Plumbing Pipe Light Fixture

The lighting fixture in my tool storage hallway fell off of the ceiling and broke. I did some searching to find a more permanent replacement, ultimately deciding on something similar to the picture. I made the change to use 3 bulbs instead of 4, and I am going to use the outlet plug that was used by the broken light so no wiring would be involved.

For equipment, you will need:

1. Blow dryer (I don't recall where I got mine)
2. Kitchen sink
3. A step ladder
4. A magnetic level if putting the piece on a wall
5. A pencil
6. Drill
7. Drill bit the size needed for the flange screws
8. There is an excellent website that discusses which drill bit to use for which screw size into what material. Check them out!
9. A screwdriver of the proper head and size.
10. My screws would have been best served with a #3 Philips head. Unfortunately, my largest is a #2. This worked but made the screwing in more difficult.

For materials, you will need:

1. Warm water
2. Grease-removing dish soap, such as Dawn
3. Dish cloths you are willing to ruin (I bought some painter's rags from Home Depot)
4. OPTIONAL: Old used toothbrush
5. A drop cloth longer than the assembled piece (I have a room-size plastic drop cloth from Home Depot I used when I painted some shelves.)
6. Paint for metal surfaces (To make my pipes black, I used Rust-Oleum Hammered Matte Black Protective Spray Paint from Home Depot).
7. ½" black metal plumbing pipes:
8. 2 elbows (I got mine from Home Depot)
9. 2 nipples (I got 2" from Home Depot because I didn't need a big drop)
10. 2 flanges (I got mine from Home Depot)
11. The flanges I bought didn't come with screws, so I bought #12, ¾", zinc wood screws in a pack of 10 from Home Depot.*
12. 1 piece of pipe (I got a 36" pipe from Home Depot, but a 48" pipe would have had less wire droop.)
13. Pendant lights (Amazon affiliate link)
14. Enough LED bulbs for the purchased pendant lights.
15. I got three 40-watt LED bulbs from Dollar Tree.

*Depending on the type of surface to which you will be attaching the light fixture, you may need some other type of screw. For example, you may wish to consider buying anchors if the wall or ceiling is drywall. Securing the fixture to brick, concrete, metal, or any other material involves more knowledge than I possess and will require more research on your part. I am securing my fixture to wood, so I bought wood screws.

In your kitchen sink, combine warm water and the dish soap. Using the dish cloths, wash all the pipes to remove any remaining oils. This is optional, but you may want to scrub with a toothbrush as well to get in all the crevices and screw threads. Dry the pieces using a blow dryer*.

*Why not a towel or air dry? You are using steel pipes. Steel + water = rust. By blow drying, you are getting rid of all of the surface water to prevent rust development.

If you want to be able to disassemble it easier in the future, use some plumbing tape on the pipe threads before assembling.

Into one of the flanges, screw one of the nipples. On the other end of that nipple, screw on an elbow. Screw the long pipe into the other end of that elbow. Attach the other elbow to the unused end of the long pipe. Thread the second nipple into the open end of this elbow. Screw the final flange onto that nipple. The entire thing can be hand-tightened.

Take your pipes, drop cloth, and paint outside. Hopefully, the day is neither windy or rainy. Place the assembled pipes on its side on the drop cloth. Spray paint the pipes. If you spray too much, you will get drip marks on your piece. It's better to use too little paint than too much.

After an hour, turn the piece on its other side. Spray paint the pipes. If you spray too much, you will get drip marks on your piece. It's better to use too little paint than too much.

After an hour, check your piece for any places that were missed on the previous two sprayings. Spray those with paint. Allow to dry for 1 hour. Remember, you don't have to paint the bottoms of the flanges, as those will be unseen once the piece is hung.

Find an out-of-the-way place you can set the piece. Leave it alone for 48 hours before proceeding to the next step.

Using the knot of your choice, tie the pendant lights to the assembled pipes. I used a clove hitch knot, but you can use whatever knot you choose as long as it is tight enough that the lights don't lose height over time. Don't put the bulbs in yet; you will do that after the fixture is secured in place.

Using a step ladder, hold the assembled pipes in place where you want them to hang. I am hanging mine from a ceiling. While holding the pipes in place with one hand, take the pencil in the other hand and draw circles inside the flange screw holes on ONE END ONLY, then set aside the assemblage.

Put the appropriate size bit (I used a 9/64" bit for #12 screws) into the drill. Drill holes at the circles you drew in the previous step. Flange screws aren't very long, so you should not have to drill deep holes. I went in about the width of my pinkie finger.

Put the screws somewhere convenient to reach. I used my right shirt pocket. Put the screwdriver somewhere convenient to reach. I used my right rear pants pocket. If you happen to have a tool belt, you can use that. I have a tool belt at work but not at home.

With the assembled pipes in your non-dominant hand, climb the ladder. Align the flange with the screw holes you drilled. Place a screw through the flange into one of the drilled holes. Turn it slightly with your fingers until it gains purchase. Now, take the screwdriver and screw this screw in far enough that it assists with holding the pipes in place.

Make sure you can see all the drilled holes through the flange holes. Place a screw in a hole, hand tighten to gain purchase, then use the screwdriver to completely secure the flange to the surface. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN! This will strip the holes and require you to move the fixture elsewhere. Repeat this process for the remaining holes. Finish by tightening the first screw.

Place the second flange in its desired position. If you are doing this on a wall, use the magnetic level to show you when you have the assembled pipes level. Use the pencil to make circles in the flange holes. Because you are using plumbing pipe, you can now rotate the fixture out of the way. Let it be supported by the first flange. Drill holes at the circles you drew, then realign the flange with these holes. Repeat the process of placing a screw, hand tightening, and screwdriving until the second flange is secure. Before getting off the ladder, arrange the pendants where you want them.

Add light bulbs to the pendant lights. Plug it in. Turn it on.

And here is the mounted light fixture. As you can see from the pictures, I put cages around the bulbs. I purchased these from Amazon (affiliate link) for a project I never completed. They are not absolutely necessary but do make the lights look a little bit more steampunkesque.

Sorry I didn't take more pictures along the way. I got too deep into the project to remember to take step-by-step pictures. Hopefully, you will be able to manage without them for now. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a message.

PS: Don't use Dollar Tree "soft white" LED bulbs. As you can see, they are more yellow than white.