How To Measure Lamp Shades

If you have ever ordered rawhide lamp shades orthe shade refer to it as the shade's length rather
any type of lampshade for that matter over thethan height.
phone or online, you know it can be a challengingHeight Measuring Tip:
task. It can be very frustrating because differentThe reason you should measure height up and down,
people measure lampshades differently.vertically, is that the height measurement of your
The whole matter is complicated by telephonelamp from bulb socket base to top of harp is
conversations and internet ordering. If you knowprobably the minimum vertical height you will want to
how you should measure a shade to get the propercover the electrical components with the shade
fit and also communicate the correct size, you willHeight Adjustment Tip:
avoid problems and receive the lamp shade you areIf you are considering a stock replacement shade,
expecting.your lamp's overall height and look can be adjusted.
It doesn't matter if the shade is made of rawhide orThe wire harp that holds the shade over the bulb is
not, there are a few tips you should know tointerchangeable. That is great news if a standard
correctly measure and order a shade and alsoshade is say an inch to short. Rather than having to
terminology that will help you insure that the personorder a custom shade you could change the harp
receiving your order is on the same track. We createcausing the shade to sit lower on the lamp to give
custom rawhide lamp shades for rustic westernyou the desired look.
lamps and southwest home decorating. Because weShade Mounting Type:
encounter this issue all the time we have some tipsA standard shade mount has a center bar across the
that we use to insure the correct look for a lamp,top with a hole for the harp mount or a washer
even without seeing the lamp ourselves.centered by three supports that attach to the top
How to measure:rim of the shade. Both allow the shade to be secured
1. You will need to have three key measurements,to the harp. Some smaller lamps and chandeliers don't
bottom diameter, top diameter and height. Theuse a harp but instead use a bulb clip to attach
bottom diameter is the measurement across thedirectly to the bulb. A bulb clip is simply two wire
bottom opening of the lamp shade. The top diameterloops that are attached to the shade's center bar
is the distance across the top opening of the shade.and grip the bulb.
The height of a lampshade should be measuredAn bulb clip adapter can be added to any standard
straight up and down vertically, not along the slant.shade to allow it to be placed over the bulb.
This is where the confusion begins. WhenChandelier lamp shades usually have built-in bulb clips
communicating the measurements different individualsmade for the small flame or candelabra shaped bulbs.
and stores will place the three dimensions in differentShades used as hanging lamps may use an uno
order, it's not standard, so be careful that you aremount which has a center ring large enough for the
not confusing the bottom and height measurementsbulb socket to pass through. These also appear on
for example.some table lamps. You can use a bulb clip on a
2. The height should be measured straight up andreplacement shade instead of an uno mount.
down, but some will measure along the slant. TheseTry putting these simple tips to work on your next
two measurements can be quite different and causerawhide lamp shade or replacement lampshade
the finished shade to be incorrect if confused.project and you will be sure to measure, order and
Always clarify how the height is measured. We havereceive the right size lamp shade the first time.
found that many people who measure the slant of