DIY: Distressed Wood Framed Mirror 

Here’s my DIY guide to reframing a mirror and creating your very own distressed wood mirror frame.

I had another urge to redecorate – and David wasn’t there to stop me… 

All focus turned to reworking our master bathroom. After a few years, I decided that a lighter, brighter paint and some decor updates would be an easy fix.

After re-painting the walls, I realized that the standard construction-grade wall mirror needed to go. My wise father talked me out of ripping it off the wall which would have created a patch & paint nightmare. It was clear that I needed to work with what I had. Then my wise mother, who is an artist and expert picture framer said – why don’t you just frame the mirror? Brilliant.

Pro-tip: Try to avoid buying your wood boards at the Home Depot – as the enormous stack of boards will often be warped, and then a nightmare to adhere to a mirror if not perfectly flat and even. Instead, try to find a local wood mill or local hardware store that will help you find great lumber. You can even ask them to cut the wood angles for you!

Materials:

• 1″ x 4″ pine boards (cut to your specific mirror dimensions)
• Sand paper (fine and course)
• Adhesive (Gorilla Construction Adhesive)
• White paint wash (Golden Acrylic “Titanium White”)
• Wood stain (Varathane in “Ash”)
• Polycrylic Clear Satin Finish (Minwax)
• Paint Brush – 2.5 inches wide

 

Directions:

Measure & Prepare the Wood

1. Measure the height and width of your mirror, as accurately as possible.
2. Calculate how many inches of board you will need for the top and bottom frame peces and then right and left pieces.
3. Purchase your lumber, in the appropriate lengths needed for the frame. I chose pine because of the lighter color and nice wood grain detail.
4. Ask the store to help you cut the 45 degree angles, or enlist the help of your partner, neighbor or friend to help cut the wood if they have a saw.
5. At home, make sure your cut wood pieces work with the dimensions of your mirror. I would mark the wood pieces with pencil: top, bottom, left, and right to make sure they don’t get mixed up while attaching it to the mirror.
6. Clean the mirror with glass cleaner and a clean cloth.
7. In a well ventilated area, lay out the 4 pieces of wood (cut to size) on a covered table or saw horses.
8. Using a piece of fine sand paper, smoothly sand all edges of the wood pieces.

 

Stain & Paint the Frame

 

1. To get the distressed wood look, I experimented with a few techniques, but decided on the method of staining the wood first, and then using a white paint wash after.
2. With the brush, apply the stain according to the label instructions. Wipe the stain and let sit for a few minutes. I would recommend applying a light stain first, and then going back with a second coat if desired.
3. Once the stain is set, use the fine sand paper and lightly sand some small random batches of the board. Be careful not to sand large sections of the stain off.
4. Mix 1 part paint with 1 part water in a small bowl. After cleaning the brush, paint the wash lightly over the wood. If you feel like an area is now too white, take a damp paper towel and gently pull away the white paint. Pro tip> If you do not have acrylic paint, you can use leftover white latex house paint to avoid purchasing additional cans. 
5. Let the paint and stain set for about 15 mins. Clean the brush and then apply a thin layer of the satin finish to all sides of the board. If desired, apply a second coat according to the directions.

 

 

Adhere the Frame to the Mirror

1. Once the boards are completely dry, flip the boards over to the unfinished side.
2. Taking the bottom frame piece first, apply the adhesive in a zig-zag pattern from top to bottom, but be careful not to get the glue close to the edges of the wood.
3. Adhere the bottom wood piece directly to mirror, and hold in place according to the manufacture suggested length of time.
4. Once the bottom is secure, repeat the adhesive step to the left and right boards, and follow the same step of attaching to the glass. You’ll want to move quickly to get the bottom and side pieces in place so that the glue is still malleable when the top piece goes in.
5. Attach the top wood piece last so that you can be sure that the angles align properly. You may have to shimmy the side pieces a bit to make all the corners align.
6. Let the adhesive set for 24-48 hours before handling.

 

 

Enjoy your new framed mirror and leave a comment if you have any questions!

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