Making A Wooden Mirror
Wooden mirror frames can work in nearly any decor, from modern to traditional. Choose a rustic, unfinished look with faded, reclaimed barn wood or finish a set of frames in a bright colored stain for a modern look. Wooden frame molding is available in finished or unfinished stock, but if you have some scraps of lumber around the house, consider putting them together to make a frame.
Consider your decor. If your furnishings and accessories lean toward the homespun and folk art look, consider a reclaimed barn wood frame. If your mirror will be in a room with modern decor, consider a plain, finished wood frame. A wooden mirror frame for a baby’s room or hallway should enhance or complement the space in some way.
Measure your mirror, and write down the dimensions. Head to a home improvement store for your lumber or molding, and buy enough for your project. If your mirror is very large, be sure to purchase molding with inner sections cut away. The cut away areas will hold the mirror in place.
Saw the lumber into four pieces per the measurements of the mirror. Be sure that the length of each piece is at least the full length of each side plus the molding width to allow for mitering. For example, if your mirror is 12 inches long on one side and your molding is 2 inches wide, that section of your frame should be 16 inches long.
Use a mitering box to miter the corners yourself. If you don’t have a mitering box, don’t worry. For a small fee, a hardware store will do the mitering for you. Sand away any rough edges.
Glue the pieces together with wood glue, and clamp them. Let the clamps remain in place for 24 hours until the glue is completely dry. Remove the clamps, and scrape away excess glue with a straight edge. Use a staple gun to secure the seams or use another fastening device.
Prime and paint, or stain. Allow the finish on your new wooden frame to completely dry before applying it to the mirror.
Lay the frame flat, and attach mirror adhesive around the frame. Center it on your mirror. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for drying times. Be sure to use mirror adhesive. Other adhesives may destroy your mirror’s silvering.