Monday, August 31, 2015

Mirror frame


I have been dreaming of framing this mirror for so long! The original mirror had big scratches and scalloping all around the edges, and I knew a simple frame would cover all that up and make a huge difference.

Before you get started, you need:
  1. your frame pieces
  2. a saw that will cut at a 45 degree angle
  3. liquid nails- I used the type for paneling
  4. painters tape
  5. a level
  6. measuring tape 
  7. caulk
  8. paint


Get started by measuring your mirror and marking pieces that are slightly larger. I believe we cut pieces about 2 inches larger than the measurements, adding an inch to each side. Go ahead and cut your pieces, matching up the angles at the ends so they'll fit together nicely. Check afterwards to make sure your corresponding pieces are the same lengths so that the frame will be square!


I always paint my pieces right after cutting, because it saves the mess of cleaning up paint later. After everything is dry, measure the halfway point in your mirror edge AND your bottom frame piece. I marked mine with the straight edge of the blue tape. You'll want these straight edges to line up when gluing so the frame will be centered.


Clean your mirror off so your pieces can adhere well. You can dry fit your pieces with the help of blue tape to make sure they all fit. When you're ready to glue, loop several pieces of blue painters tape on the back of your frame piece to help it stick to the mirror during gluing.



Squeeze out your liquid nails along the frame piece, being careful to apply enough, but not SO much that it squishes out all over your clean mirror. Check your level and your alignment.




Apply extra pieces of blue tape to hold everything in place. Allow the bottom to fully dry before attempting to glue in other pieces, as the bottom piece is your main support. It's also important to always check that a piece is level before gluing!




When all four pieces are dry, you can touch up any paint and caulk any gaps in the corners. This will give the frame a seamless look and hide any flaws :)



Despite the rest of the mess, the mirror looks pretty impeccable, and the whole thing could be done in a weekend.

Up next, granite and finalizing! 

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