How to Wire Lamps

You might see it on a shelf at a thrift store or come across it at a garage sale. The perfect lamp for your home but the electrical cord is either missing or frayed. The same problem can exist with an older lamp that may have belonged to a friend or relative. There is no need to throw out that lamp or pass by that perfect sale find. With a few steps and tools, you can wire any lamp to have it working like new.

Things You'll Need

• Wire strippers
• Wire cutters
• Screwdrivers, Phillips and slotted
• Two wire lamp cord
• Two prong lamp plug

Instructions

1. Remove all power from any lamp before attempting the repair. Unscrew the light bulb and remove the lampshade. Carefully loosen the bulb socket from the lamp base. Separate the two halves and remove the lamp cord wire, using the screwdriver.

2. Pull the wire through the lamp base and discard if the wire is in bad condition. Cut the new wire to a length of 6 feet with the wire cutters. Strip the ends approximately one inch from the end using the wire strippers.

3. Screw the wire to the new, two-prong plug. You may have to remove the cardboard insulator first. Be sure to check that the bare wires are not touching each other as the clearance for the wires is very minimal in the two-prong plug.

4. Feed the new wire up through the lamp base, pull out more than you think you will need for wiring the socket. You can always feed it back after the socket is wired.

5. Pull the two wires apart and tie in a knot approximately four inches from the stripped end. This will keep the wires from pulling apart inside the base. Wire the socket and remember to replace the cardboard insulator inside the socket. Replace the bulb and lampshade. Plug in and test.

Tips & Warnings

• You can purchase various colors of lamp cord to match your décor. Plugs also come in various colors. If the plug does not match your color scheme you can paint it before attaching it to the cord with a high quality spray paint.