Make your own Mirror Frame or Buy one from Mirror Renovations?

Make your own mirror frame or buy a mirror frame from Mirror Renovations? I know apps and plugins like to remind you of how easy these projects can be and a lot of them are, lets just say it…… deceiving. They show you the tools needed, supplies and tell you that it can all be done in just one afternoon and the best part is they say and “I did it all for under $30!” Well, lets start with that because that is the most offensive part. Yes, maybe they did do it for $30, but they also make note in their instructions that they used several supplies that they already had at home or items that were laying around that were extra. Well that doesn’t help the person who doesn’t have those same items laying around at home now does it?

The Basics

Lets start with the basics. Everyone will need these items if you plan on attempting your own mirror frame:

• Tape Measure
• Pen or pencil
• Paper
• Wood
• Primer
• Paint
• Sealant
• Sand paper or possibly use a Dremel Tool if you have the clips currently holding your mirror up on your wall.
• Miter saw
• Screws
• Screwdriver
• Wood Glue
• Industrial strength glue
• Wood Clamps
• Tape
• A full 3 days to start and finish this project

Now head to your local hardware store and pick up all of these items. Your time spent looking for the items, picking out the colors, paints, brushes, miter saws, which glue to use and get to the checkout counter. We love Sherwin Williams paint colors btw. You are on average to buy all the above going to spend about $200. That is even taking into consideration things may be on sale and maybe you found a returned can of paint that someone else didn’t think looked great.

Getting Started

So you will need to start by measuring your outside mirror dimensions. Width and height and take into consideration if your mirror has mirror clips that you will want a wood piece that width is bigger than the clip or channel that your mirror is held up with. Lets just say that a mirror frame size of 36×30 is needed. Typical Bathroom mirror size.

Now that you have your measurements you need to do the math, because unless you plan on putting them in a square formation without mitering the corners, its gonna look funny. Measure and double check that all of your corners match up perfectly (hopefully when you went to the hardware store you picked straight boards that have no bowing to them)

Start by sanding down the boards so that they are smooth have no possible splinter areas. You will want to Dremel out the back of each piece where its going to go over a mirror clip. That way it fits flush to your mirror without having a gap in between the mirror and frame.

Glue your Mirror Frame

You figured out how to miter saw your corners and you are pretty confident that your corners match up pretty good. Make room in your garage or open space with plenty of floor space and you wet and apply the glue in each corner and clamp them together so that they stay held together tight. You then have to wait 24 hours for that to fully cure. Tomorrow is another day that you get to spend working on this 🙂

Day 2 of your Mirror Frame

You double check your corners and lets just say that the clamps held perfect and the corners don’t look to bad, the excess glue that seeped out can be sanded down and who is gonna look that close anyway right? So now you get to grab your brush and start with your primer, allow time for it to dry and paint a good coat of your paint color all over the frame. Don’t forget the corners and sides. Allow time for that to dry. In between these time frames you can do laundry or go to grocery store 🙂 Now before the end of the day you need to apply the sealant because you would not want to put a wood board that you painted in your bathroom. Think about a wood board hung up where you have constant steam and moisture….its a breeding ground for mold and we def don’t want to have any issues with that down the road so you will want to apply at least two coats of whichever sealant you decide on. Don’t forget to allow time in between the coats to dry.

Day 3 of your Mirror Frame

Now you have a dry and ready to hang mirror frame that you made yourself. Well, almost ready to hang. Now you get to apply your glue to the back of teh frame you made. You get to have someone help you carefully put up against the wall mirror and then in a grid like fashion, start taping this wood frame and mirror onto the wall. No worries it will only need to stay like this for 24 hours, then you will be able to remove your tape and your mirror frame should hang still……right? You def trust it to stay put over time and the bathroom atmosphere on a daily basis?

Hmmmmmm $200 later, 3 days of work and time spent and you are about 75% sure it will stay without falling on someone. That is one option.

OR……… Order a Mirror Frame from Mirror Renovations

Measure your outside mirror frame measurements, write them down.

Go online to www.mirrorrenovations.com. Scroll thru our collection of mirror frames to choose from.

Enter your dimensions online.

If you are local, you can pick up your frame from our warehouse, if not we offer shipping.

Hmmmm a 36×30 mirror frame for a stylish mirror frame can cost on average $65.

Make a mirror Frame or Buy a Mirror Frame? Not to mention that our mirror frames aren’t made by using wood. We use a material that can withstand the bathroom temperatures. They come already to hang all you have to do is insert the screws into the pre-drilled holes in the back using a screwdriver. Then apply firm pressure to the frame on your wall mirror. Walaa….. You will literally only spend about 1 hour on this and you save money. Its a win- win situation.