Light bulbs are always an afterthought. Many shoppers have purchased lamps and thought to themselves, “I think I have a bulb at home,” assuming one bulb fits all. Of course, this is far from true. In fact, one of the biggest mistakes in lighting is using the wrong wattage for your lamp shade. If you screw in too high of wattage, you risk burning the lamp shade, or worst case scenario, starting a fire.
The determining factor for the size or wattage of the incandescent light is generally not the socket, but instead the diameter at the top of the lampshade. After all, the heat produced by the bulb needs an escape route. Below is a quick outline of the maximum incandescent wattage you can use in your lamp based on the diameter of the opening at the top of the lampshade.
Diameter – Top of Lampshade Maximum Wattage
3” 40W
4” 60W
5” 75W
6” 100W
7” 150W