Crackle lamp

Transform an inexpensive table lamp into an elegant feature for the home with a little bit of help from Resene.

Paint a lamp with an crackle effect

Weekend DIY with Mark Rayner - Project 20

Difficulty level: Moderate

You will need: Clean cloth, Paintbrush, Resene Crackle Effect, Resene Aquaclear satin, Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer, Resene testpots in Resene Ignition and Resene Lone Ranger, Sandpaper, Table lamp (ours came from Mitre 10 Mega)

To get the look: Top tip: Mark painted the shelf with Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Colonial White.

How to paint a crackle effect on a lamp

Step one
Remove the fitting, bulb and shade from the lamp.

Step two
Lightly sand the base of the lamp to provide a ‘key’.

Step three
Wipe off any sanding residue with a clean cloth.

Step four
Apply one coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer to the base of the lamp and allow two hours to dry.

Step five
Apply two coats of Resene Lone Ranger to the base of the lamp, allowing two hours for each coat to dry.

Step six
Apply one coat of Resene Crackle Effect to the base of the lamp and allow to dry.

Step seven
Apply one coat of Resene Ignition to the base of the lamp and allow two hours to dry.

Step eight
Apply two coats of Resene Aquaclear to the base of the lamp, allowing two hours for each coat to dry, and then reassemble the lamp.

Other ideas: For a cool metallic look use a base coat of Resene Astronaut followed by the Resene Crackle effect and finish off with a topcoat of Resene Scotty Silver.

› Download a PDF of this project