It seems to many that restoration of a mirror at home is an impossible procedure. In fact, it all depends on the degree of damage to the mirror and the ability to work with hands. There are several techniques for updating an ugly, shabby, and frankly scary mirror.
Some tips
Mirror restoration is possible only with minimal damage to the amalgam - a thin layer of metal deposited on a glass surface. If the mirror began to reflect worse, and light spots appeared on the surface, then the mirror should be hung in a place where direct sunlight will not fall on it.
To restore too deep scratches on the amalgam is almost impossible at home, since metal zoning is carried out exclusively in the factory using special equipment.
In order not to bring the mirror to a terrible state, it is worth choosing the right place for the location of the subject. An ordinary mirror cannot be installed in the bathroom, since moisture will damage the amalgam, worsening reflectivity.
Repairing a damaged reflective surface
First you need to prepare the necessary tools and materials: glue for glass and metal, brushes, acetone for degreasing, paper napkins, a brush with hard bristles, a sponge for washing dishes, scissors, a window cleaner, and foil.
Restoration of the old mirror is carried out in accordance with the following algorithm:
- First you need to pull the mirror out of the frame. It is worth looking at the degree of damage to the metal coating.
- Carefully clean problem areas with a brush. Do not press hard or scrub the amalgam. It is enough to remove the breakaway particles.
- Wipe the mirror with a cloth that is slightly moistened with window cleaner. Then wipe the surface of the product dry.
- Apply a little acetone to the dishwashing sponge and wipe with such a composition places that will be restored in the future.
- Apply special glue to the damaged area.
- Cut a piece of foil that is larger in size than the damaged area.
- Lay the foil with the shiny side away from you to the mirror. Using a rag, iron the foil to remove excess glue.
Within a few hours, the glue will dry completely and the mirror can be hung in place. For greater fixation of the foil, it is sometimes coated with wood varnish or transparent nail polish.
Mirror frame decoration
Restoration is not only about updating the amalgam, you need to periodically update the frame. There are several upgrade options: a complete replacement of the old element, a partial replacement of bad elements, alteration of the frame based on the old case.
The necessary tools and materials are determined by the type of frame. The restoration of the mirror frame is carried out in accordance with the following points:
- Decide which restoration will be carried out: full or partial.
- Remove broken elements or parts of the old frame.
- To clean the restoration with sandpaper or a brush with rough bristles.
- Replace items with new ones.
This is the simplest scheme for restoring a mirror frame from any material.
Interesting update options
Do-it-yourself restoration of the mirror is simple and quick, if you think about the sketch and the update method in advance. The new design of the mirror should match the interior of the room.
Options for mirror restoration:
- You can glue the mirror on a wooden base. The new platform should be larger than the mirror itself. On free edges pieces of old compact discs, pebbles, beads can be attached.
- You can remove the old frame and stick sea shells, polymer clay figures, artificial flowers, thick twine on the surface of the mirror itself. The frame can be formed not around the entire perimeter of the mirror, but in separate parts of the product.
- The edges of the mirror can be decorated with acrylic paint. If a person does not know how to draw, then you can use ready-made templates. You can also draw on the mirror with ordinary nail polish.
- From the scraps of wood, you can add a new frame, which can resemble puzzles in structure. To do this, you can use ordinary branches or round sections of branches.
- From the pieces of tile or mosaic, you can fold a new frame. It is advisable to first stick a mirror on some base, and then lay a mosaic of glass or tile.
There can be a lot of ways to restore the frame, the main thing is to show imagination and the ability to work with decorative materials.