Trying your hands to learn how to rewire a floor lamp can help you restore your favorite accent piece. Every homeowner knows once you’ve found the perfect light, it’s hard to replace it with something different. This lamp project will help save your money and ensure you keep your most fabulous floor and table lamps in like-new condition.
Before You Get Started
Before you jump into any lamp rewiring projects, there are a couple of important things to note, namely:
Safety
Rewiring a floor lamp can be relatively straightforward, even with little electrical knowledge. With that said, it is imperative to remember to unplug the device before lamp rewiring. Otherwise, you could cause significant bodily harm and start a fire.
Measure Cord Length
Another essential tip before lamp rewiring is to make sure you’re buying enough cord. You’ll want to measure your existing cable, ensuring you include the length hidden inside the lamp. With these measurements, add approximately an extra foot to work with.
Gather Materials
The last thing you’ll need to do for preparation is ensuring you have everything for the job. Fortunately, you can find most of the items at your local hardware store.
- #18 zip cord (cord color of your choosing)
- Replacement socket (optional)
- Quick-clamp plug
- Electrical tape
- Screwdriver
- Wire stripper
- Diagonal cutters
How to Rewire a Floor Lamp
With all of your gear in hand, let’s get started on your lamp rewiring projects. All you have to do is follow these steps, and you’ll have a like-new floor lamp to put to good use.
Step 1: Disconnect the Power
As earlier mentioned, the very first step of the project is to ensure you disconnect power to the lamp. You have to take the plug out of the wall socket. The next step should be to remove the bulb, as you won’t want it to shatter accidentally.
Removing the bulb for your lamp should be simple, as you simply rotate it counter-clockwise. You’ll also want to remove the lamp shade to prevent denting.
Step 2: Remove the Socket (Optional)
If you know the bulb socket for your lamp is past its lifespan, it can be removed at this time. You’ll want to squeeze the socket shell and remove it and the cardboard insulator from the lamp body.
If you’re replacing the lamp sockets, you can use a screwdriver to take the socket apart. If you’re keeping the original lamp socket base, continue pulling it away from the lamp as far as the lamp wire allows you to.
You’ll want to have enough slack available so you can work comfortably. Fortunately, removing the socket is quite straightforward.
You’ll want to loosen the terminal screws and remove the wires underneath. The next step is to feed the old wire out of the socket and begin feeding your new wire through at the opposite end.
Step 3: Cut the Cord
For step three of lamp rewiring, you’re going to need to remove the power cord from the family lamp so you can rewire it correctly. Ideally, you’ll want to cut approximately 12 inches out from the floor lamp base. You can slit the cord by its conductors and strip one inch of insulation off the ends.
Following these steps, strip one inch off the ends of the new electrical cord. With the new cord exposed, twist it around the old conductor ends, ensuring your fold the twists flat. Now that you have a splice, take your electrical tape and wrap it around the cords.
You’ll want to push the new cord into the lamp using your hands while pulling the old line out through the bottom. Once you’re comfortable with the amount of new cable coming out of the lamp’s top, you can cut off the old cord.
Step 4: Expose the Conductors
At this point, you should have brand new wire available for you to work with. Split the wire so that you have about three inches of separated conductors.
Use your wire strippers to work away 3/4″ of insulation from every conductor. Once stripped, twist the strands together. This process can be rather picky, as you’ll want to ensure you don’t accidentally cut the cord strands.
Step 5: Connect the Wires
Now comes one of the most important parts of the job, connecting the wires to the lamp’s terminal.
You’ll want to take the twisted end of each wire and bend it clockwise to form a loop. You can then take the loop and thread it under the terminal screws on the old (or new) socket.
Once the wires are looped, tighten the terminal screw and ensure the wire is tightening under the screw head. Taking your diagonal cutters, get rid of any excess wire sticking out.
Step 7: Reattach an Insulator
The next step is to ensure you have an insulator installed. You’ll want to take the socket shell and put it over the insulator. Then you take the slip shell with the insulator and put it over the socket, snapping it together.
Step 8: Attach the Plug
By now, you’re almost done! The next step is to attach the plug, which is easiest if you have a quick-clamp plug. You’ll want to install the plug on the opposite end of the cord, ensuring the cord slides into the plug.
Push down the lever, which will allow the plug’s metal prongs to pierce the insulation and copper wires. Once finished, you have a connection to feed power through the lamp.
Step 9: Reassemble the Floor Lamp
At this point, you’ll have fully functional household lamps that simply need to be reassembled, starting with the lamp body. Ensure all of your newly threaded wires are tightened under the screw heads. You’ll also want to remove uninsulated conductors to prevent potential fires.
Successfully Rewiring Floor Lamps
Learning how to rewire a floor lamp is pretty simple once you can see all the parts when the lamp’s disassembled. All you need is a few tools and a lamp wiring kit from your hardware store. Once finished, your rewired lamp will be able to breathe life into your home again.
