Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Remove the mirror from its frame. While wearing gloves, use the screwdriver to remove the mirror from the back of the frame carefully. Be aware that older, antique glass may be jagged, chipped, contain a sharp beveled edge and be somewhat heavy. Lay the mirror on its face on the towel.
Evaluate your mirror to see if you can proceed. In the case of minor damage to the mirror, move ahead. If your mirror shows cracks, heavy chipping or contains missing silvered areas, consider professional work.
Work on the back of the mirror while it lays face down on the towel. Faux fix small areas of missing silver by applying round or square mirrored tiles over the missing spots. Tape them into place face down (when you look into the mirror, the mirrored tiles should face you). Apply the tape correctly on the first try as removal may damage more silvering from another area of the mirror.
Sand the frame with sandpaper, wearing a mask to protect you from dust. If you have an unpainted frame, rough up the wood with fine grade sandpaper. This makes the wood more porous for paint absorption. Fill in any nicks or dents with paintable silicone caulk and allow it to dry.
Paint the frame wearing your dust mask. Use the drop cloth to lay the frame face up and spray paint it with even, light motions. This may require several coats, especially on bare wood. Gold, ivory or silver remain timeless and go with any decor. Allow to dry.
Reassemble your mirror, ensuring all screws fit tightly in place. Sometimes old wood may strip them upon removal. If they appear loose, you may have to move the screw to a new place and fill in the excess screw hole area with some silicone caulk.