How to Repair Lamp Cracks
Bargain!
Don’t you just love a bargain? Me too! I found these lamps on sale for $60 each. They had been $149. But when I got to the checkout counter, I saw a crack in the lamp base I guess you would call it. Both lamps had cracks, one worse than the other.
So for the lamp cracks….I got another 20% off if I still wanted them. Yes, I did! My first thoughts were, the cracks really wouldn’t show unless you really paid close attention to them, and I thought they might be fixable. The lamps were sturdy and the cracks didn’t affect their stability.
My Experiment
The first thing I tried to repair the lamp cracks was hot glue. I thought I could put a little hot glue in the cracks and paint over it.
Wrong, this did not work. I never could get the glue smooth enough and it was just a mess, so I removed all that and moved on to something else.
Crack filler would have been the thing to use, but I didn’t have any and didn’t want to go to town. So I tried to think of something to take its place. I had heard that you could use toothpaste to fill nail holes, but I had never tried it.
Chalk
Having chalk around comes in handy sometimes! There are several different things you can do with chalk besides writing on a blackboard)))
USES FOR CHALK
We’re all familiar with sidewalk chalk for sure, but did you know it has other household uses?
- Preventing wax from sticking: Rubbing chalk on a candle holder before inserting a candle can help prevent wax from sticking.
- Drying out wet shoes: Placing a few pieces of chalk inside damp shoes can help absorb moisture and prevent odors.
- Marking fabrics: Chalk is used in sewing or tailoring to mark the fabric before cutting or stitching. It’s easily erasable and doesn’t damage the fabric
- Removing grease stains: Rubbing a piece of chalk onto a grease stain before washing can help absorb the grease and make it easier to remove.
- Preventing silverware tarnish: Placing a piece of chalk in a silverware drawer can help prevent tarnishing. (I’ve never tried this, have you?)
- Soothing bug bites: Applying a paste made from crushed chalk and water can help alleviate the itch from bug bites.
- Sealing cracks: Mixing chalk powder with water to create a paste and applying it to cracks can help seal them temporarily. Bingo! There’s the answer to repairing my lap cracks))
Here’s a link to a video I did using chalk to mark red velvet ribbon to keep a wreath bow nice and even.
I thought some chalk dust mixed into the paint might double for some crack filler. Nothing to lose by trying it right?
So I grated about one piece of chalk. Psssstttt don’t tell the hubby I used his new grater that we got on our trip to Viking Cooking Class. I have to tell you about that trip…..so fun)))
Paint
The next thing I needed for my lamp cracks was paint. I searched through my paint box for some gold paint. Even though I don’t have small grandchildren any longer, I still keep a “color box” filled with crayons, paints, brushes, and markers. You’d be surprised how handy it comes in sometimes)))
I found some paint I had used last year to paint dried pumpkin stems. So I mixed the grated chalk into the paint. It looked like a surprisingly pretty good match.
Crack
I filled the lamp cracks by brushing on the mixture. Sometimes I used a toothpick to get it fully into the crack.
I overfilled the lamp cracks, and then wiped the excess off with a paper towel, and repeated those steps a couple of times to get the best results.
Final Result
I think the lamp cracks will hardly be noticeable at all! Now all I have to do is get the hubby to move the bed so I can set them on the night tables and plug them in))
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