Adhesive (or "pressure-sensitive") styrene is a thin polystyrene sheet with a sticky adhesive backing. It's the type of material that most high quality lampshades are made with. A release liner is attached to the adhesive side, which is pulled off when you're ready to adhere material to the styrene.
Adhesive styrene is perfectly suited to making lampshades. Styrene is light but sturdy and durable, so it helps the lampshade keep its form over many years. Unlike paper or card, it's also flame-resistant, so can make for a safer shade, especially if using higher-wattage bulbs.
The adhesive on the reverse of the styrene makes it very easy to adhere fabric or paper to it. The act of smoothing the fabric onto the styrene is one of the most tactile and satisfying moments of making a lampshade.
Adhesive (or "pressure-sensitive") styrene is a thin polystyrene sheet with a sticky adhesive backing. It's the type of material that most high quality lampshades are made with. A release liner is attached to the adhesive side, which is pulled off when you're ready to adhere material to the styrene.
Adhesive styrene is a great base material for making brand new lampshades or for repairing old shades that have seen better days. From start to finish, making your own custom lampshade out of styrene will take about an hour of your time, whether you're a novice lampshade maker or an expert DIY-er.
Simply peel back a small section of the release liner on the sheet of styrene to reveal the sticky adhesive portion. Using a smoothing motion, press the styrene onto your paper or fabric. The smoothing motion eliminates bubbles and creases. Peel back more of the release liner and continue the smoothing motion until the entire length of styrene is adhered to your material.
If you're making a simple drum (barrel-shaped) lampshade, you just need to know your desired height and the diameter of the top & bottom rings. The width of your styrene sheet will be the height of your finished lampshade. The length will be the diameter of your finished shade, multiplied by pi (3.14), plus an additional inch for the overlap.
For example, if your finished shade is 10 inches high with a 10 inch diameter, your styrene sheet will be 10 inches wide by 32 1/2 inches long (10 x 3.14 + 1).
If you want to make a lampshade 'in between' the offered sizes, simply order a size up and cut down the styrene to your desired size.
Check out our tutorial on how to measure your lamp to find the perfect-sized lampshade.
Check out our tutorial on how to make a tapered (cone- or coolie-shaped) lampshade for more information on how to figure out how much styrene you need for your project.
Our Styrene is sold in 5 different heights and 3 different lengths so you can find the right size for your project.
Adhesive styrene is perfectly suited to making lampshades. Styrene is light but sturdy and durable, so it helps the lampshade keep its form over many years. Unlike paper or card, it's also flame-resistant, so can make for a safer shade, especially if using higher-wattage bulbs.
The adhesive on the reverse of the styrene makes it very easy to adhere fabric or paper to it. The act of smoothing the fabric onto the styrene is one of the most tactile and satisfying moments of making a lampshade.
Adhesive styrene is a great base material for making brand new lampshades or for repairing old shades that have seen better days. From start to finish, making your own custom lampshade out of styrene will take about an hour of your time, whether you're a novice lampshade maker or an expert DIY-er.
Simply peel back a small section of the release liner on the sheet of styrene to reveal the sticky adhesive portion. Using a smoothing motion, press the styrene onto your paper or fabric.
The smoothing motion eliminates bubbles and creases. Peel back more of the release liner and continue the smoothing motion until the entire length of styrene is adhered to your material.
Or check out our short video tutorial below to see the lampshade making process in action.
How much Adhesive Styrene will I need for my project?
If you're making a simple drum (barrel-shaped) lampshade, you just need to know your desired height and the diameter of the top & bottom rings. The width of your styrene sheet will be the height of your finished lampshade. The length will be the diameter of your finished shade, multiplied by pi (3.14), plus an additional inch for the overlap.
For example, if your finished shade is 10 inches high with a 10 inch diameter, your styrene sheet will be 10 inches wide by 32 1/2 inches long (10 x 3.14 + 1).
If you want to make a lampshade 'in between' the offered sizes, simply order a size up and cut down the styrene to your desired size.
What size of a lampshade do I need?
Check out our tutorial on how to measure your lamp to find the perfect-sized lampshade .
How do I make a tapered lampshade, not a drum or cylindrical shaped shade?
Check out our tutorial on how to make a tapered (cone- or coolie-shaped) lampshade for more information on how to figure out how much styrene you need for your project.
Our Styrene is sold in 5 different heights and 3 different lengths so you can find the right size for your project.
