The Common Way To Measure Rawhide Lamp Shades Correctly

What in the world are you talking about That might be the question that occurs to you when ordering southwest rawhide lamp shades or replacement lamp shades. It can be extremely frustrating because various companies size lampshades quite differently.

The whole idea is complicated by telephone discussions and online ordering. If you know how you can best measure a shade to get the right fit and also communicate the proper size, you’re going to prevent problems and get the lamp shade you thought you would.

The type of material the shade is made of doesn't matter, there are a few tips you should use to properly measure and order a lampshade and also the proper description that will help you insure that the employee receiving your order is getting the correct information. We fabricate custom rawhide lamp shades for rustic western lamps and southwestern home furnishings. Because we come across this this issue nearly everyday we have some tips that anyone can use to get the proper look for a lamp, even without seeing the lamp and shade and lamp together.

The proper way to measure:
1. You will need to have three different measurements, the shade’s bottom diameter, top diameter and height. The bottom diameter is always measured across the bottom opening of the lamp shade. The top diameter is the distance across the top opening of the shade. The height of a lamp shade should be measured straight up and down vertically, never down the slant.

At this point is where the challenge usually starts. When relaying the measurements various individuals and stores will use the three dimensions in varying order, it's not uniform, so be careful that you are not mixing up the bottom and height measurements for example.

2. The height always must be measured straight up and down, but some stores will measure along the slant. These two measurements can vary and be quite different and could make the finished shade to be incorrect if confused. You should always explain how the height has been measured. We have noticed that many people that measure the slant of the shade refer to it as the shade's length rather than height.

A good Measuring Height Tip:
The reason you have to measure height up and down, vertically, is that the height measurement of your lamp from bulb socket base to top of harp is probably the minimum vertical height you will want to cover the electrical parts with the shade.

A good Tip On Height Adjustment:
When considering a stock replacement shade, the lamp's overall height and look is simply adjusted. The wire harp that holds the shade over the bulb is interchangeable. That is great news if a standard shade is
too short to look right. In stead of having to order a custom shade you could possibly change the harp that can make the shade to sit lower on the lamp to give you the desired look.

Shade Mounting Type:
A standard shade mount has a center bar across the top with a hole in the center for the harp mount or a washer centered by three supports that attach to the top rim of the shade. Both variations allow the shade to be secured to the harp. Some types of lamps and chandeliers don't use a harp but rather use a bulb clip adapter to attach directly to the bulb. A bulb clip is simply two wire loops that are attached to the shade's center bar and grip the bulb.

It’s easy to add a clip to any standard shade to allow it to be placed over the bulb. Chandelier lamp shades almost always have built-in bulb clips made for the small torpedo or candelabra type bulbs. Lamp shades used as hanging lamps can use an uno mount which has a center ring large enough for the bulb socket to pass through. These also can be found on some table lamps. It’s possible to use a bulb clip on a replacement shade instead of an uno mount.

These tips will make a difference on your next rawhide lamp shade or replacement lampshade project and you will be sure to measure, order and receive the right size lamp shade the without any trouble for fabric or rawhide lamp shades.