We found some amazing license plate mock-ups at our local China mall the other day and I loved them so much I bought tons. At only R 30 they were an abSooooLute steal 😎 We’ve used them in so many of our projects. Like this boring old office storage that got a complete license plate makeover and this awesome beer caddy. We even made a mini potting shed with a few of them. My son, who by the way has just matriculated (mommy is so very proud of you Calin ), needed a new bedside table lamp for his bedroom and we thought the plates would make a perfect lampshade.  Add some plumbing bits and you get an easy license plate lamp.

 

Add a little industrial chic to your decor and make this license plate lamp using pipes. Perfect for a teens room or man cave. #ACraftyMix #DIYLamp

Don’t you just love the whole industrial look? And the light is perfect for a teen’s bedroom or a man cave. I’m thinking of building him this DIY loft bed. We’ll see how things work out. 

 

Add a little industrial chic to your decor and make this license plate lamp using pipes. Perfect for a teens room or man cave. #ACraftyMix #DIYLamp

In the meantime let me show you how we made this license plate light. But before we get there be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. And hit that “subscribe” button so you’ll never miss a post!

What You Need to Make a License Plate Lamp

For the lampshade

  • 2 license plates
  • 4  brackets
  • 8 Pop rivets and a rivet gun
  • Electric light fitting (plastic)
  • Galvanized wire
  • Insulation tape

 

For the lamp shade you need 2 license plates

For the lamp base

  • 1 four-way PVC box (20 mm or 1″). A five-way 1″ PVC fitting will also work
  • 4 90o  galvanized plumbing elbows – male (20 mm or 1″)
  • 1 galvanized tube (20 mm or 1″)
  • Spray paint
  • Electrical wire, plug, and light switch

 

For the base of the license plate lamp you'll need various pipes and connectors

Making the License Plate Lampshade

To make the lampshade, measure the horizontal halfway mark on each license plate. Use a straight piece of wood and carefully bend the license plates at the halfway mark so they form a 90o  angle.

 

Use a piece of wood to bend the license plates at the half-way mark

Place the license plates together and attach using the L-shaped brackets and the pop rivets.

 

Join the license plates together with pop rivets and small L-shaped brackets

Now for the fun bit. Building a frame inside the license plate lampshade to house the light fitting. We had to put our thinking caps on for this one 😀

Putting our thinking caps on

After some debate and a beer or two, we decided to use some galvanized wire …..

 

Use wire to create a floating frame

…. to create a floating frame of sorts, on which we could suspend the fitting.

 

Wrap the wire around the l-shaped brackets

We added some insulation tape to the middle of each wire just to make sure it was safe and then attached the light fitting between the wires.

Insulate the wire frame with insulation tape

That seems to work 😀

Light fitting inside the floating frame

Making the “Industrial” Pipe Base

Now for the base of the lamp. The thread on the galvanized elbows are a perfect fit for the PVC box, simply twist them in.

 

Plumbing bits and galvanized elbows for a base

Seriously, it was that easy.

 

Plumbing bits and galvanized elbows for a base

Paint the PVC base, elbows, and pipe so they all match.

 

Painting the fittings so they match

Once the paint dries, gently tap out the little round circle bit in the PVC box, and twist the pipe into the hole. Another perfect fit!! If you’re using the five-way PVC connector then you can simply insert the pipe into the hole on the top of the fitting.

 

Finish off the lamp base by inserting the pipe into the bottom

Attach the base to the license plate lampshade and thread the wire from the light fitting down into the pipe and wire the baby up. If you’re unsure how to wire up a plug and light fitting, please get a qualified electrician to do that bit for you.

 

Wiring up the light. Easy license plate craft with a full tutorial on the blog

Add a bulb and plug her in and you’re good to go.

 

 

Add a little industrial chic to your decor and make this license plate lamp using pipes. Perfect for a teens room or man cave. #ACraftyMix #DIYLamp

I’m super happy with how it turned out.

 

Add a little industrial chic to your decor and make this license plate lamp using pipes. Perfect for a teens room or man cave. #ACraftyMix #DIYLamp

And my son does too 😉

 

Add a little industrial chic to your decor and make this license plate lamp using pipes. Perfect for a teens room or man cave. #ACraftyMix #DIYLamp

What do you think? Is it something you would make for your son?

 

Add a little industrial chic to your decor and make this repurposed license plate lamp using pipes. Perfect for a teens room or man cave. #ACraftyMix #DIYLamp

If you like the idea of making a license plate lamp, don’t forget to pin it for later.

 

Add a little industrial chic to your decor and make this license plate lamp using pipes. Perfect for a teens room or man cave. #ACraftyMix #DIYLamp

Have you made any unusual lights or done something creative with license plates? I would love to hear about it.

 

Add a little industrial chic to your decor and make this repurposed license plate lamp using pipes. Perfect for a teens room or man cave. #ACraftyMix #DIYLamp

Oh and by the way, if you’re struggling to find some of the things we used, I’ve got you covered. Disclosure: If you click on the links below, we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us come up with more unique DIY and craft ideas for you;-)

Supply Giant QDHM1024 24' Long Pre-Cut Galvanized Pipe with 1' Nominal Size Diameter
PVC- 5 way X -1' (Furniture Grade White)
Sale Anvil 8700127858, Malleable Iron Pipe Fitting, 90 Degree Street Elbow, 1' NPT Male x NPT Female, Galvanized Finish
ERLOOD New York 2FAST4U, Empire State, United States,Retro Vintage Auto License Plate Tin Sign Embossed Tag Size Home Pub Bar Decor 6 X 12
ERLOOD ILLINOTS Route 66 Retro Vintage Auto License Plate Tin Sign Embossed Tag Size Home Pub Bar Decor 6 X 12
66Retro Alaska ETU 870, The Last Frontier, Embossed Vintage Tin Sign, Retro Auto License Plate, 30cm x 15cm

Until next time, wishing you a beautiful, love filled week.

Made with love by a Crafty Mix