Plexiglas night light with LEDs. Do-it-yourself acrylic edge lighting. We make a groove on the top of the base

On sale now you can find not so many options for original lamps. And if they are, then they are not at all what we would like. However, it is not so difficult, with a little imagination, to bring some great ideas to life and let even more light into your room.

Of course, we did not invent, but we figured out how to make them original items for interior decoration. We would like to bring to your attention three completely different ideas - plexiglass lamps.

What is plexiglass?

Organic glass is a very convenient material for processing at home. It can be sawn with a table saw or drilled with conventional drills. When cutting, choose a medium speed: if you cut at too high a speed, the plexiglass can melt from overheating. You can buy plexiglass in almost any building materials store.

A glass-like material made from acrylic, polystyrene, or polycarbonate. Polystyrene is intended exclusively for indoor use, it is not resistant to either UV radiation or atmospheric precipitation (for example, to snow pellets). Withstands temperatures from -20 to +60°C. Polycarbonate is resistant to ultraviolet radiation, tolerates significant temperature fluctuations very well (from -40 to +120°C), and can be used outdoors. It is not afraid of high temperatures and can be used for facing heating appliances.

Acrylic glass is similar in properties to polycarbonate, it tolerates temperatures from -20 to +70°C. To get absolutely smooth edges or sand out scratches, you will need sanding paper and a sanding block.

We make original lamps with the correct shapes

And now a few words about the manufacture of such a lamp:

	1. When cutting plexiglass with a circular saw, the cutting blade is set with a minimum overhang under the thickness of the material. When cutting, the pendulum stroke control must be at the “zero” mark.
	2. Transparent plexiglass is easy to paint. Choice of transparent colored varnish or waterproof paint - leave it to your taste
	3. The effect of a soft transition of lines occurs if you apply a regular acrylic-based colored varnish, smoothly brushing the plexiglass parts with a brush. Do not touch the varnished surface with your hands, even if it is dry.
	4. Clips for fastening. Both ordinary linen plastic or wooden clothespins and special carpentry clips are suitable.

In building materials stores, you can purchase multi-colored sheets of plexiglass and immediately cut into parts of the required shape and size. You can buy standard sheets of plexiglass and cut them yourself. In any case, additional grinding of the edges will be required. Use sanding paper and a sanding block for this.

To hang each lamp, screw two hook screws into the wall and hang it on them. To prevent the lamp from falling towards the wall, it is necessary to attach a distance block to its back side using double-sided adhesive tape. That's all.

	1. Sheets of plexiglass cut into square-shaped parts are covered with a matte or satin film on the back side, through which soft light seeps
	2. So that when drilling holes, the Plexiglas sheet does not burst or crack, it is necessary to put plywood on both sides. The top sheet of plywood, which matches the size of the Plexiglas sheet, will also serve as a drilling template
	3. The edges of the surfaces to be painted must be pasted over with masking tape, which is removed after painting.
	4. In addition to small S-shaped hooks, you will also need a lamp with a fluorescent lamp

Backlit vacation photos

Only you have such wonderful photos! Why not use them for interior decoration. This, of course, can be not only some beautiful landscapes or streets of old cities. When implementing this idea, you can use both children's photographs and photographs that capture, for example, family celebrations, sports successes.

This lamp will be a wonderful gift for your friends and family. For example, what could be better than a beautiful photo of a grandchild for grandparents! You will probably agree that in this case your imagination is not limited by anything.

	1. Print your favorite photos on special printer paper. Do not use too thick paper for this, as it will not let in enough light.
	2. Use the drilling template and drill holes. Then cut out the images of the required size and fix them on a colorless transparent film.
	3. First, attach a sheet of plexiglass to the frame of the lamp, then a film with a photograph, then another sheet of plexiglass. Fasten all elements firmly with screws, then cut off the protruding edges of the film
	4. Such interesting lamps are available in different colors

Hi all! In this tutorial, I'm going to show you how I made an amazing colored acrylic glass and wood LED light. This is a very modern and original design that will fit perfectly even in your bedroom, even in an expensive office.
You can also watch the full video at the end of the article where you can find more details on how I made this lamp.

So let's get started!
Materials that will be needed:

Wooden blocks - buy at a local store or sawmill.
Acrylic glass can be purchased at your local hardware store.
RGB LED strip with controller - .
Epoxy resin.

Tools:

High performance rotary dremel.
Cordless drill.
Soldering iron.
Stripper.
Jigsaw.
Metal ruler.
Scissors.

Cutting wood and acrylic glass to size

For this project, I decided to use solid wood. I had a small piece, 20mm thick in my workshop, which is perfect for this purpose.
The acrylic I used was 5mm thick and I think it's the perfect match with the wood.
The base of the lamp is 16 by 9 cm.
The upper figure, placed vertically to the acrylic base, measures 28 by 14 cm
My experience with cutting acrylic has shown me that moving the cross slide slowly melts the acrylic, so you have to move faster to get clean cuts.

