DIY Mirror Frame

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Hello all!  A couple weekends ago Robbie and I decided to frame in our contractor-grade mirror slab in our master bathroom.  It is a huge mirror, but was very plain, with exposed clips holding it in, and just not very interesting.

I had been thinking about this project for awhile, and was surprised by how easy it ended up being-we started and finished it on a Sunday.  So here’s what we did:

We measured the mirror edges so we knew how much moulding we needed to buy.  At Lowe’s, we only had to decide which moulding we liked best.  I really wanted a different moulding on the bottom, that had a ledge to it, so I could put a starfish or something on it after we finished-sort of like a window frame.  And I knew I really wanted something decorative and large-because my mirror is so large, I felt like it needed something big enough so it wouldn't get lost.  SO, we ended up with a really cool fluted-kind of moulding around the top and sides (it was on sale too!), and a moulding with a nice ledge for the bottom of the mirror.

After we got the moulding home, I painted it with a bright white trim paint and let it dry in the sun.  The moulding came primed. :)  

While the paint was drying, we replaced 4 sets of bulky clips at the top with low-profile clips, since our plan was to glue the moulding to the mirror.  We went back and forth between gluing and nailing, but decided on gluing.

We used a general adhesive (DAP) that you put in a caulking gun (make sure it says for glass on the specifications) as well as a quick-dry/all purpose adhesive (GOOP) to hold the moulding while the first adhesive has time to dry and create a permanent bond (make sure it’s okay for glass also).

We measured the bottom of the mirror first, and cut the moulding at a 0-degree angle and applied the adhesives.  With the GOOP adhesive, you have to apply it to both surfaces you want to glue, and wait a few minutes before you join them together.  We taped the moulding up to make sure it didn’t move while it was drying.  If you need to, you can put something under the moulding, like a can of veggies or something that’s the right height, to keep it from sliding down while it’s drying.  If you give the GOOP the recommended dry time, you shouldn’t have a problem with slippage, but the weight of the moulding, humidity, etc. can affect all of that.

Next, measure your first side, and cut your moulding with the highest point of your 45-degree angle matching your measurement (so if the length you need is 30”, the highest part of your 45-degree angle will reach up to that 30” cut).  We used a compound miter saw, but you can also use a miter box.  We then measured the other side, cut at an opposite 45-degree angle, then measured the top and cut them with matching 45-degree angles.

We repeated the adhesive step, and let them dry for about 12 hours before we removed the tape.  The GOOP had a very strong smell, so it helps if you’re able to leave a window open to reduce the fumes.

Save your paint brush to touch up any small areas you find after the installation, and caulk (with a paintable mold-resistant caulk-if it’s for a bathroom) as needed.

Pretty satisfying results for a project that only takes a few hours of work and not a significant investment!

Thanks so much for visiting!