Lamp Safety

When installing or cleaning finished lampshades, it is important to turn off the power first. For the thistle lamp, remove the plug from the wall socket; for any of the ceiling lights, turn off the power at the fuse box.

When fitting a lampshade to a ceiling cordset, make sure you work from a secure set of ladders (or a decorator’s platform) and get a friend or family member to hold the ladder so that it stays firmly grounded for extra safety.

The lampshades and light fittings in this book should only be used with LED light bulbs with a maximum wattage of 6 watts. An LED light bulb is energy efficient and heats up less than a halogen or a traditional incandescent light bulb, making it a safe option to use with paper shades.

Some LED lights can produce a cold, bluish light so a paper lampshade can be the perfect choice for these energy-efficient bulbs, as paper makes the light appear more natural, creating a warm, cosy effect, and coloured paper can have a particularly stunning effect on the light.

Although LED light bulbs do not get hot, the light bulb socket can sometimes still get hot depending on the light bulb socket that is used. You should NEVER allow your paper model to come into direct contact with a hot bulb or light bulb socket as this can present a fire risk.

We always recommend that you test your light bulb and light bulb socket first before installing a paper shade. Switch on the light for at least one hour. If after it has been running for one hour you can touch the light bulb and light bulb socket with your hand without burning yourself (be careful!), then it is safe to use with a paper lampshade.

Safety first

• Always use a light bulb and light bulb socket that have been tested and approved to meet the electrical standards of your geographical location. If you cannot be sure of this, buy and replace these products so that they meet these requirements first before installing your paper lampshade.
• Although it is safe to install the paper lampshade yourself, you should ALWAYS have the electric ceiling cord installed by a professional electrician.
• We get the papers that we use for all our products tested for flammability by an official testing lab, and we have found that not all papers are the same. Some types of paper might not meet the safety requirements: when used for lighting, treat the paper you intend to use by soaking or spraying it with a fire retardant treatment.
• Never use a paper lampshade in or near an open fire.

▶ Use a feather duster to clean your paper lampshades.