Framed Mirror Tutorial

I'm FINALLY posting a tutorial for a framed mirror, like the one the doc made me last Christmas

**before starting, measure your mirror and figure out what length of wood you'll need. You want to add a few inches to the length and width of your mirror!!! 

 

0. Buy or acquire a mirror. Our good friends re-did their kids bathroom and were getting rid of the huge wall mirror

 

1. Go to your local lumber store and pick up wood. We prefer the 2x6 because we like the thicker look. We also usually end up getting 3 pieces and cutting the third in half (remember to do this prior to step 4)

2. Admire your hunk of a husband looking like a carpenter 

3. Gather supplies: 

- wood

- 8 flat corner brackets (to save money we only got 4 of the bigger ones and 4 smaller ones.)

- wood screws

- mirror clamps (I call them clam shell clamps)

- small can of polyurethane

- paint brush

- small can of stain (we LOVE Rust-oleum's color "Kona")

- gloves

- rags

 

We were lucky to have nice friends let us use their garage and skill saw:

4. Draw 45 degree angles on both ends of each piece of wood - make sure the angles slant away from each other (example \_____/  not \______\  or /____/ ) (you should have the two tall sides and the shorter top and bottom - make sure your measurements match from long point to long point!)


 

5. Cut your 45 degree angles - make sure the angles fit together

6. Sand each piece of wood (optional but a good idea if you bought the cheap wood like we did)

7. Use an air compressor, hair blow drier, leaf blower - whatever you've got - to blow off all the sanded debris

 

8. Arrange your frame - & let a cute two year old make sure it looks alright 

 



9. Attach the bigger flat corner brackets to the outermost corners

10. Attach the smaller brackets near the inner corners of the frame

 

11. Yay - stand it up and make sure it feels semi-sturdy. Don't worry if it wobbles a little bit - when you attach the mirror it shouldn't wobble.

 

 

12. Put on your gloves and gather your rags (this is my favorite part). We use pieces of an old t-shirt to apply stain.

...optional second coat of stain

 

13. [Take a lunch break and let the stain dry.] Use a soft bristle paint brush to apply a coat (or two) of polyurethane

14. Several hours later, place your mirror on the back of the frame and attach using the "clam shell brackets"

 

Voila! Please excuse the crappy image quality - iPhone pics.

 The one the doc made me last Christmas is now in our guest room