Construction drawing of the top of the LED lamp

Now I need to design the top of this lamp. I want to make a modern and clean design that matches my room.
I traced its outline with a pencil and cut out the shape with scissors.
Then I drew some lines with a ruler. The pattern consists of stripes with the same width but different lengths.
Then I made all the cuts, and the drawing was transferred to acrylic.

engraving pattern

It's time to use the engraving tool.
A flexible shaft engraver is a great choice for this job.
To make perfectly straight lines, I used a metal ruler. Engraver engrave pattern on glass.
Next, I cut off the unnecessary parts with a jigsaw.

Drilling holes in the middle of wood for LEDs

Now I can move on to the lamp base.
We mark the middle of the wooden block.
On the drill, I attached a 35mm hole drill and drilled a hole for the LEDs.
Do not damage your table when drilling - put a piece of wood.

We make a groove on the top of the base

For the engraved acrylic piece, I need to make a groove on the top of the lamp base. I traced the outline with an acrylic pencil, placing it vertically in the middle.
The best way to make a groove is to drill as many holes as possible inside the outline and then remove the excess with a file.
Directly under the acrylic I will put the LEDs, but I need to make more space for them. So, the groove turned out to be 10 mm wide and 4 mm deep.

Making a hole in the bottom of the base for the controller

The controller will be placed at the bottom of the base. It's pretty big, but I didn't have a smaller one, which means I need to find a way to fit it into the bottom of the tree.
I only use hot glue to secure it.
To make a square window for the controller, I drilled a hole 12 mm in diameter, and then inserted a jigsaw into the hole. He sawed out the window and trimmed it with a file.
Another thing I need to do is to drill 2 holes on the back side at the bottom. These will be the holes for the adapter and infrared receiver. Since I have a controller with a remote control.

LED Strip Light

I used colored RGB LED strip. A length of 50 cm is enough, so I took scissors and carefully cut along the marked line, between the copper pads.
Before putting all the pieces together, I removed the protective film from the acrylic.

Assembling the LED lamp

I started the assembly by gluing the LEDs into the groove.
Then I moved on to other items, and glued them with epoxy.
Epoxy-based glue works well for bonding acrylic glass to wood, so I recommend you use it.
After all the manipulations, we clamp the base with a clamp and wait for the entire structure to dry.

Sanding and painting the base

Temporarily, I placed the LEDs inside the base, and covered them with masking tape to keep dust out.
Next, go through the sanding paper of fine grain.
The surface is ready to be painted, so I apply a clear lacquer (shellac) to bring out the beauty of the beech wood. This is the most enjoyable part of the whole project.

Controller installation

Everything works correctly, so I can hot glue the controller.

Now I can enjoy the beauty of this beautiful design. This lamp is very simple and at the same time very modern.
It was a very interesting and exciting process of creating a lamp. I hope that this detailed instruction will allow you to make your own lamp with your own hands. In continuation of all that has been said, I recommend watching the video instructions for making and testing the lamp.

LEDs, which appeared on sale not so long ago, immediately gained popularity among fans of crafting various crafts. Designers also benefit from them. In this article, we will talk about easy-to-make luminous crafts - pictures from LEDs. They can come in handy in different situations - for entertaining kids at a matinee (can be hung on threads, on Christmas trees, on clothes), for decorating a bicycle, can be used as an icon that glows in a darkened room and as an element.

This little thing can be done by any person, even a child, if he is told what and how to do in stages.

What do you need for this craft.

Multi-colored LEDs; small resistors for 100 - 500 Ohms; wires; heat shrink tubing or electrical tape, batteries, plexiglass.

Stages of work.

We cut the wires to the desired length. If you decide to make a night light, it is better if each wire has a different length. If the luminous figurines hang differently, it will be more interesting and beautiful.

After that, we put on heat shrink and, as it should be done in these cases, we heat the tubes.

We make holes in the cross prepared ahead of time and lay communications and batteries. We connect all the wires in parallel and through the switch we finish with batteries.

When the electrician is finished, we proceed to the actual light part. You need to make the right number of squares of plexiglass. Their number is equal to the number of LEDs.

For the made figures, we will demolish the corner and make a side hole, which is necessary in order to insert the LED into it. We draw the desired drawing on a paper layout, transfer it to a workpiece made of plexiglass, and use a boron machine to draw the outline of the drawing.

When the above steps are completed, you need to clean the plexiglass and sand it.

In order to connect the blanks with LEDs, we use epoxy glue. You only need to put a little glue into the hole.

We immediately insert the LEDs into the holes with the newly added glue. After the epoxy has hardened, the work can be considered completed. It remains only to turn on the illumination and enjoy the result.

