Rewiring Vintage Lamps

I absolutely love retro vintage lamps. The funkier the better! 

I run across them all the time at yard sales and estate sales. 

There is only one problem: the wiring usually scares me! 

Even if the cord is not brittle, broken or compromised in some way, it scares me that there might be damage I can't see and it might cause a fire. I always, always, always rewire vintage lamps I buy. For about 8-15 bucks at any Home Depot or Lowe's (or cheaper if, like me, you buy them at estate sales or garage sales in unopened condition for even less!), you can purchase an entire kit to change out the wiring and make the lamp safe to use!

If you have never rewired a lamp, you might think you are in way over your head. Don't be intimidated! This is not rocket science: it is a very simple DIY project. Conveniently inside or on the back of the wiring package are simple diagrams illustrating what to do. It is so simple you'll wonder why it seemed so mysterious.

So go find yourself a really cool lamp and give it a try.

Here are the basics, step-by-step:

You learn how to put your lamp together by first taking it apart!

• If it is plugged in, unplug it and if it has a bulb in it, take it out.
• Spread out some newspaper on a table to catch your mess.
• Remove the felt that is typically on the bottom of ceramic or glass lamps. 
  (If you can't get it off in one piece it is very easy to replace with a piece of felt that you can glue back in place once you are done.)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Loosen the screws on the socket and pop it apart
• Unscrew the wire from the socket on both sides
• Pull the wire out of the lamp

Now that everything is apart, 

you are going to rewire it by reversing the steps you did to take it apart.

• Push wire up thru lamp
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Bend the edges of the wires into a hook
• Attach the wire on each side of the socket, tighten the screw clockwise
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Tighten the screw on the socket attachment to the lamp
• Pull the cord back into the lamp
• Add socket cover & snap in place
• Re-glue bottom felt

• add a bulb
• plug it in and turn it on
  
  
  
  
  

Shazam!

You did it!

Now don't you feel like a rocket scientist?

Next time you see a really cool lamp priced really well, don't walk away from it!

Buy it, rewire it and save yourself a bunch of money 

while getting a really cool addition to your decor!