Y’all know I love a good deal and a great repurpose! I have a fun and simple project today. I’ll show you how to repurpose a chandelier into a useful outdoor patio solar light.
Thrift store chandelier
I picked up the chandelier on the left for $2 at a local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. These old brass chandeliers are so plentiful at thrift stores.
Gut the chandelier
This is not the first chandelier I’ve taken apart. I’m getting much better at it. The most important thing to remember is how it comes apart so you can put it back together. I unscrewed the pieces and started snipping wires and pulling them out.
Test out various solar light options for the chandelier
After getting all the wires out, I removed one of the bobeches to see if my solar light would fit on the arm. It did! Perfectly! NOTE: see the big brass piece to the right? I decided to leave it off.
Reuse original nuts from chandelier
TIP: the threads of the arm are a funny size, so I always re-use the original nuts that old the candle tubes. The one on the right is original, the one on the left is after I bent it back and forth several times until it snapped off. Voila! I have the perfect nut to hold my original bobeche on the threaded arm.
Spray paint the chandelier
For this repurposed chandelier, I used Krylon Dual Paint+Primer in Oil Rubbed Bronze on all of the pieces. I did a little sanding on the bobeches because they were gross.
After letting the pieces cure, I got busy trying to figure out exactly how I wanted the finished repurposed chandelier project to look. Isn’t the finish of the Krylon ORB gorgeous?
Hang repurposed chandelier on shepherd's hook
I tried it with the solar lights directly on the arms without and bobeches or candle tubes. The lights fit very snugly by themselves.
I replaced the bobeches, and tested to see if the candle tubes that come with the solar lights would fit. They sort of do, but MY oh MY, they are TALL.
Looking for the best solar light option for the repurposed chandelier
See? I sort of felt like Goldilocks. These are too small, these are too tall….
I cut the candle tubes with my compound miter saw, making each tube have a short and long piece.
New solar light fixture made from a chandelier
For now, it has the bobeches and the shorter candle tubes. But it is totally customizable to the new owner. The solar lights could be removed if the new owner would like for it to be a candelabra.
Have you bought solar lights lately? They have come a long way. These will charge in the sun or shade. How cool is that!? How about wrapping a chandelier with rope and using it as a candelabra?
gail
Sharing at Serving Up Southern Homestyle Gathering
I think you will love these solar light projects:
Whiskey Barrel Planter with Solar Lights
Dollar Store Solar Lights on Reclaimed Landscape Timbers (five tall landscape timbers)
Easy Reclaimed Landscape Timber Solar Lights (three short landscape timbers)
Glass Globe Solar Lights (ceiling fan globes)
Your solar chandelier is amazing, thanks for sharing - wish we could find such reasonably priced vintage STUFF here unfortunately most old wares are snapped up by antique dealers and resold at huge profits.
Pauline,
That's so sad about the high priced wares. We have junk malls here where people sell at highly discounted prices and it really helps when I'm looking for something.
Thanks for stopping by!
gail
LOVE THIS! I have a chandelier in my garden that all I had to do was sit the solar light inside the glass. Now I have found 2 more chandeliers I can't seem to figure out how to attach the lights. Wondering if you could explain that part. Yours just seemed to fit perfectly.
Peggy,
These lights did fit perfectly. You could try some E6000, or some Gorilla Glue construction adhesive.
have fun, good luck!
gail
Love this project! I have made a few with little instructions and learned a little more each time. With I had this tutorial first! Working on another one now as a matter of fact! If you have a Habitat for Humanity store in the area they are a good resource for old chandeliers. I also paint them different colors. I even take the top off the solar lights, tape the sensor and place the fixture in a cup and spray the top to match the rest of the chandelier. Look online for the best deals on solar lights. I highly recommend this project, everyone will be impressed!
Yep, I buy mine at the ReStores as well, and have done all kinds of variations. Old light fixtures are so much fun. I only kept one, and it's a floor lamp with a single solar light-it's on my side porch. I love it!
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment.
gail
love this idea too, I made a multi bird feeder out of a Candler by gluing with goop glue some saucers and a tea cups to the Candler. the birds love it. I won second place at our town's craft fair.
I've never done a birdfeeder yet... I know they are very popular. I'm on the lookout for some chandeliers, but not finding any right now.
congrats on your award at the craft fair. So excited for you.
gail
decorating my new Pergola. Love the idea of solar lights in old chandeliers. Please send me tons of DYI's
I have this exact light and tried to do the same thing. I can't figure out how to get the little cup to stay on or how to attach the solar lights. I see your pictures but can't figure out the steps. I did throw away some parts so maybe I won't work. Any suggestions
Bonnie,
Thanks for stopping by My Repurposed Life!
Scroll down to see the TIP paragraph. You have to have a nut to told your "cup" on the stem. I used the original ones by bending the piece till it broke. The black tubes slipped right over those nuts.
If you have a neighborhood hardware store like True Value or Do It Best, they are very helpful for these kinds of things. Just take your chandy in the store and they will help you find the right parts. 🙂
good luck with your project!
gail
Oh my yes, this is one of my favorite projects!!! I can see this hanging in a gazebo 🙂 Thanks so much!!
I love it....been looking for one to this with but I can't never seem to find one esp for $2.00. Great job Gail.