Build a Plug-In Pendant Light Fixture From Start to Finish

Beau Wynja

Watch the video above to see how to make a light fixture. At Color Cord Company, we have an entire series of video tutorials and a wide selection of lighting parts. With our tutorials, you can easily make your own customized plug-in lighting fixture suitable for any space. Let us help you learn how to make a light today with our easy approach for DIY.

Parts You’ll Need for How to Make a Pendant Light

How to Wire a Socket

The first step for how to make a pendant light is wiring the socket. Follow these instructions for a step-by-step guide.

  1. Place your tape where you’d like the socket to go. Take the Color Cord 3000or a wire stripper of your own, and strip the outer casing. Then strip the individual wires underneath. Solder into the ends. A soldering gun should do just fine.
  2. Now put on your cord grip. In the video, we use a standard white cord grip. Then take the socket cap and loosen the ground screw, placing the green wire in the terminal. Then, tighten. A pair of pliers will come in handy here.
  3. Push the cord through and give yourself a little bit of room. Place the black and white wires in the correct terminals. Then snap your cap on.
  4. Take a small wrench and tighten the cord grip. Screw on the second half of the cord grip and secure the wire in place.

Please note the accessories and tools we’ve listed that will ensure how to make a pendant light much easier.

How to Wire a Cord End

If you need an in-depth guide, we have a separate video and tutorial onhow to wire a plug end. But if you need a refresher on how to make a light fixture, we’ll go through those steps in this one, too:

  1. Place a piece of tape ¾ in. from the end of the cord. Strip the end using the Color Cord 3000.
  2. Here, you can place a piece of tape at the end to prevent the cloth from sliding down. Just like the other side, strip the wires and tin the ends.
  3. Take your plug end and take the screw out of the top, releasing the two halves. Loosen the screws here.
  4. First, take the plug cover and slide it onto the cord. With pliers, hook the ends.
  5. Now with the hooked ends, place them on the terminals going clockwise. Always remember, white goes to silver, green goes to green, and black goes to gold.
  6. Tighten down each screw. Then take the cover and slide it back over the top of the terminals and place the screw in the top.

How to Wire a Thumb Switch

  1. Place a piece of tape marking each end of the thumb switch. Sometimes it can fray, so use another piece of tape to stop fraying. Take your razor and cut off the cloth covering. Score a line, ensuring you’re not going through the wires and hitting the other wires. Then, pull off the casing.
  2. Cut the black wire down the middle and strip each end. You’ll tin these ends as well. Place your thumb switch down. Put the white and green wire around the top and black wires in the terminals on the bottom. Pliers will definitely help you out here. This is going to be a little tricky, so just take your time.
  3. Take a flathead screwdriver and push down the terminal, securing the black wire in place. Ensure all the wires are in place. Take the switch cover and put it on. Use pliers to clamp down each corner one at a time. You may have to do this more than once. Ensure you don’t clamp down too hard so you don’t accidentally crack the casing.

How To Make A Light Fixture with Swag

  1. Think about where you want to hang your finished pendant light. Install swag hooks.
  2. Place swag hooks along the wall(s) and ceiling. Be sure to use the recommended swag hooks for the material you’re installing them in (e.g. drywall, wood, etc.)
  3. Thread the pendant light and cord through the hooks and give it some slack so it hangs a bit.

And there you have it! You’ve just learned how to make a light fixture that’s creatively-placed and beautiful from start to finish.

How to Make a Pendant Light Made Easy

At Color Cord Company, we love helping creative thinkers and doers everywhere make the best pendant lights they can using tools you probably already have at home.

For even more tips, explore more inspiring tutorials on our blog.

Any questions about how to make a pendant light? Send us a message online or call us today at 1.800.409.1070.

Frequently Asked Questions About Making Pendant Light Fixtures

modern DIY pendant lighting for dining rooms

Can you turn a lampshade into a pendant light?

Since a light fixture shade is simply a component for any type of light fixture, you can definitely attach it to a wall sconce, pendant light, or ceiling light. However, you still need to make sure that the lampshade is compatible with all the other components of your fixture. There are specific conversion kits that allow you to blend a shade with your pendant lights to ensure the openings, screws, and other lighting accessories all match up!

What materials are used to make pendant lights?

If you’re still researching how to make a DIY pendant light, you’ll need to take a close look at the materials most commonly used for light fixtures. Manufacturers choose these materials to ensure product safety. The most popular materials for pendant lights include:

  • Metal: Durable and sturdy, metal can have a modern or industrial aesthetic. You can also repaint and refinish metal to customize your colors.
  • Acrylic: Designed for versatile indoor and outdoor applications, acrylic can deliver the same style as glass with more durability. An added bonus is that the light diffusion is warmer and provides a moonlight-like ambience to a space.
  • Glass: Mainly used in shades, glass additions can diffuse light more evenly in your space.

How do you create a hanging pendant light for sloped ceilings?

how to make a pendant light for sloped ceilings

How to make a pendant light for a sloped ceiling will definitely complicate your installation. You’ll need to use the sloped part of your ceiling to install a custom canopy as you would normally. It will sit on an angle at this point.

Instead of letting your cord hang down straight, you’ll want to consider some swag hooks to hang your cord closer to the middle of the room. How you make a pendant light hang correctly involves allowing the cord to run from the canopy and through a swag hook that centers it along the slope and in the room.

Can I turn a bowl into a ceiling light?

At Color Cord Company, we believe that you can turn nearly anything into a ceiling light! How you make a light fixture is driven by your creativity and inspiration. In fact, we have several tutorials that show you exactly how you can use a bowl as a shade for your next pendant. Check out our guides on how to make pendant lights with bowls here:

Are there any disadvantages to pendant lights?

pendant light design for office spaces

You might already know how to make a pendant light, but it’s important to note that they’re not the ideal lighting solution for every room. Placing a pendant light in some areas may make the space feel smaller or old-fashioned. A single pendant light may also struggle to produce enough light for the entire space.

Solo pendant lights are ideal for small rooms or illuminating an area for a specific task, like reading. You can combat the disadvantages of pendant lights by grouping them together. Some people love having three or more pendant lights in a row above their kitchen island for the best possible lighting. Others prefer rows of pendant lights instead of wall sconces in hallways. You can also mix and match pendant lights with other styles of fixtures to create the ultimate lighting balance in your space.

Learn how to make a light fixture for every space when you check out our tutorials:

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