All. The craft is ready. You can admire her.

Plexiglas for edge lighting is a beautiful and practical solution for home, apartment, office. Through the canvas, light is evenly distributed and refracted. Thus, the atmosphere of comfort is created in the room. The drawing on the wall looks organic, not only performing a decorative function, but also illuminating the space at any time of the day.

Why do you need backlight

In the interior, edge lighting is used for several reasons. Firstly, it looks unusual, creating a diffuse light flux. Secondly, such a solution is practical: it is possible to organize high-quality lighting that consumes a minimum of electricity. And the final argument is a combination of aesthetics and functionality.

Edge lighting can provide a pleasant atmosphere in the house

Illumination of canvases is used in tandem with the following designs:

ceiling panels;
false windows or framelights;
kitchen apron panels;
shelves;
handrails of stairs, etc.

In fact, any idea can be turned into reality.

Video: "Profile for edge lighting"

In this video you will learn how to make a profile for edge lighting.

Features of false windows

Popular today is the design of end lighting in combination with a false window. Framelight - a panel where a poster with an illustration is placed. Any landscape, photo or painting takes on a new look. In addition to the decorative function, the unique panel creates additional lighting.

The design is delivered ready-made, the user needs to insert a poster with an image. Often, as a picture, they use an imitation of the view from the window, different landscapes, photos.

The poster can be easily replaced at any time. A summer street will easily change into an autumn park or a winter forest. Framelights are easy to use, as they are equipped with a click profile. As a result, the upper part snaps off and the protective module is removed. A variant with the "Magnetic" design is also used. In his system, magnets are used to secure the web.

With the help of a false window, you can simulate any view from the window that you want.

Step-by-step instruction

Making glass for end lighting is within the power of any homeowner. About the features of the process in order:

From plexiglass we cut out a light panel of the desired size and shape. To do this, we use a hacksaw, jigsaw, etc.
We process the edges, at the end we make a recess for the LED components.
We apply the pattern on self-adhesive paper and glue it to the canvas.
Using a scalpel, cut out the outline.
We engrave the glass along the marked line with an electric drill.

Now you need to assemble the circuit. We take the LEDs and solder them to the positive terminals of the resistor. We isolate the contacts with heat shrink. Using acrylic glue, we attach the LEDs to the end holes of the canvas. To check the health of the system, we connect the pros and cons of the wires, attach to the battery holder.

The result is an excellent night lamp, assembled independently.

You can make a beautiful plexiglass lamp if you follow the instructions.

Materials and tools

Have you decided to make your own backlighting? Make sure everything you need is at hand:

acrylic canvas;
aluminum profile;
LED Strip Light;
small 12V power supply.

If the panel should be located in a room with high humidity, you need a special tape. Considering a false window as an auxiliary light source? Then you need an LED strip with increased performance.

Of the tools, a hacksaw, an electric jigsaw, a drill, fasteners, etc. are usually used.

To operate the plexiglass lamp, you need a 12V power supply

Acrylic preparation

It is important to ensure uniform illumination of the panel. We need high quality acrylic. A balanced saturated glow is guaranteed by diffuse components. They appear in sheets of acrylic during its special preparation. It is impossible to perform such processing at home, so you need to purchase a ready-made canvas that meets all the parameters. The thickness of the plexiglass is determined taking into account the dimensions of the light panel.

The ends in the acrylic sheet must be polished. In a piece where there are no LED components, we apply a reflective material. During production, acrylic is covered with a protective film. It prevents damage to the canvas, redistribution of light. Remove the film before installing the structure in the profile.

Profile assembly

Aluminum profile components are at your disposal. We cut them to the desired size at an angle of 45 °. Then we connect the parts using the corners. Three sides are ready, now we install LED components all over the inside. We pre-attach the wires to ensure contact with the power supply. The 12V adapter is capable of providing energy to a tape up to 5 m long. We screw at least 4 fasteners to the upper part of the profile for further mounting on the wall.

Aluminum profiles for false windows must be fixed at an angle of 95°

Light panel work

The three sides of the profile are assembled and the LED components are fixed, we begin the installation of the light panel. We need a reflector - a sheet that reflects light. Let's put it in profile. We also add an acrylic sheet, a film with an image, a protective coating to the design. We install the canvas over the LED components. This contributes to good light scattering. At the end we fix the last side of the profile.

An important nuance: the poster must be printed on backlit film - this is how good light transmission is achieved. To make the structure more rigid, a heel with sufficient thickness is inserted into it.

Wall mounting

The light panel is ready, now you need to fix it. Hooks are mounted to the wall with dowels. It remains to hang a false window and connect the power supply.

Using simple technologies, it will be possible to design modern design in any room on your own. Acrylic edge lighting will create an atmosphere of comfort and, if necessary, perform a practical function.