or create a beautiful texture, or to polish it to a smooth surface. With the help of special dyes, you can change the color of the product and create multi-color compositions. Experienced designers offer the optimal algorithm of action.
Tools and materials
- Formwork material or template.
- Concrete or cement mixture.
- Polyethylene film.
- A sander or sandpaper or stone.
- Fastening.
- The wire.
- Cartridge.
- Screwdriver.
- Self-tapping screws.
- Dowel.
Stages of work
Depending on the size of the future lamp, it is necessary to make a formwork, for example, from plastic bottles. The creation of a luminaire begins with the design of the formwork. Depending on the style and size of the intended product, materials are selected for this purpose. So, it can be plastic bottles, balloons, an old shade, a container of an unusual shape, or a specially created plastic structure. At this stage, it is important to provide a place for fastening, if it is a metal tube with threads on both sides and nuts to it, then we immediately insert it. Next, we prepare concrete and fill the formwork with it.
If the production involves "coating" the form with concrete, knead the appropriate consistency so that the solution is not too liquid.
Then the concrete is wrapped tightly with polyethylene and left to dry for a day. After 24 hours, open the product and remove the formwork, if necessary, let it dry again. The finished cover should be easily removed. After drying, use an emery cloth or a grinder to process all irregularities, and if a smooth surface was conceived, sand it with a felt wheel.
After finishing work on the plafond, you need to fix it. These can be bolts, springs, threads, or a pressure ring. The only condition is that the mount must be strong to support the weight of the product. It remains to bring the wire, install the cartridge and use a screwdriver, screws and dowels to fix it in the designated place. If desired, you can additionally decorate. The original idea was suggested on the Diy-That’s Simple video Concrete Lamp.