How To Repair Old Mirror

Sometimes it's easy to know exactly how to bring new life to an old piece of piece of furniture. Often all it takes is a fresh coat of paint or new hardware on a worn looking item and y'all tin terminate up with a restored version of what once looked drab and dull. Some categories are a little more than tricky though, and the solutions may not be quite every bit obvious.

From time to fourth dimension, I've spotted a dandy vintage mirror at a flea market place or thrift shop, but if the mirror had dark spots on the glass, well, I've just left information technology in that location considering I didn't really know how to fix the problem.

I saw this really cool geometric mirror for a not bad cost at the thrift store the other calendar week, and instead of running from my "black spot fearfulness", I decided to confront it head on and figure information technology out instead. It turns out in that location are a few tricks you can utilize to either totally repair, minimize, or muffle the damage that was caused from wet on the argent bankroll of the mirror.

If you accept a mirror you'd similar to set, you'll notice that in that location are two types of black spots: some of the spots are opaque areas of damage on the reflective coating and others are actually where the backing has been scraped or eaten away and then y'all tin come across through past the back of the mirror (in other words, if you put your finger over that spot on the back of the mirror you lot would encounter your finger through the front of the glass).

Depending on the type, placement, and severity of spot, here are your options to help requite your mirror a 2d life:

Re-silver the mirror: OK, this is definitely the most involved selection to resolve the trouble. Re-silvering is basically removing the protective, silver backing of the mirror and reapplying those layers again on the back of the glass. Information technology is a more technical process (see a full tutorial here), and I retrieve the larger the mirror, the harder information technology would exist for a starting time timer.

But it is an option if your mirror's blackness spots are overwhelming and totally across whatever other repair (and actually, I recollect it looks like fun to try!).

Utilise aluminum foil: Say what?? Yep, this play a trick on works really well if yous have the kind of spots where the backing has been scraped off and you lot tin encounter through to the other side of the drinking glass.

All you need to practice is polish out small pieces of aluminum foil and tape them with clear tape to the back of the mirror.

The reflective foil is seen from the front and is much less noticeable when yous hang it back up over again. Since you probably already have record and foil on hand, this is an easy solution for a few problem spots.

Mirror-similar spray paint: This is a similar option to the aluminum foil (this is what I used) and essentially does the aforementioned thing if you take the clear spot issue.

If y'all take a bunch of small areas all over your mirror, it's probably more efficient to just spray the whole back so whatever piddling spots go covered and you don't accept to foil 20 unlike areas.

Paint a frame to muffle trouble spots: A lot of times, sometime mirrors will have the most spots around the very edge of the mirror (because that's where water got splashed or steam from a bathroom would pitter-patter backside the mirror over the years).

While you can apply the above tricks to fix or minimize damage on the edges, you can also tape off a border or design, use a few coats of spray pigment (I similar this one a lot and this one), and create a new frame that covers up the spots instead!

I've found that nearly spray paints will hold up merely fine when cleaning the mirror with glass cleaner, merely you tin ever purchase a small arts and crafts mirror and test out your paint first if you lot want to make sure it won't wipe right off during cleaning.

Run into?? That original dark surface area looks SO much better. Since moisture is what acquired the spotty harm in the first place, you lot'll want to make sure you besides protect your new mirror from further damage by using a layer of protective polyurethane on the dorsum of the mirror likewise (practice it before taping the foil or after using the mirror spray paint if you are doing those options).

While it does still accept that imperfect "vintage feel" to the glass, the makeover process made such a difference to this forgotten treasure, and I volition definitely think again before walking away from another absurd mirror find in the hereafter.

Hither's a similar mirror to mine if that's what you've been looking for, and our full length mirror guide (splurge vs. save) is here! xo. Laura

P.S. Cheque out more than cute mirrors and dwelling house decor on our wishlist and shopping pages!

How to Get Rid Of Dark Spots On Vintage Mirrors

• Resilver the mirror: OK, this is definitely the almost involved option to resolve the trouble. Resilvering is basically removing the protective, silver backing of the mirror and reapplying those layers once again on the back of the drinking glass. Information technology is a more technical process (see a full tutorial here), and I think the larger the mirror, the harder information technology would exist for a outset timer. Just it is an option if your mirror's blackness spots are overwhelming and totally beyond any other repair (and actually, I retrieve it looks similar fun to endeavor!).

• Utilize aluminum foil: Say what?? Yep, this fob works really well if y'all take the kind of spots where the backing has been scraped off and yous tin can see through to the other side of the drinking glass. All y'all demand to do is smooth out small pieces of aluminum foil and tape them with clear tape to the back of the mirror. The reflective foil is seen from the front and is much less noticeable when you lot hang it back upward over again. Since yous probably already accept tape and foil on paw, this is an easy solution for a few trouble spots.

• Mirror-like spray paint: This is a like selection to the aluminum foil (this is what I used) and substantially does the same affair if you have the clear spot issue. If you have a agglomeration of small areas all over your mirror, it's probably more efficient to just spray the whole back so whatever little spots get covered and you don't have to foil twenty dissimilar areas.

• Pigment a frame to muffle trouble spots: A lot of times sometime mirrors will accept the most spots effectually the very edge of the mirror because that'southward where h2o got splashed or steam from a bath would pitter-patter behind the mirror over the years. While you can apply the above tricks to fix or minimize damage on the edges, you can also record off a edge or design, employ a few coats of spray paint, and create a new frame that covers up the spots instead! I've institute that most spray paints volition concord up just fine when cleaning the mirror with glass cleaner, only you lot tin can always buy a pocket-sized craft mirror and examination out your pigment outset if yous desire to make sure it won't wipe right off during cleaning.

Credits // Writer and Photography: Laura Gummerman.

Source: https://abeautifulmess.com/4-soloutions-for-dark-spots-on-vintage-mirrors/

Share this post