Hey there! I just put together this mirror in about an hour and it only cost me $15!
I love the simplicity to it! Here’s how you can make your own:)
DIY Mirror
I purchased this Mainstay door mirror from Wal-Mart for $5. I had to do a little demolition on the cheap, plastic trim that was glued to it.
I started by ripping off the paper backing.
I then used a utility knife to cut the glue (it seemed to be close to a hot glue consistency). Make sure that you cut where the glue and the trim meet.
Now this is the part that is very important. The trim will come off very easily and without cracking the mirror if you pull it away from the mirror. Do NOT try to bend it away from the mirror from front to back. Just pull it away.
After I removed the trim I cleaned the mirror with a little Windex:)
Now for the frame:
If you have never owned a saw, this is the perfect tool for you to purchase!
It will make this project so easy and it is the perfect starter saw if you are interested in building!
I purchased 2 1×4 white wood boards and cut down 4 pieces with 45 degree angles at each end to build the frame.
2 @ 48″ (long point to long point)
2 @ 1 7 1/4″ (long point to long point)
This was the fun part for me because it was soooo easy:) I flipped the boards over so that the bad sides were showing and glued the frame together with Gorilla Glue wood glue. To keep them together while the dried, I used my staple gun (purchased years ago at Hobby Lobby). It worked like a charm!
After the glue was dry, I flipped the frame over and stained it with Rust-Oleum dark walnut stain. I let one coat sit for about 10 minutes!
For the final step, I attached the mirror to the back of the frame with Liquid Nails (I applied the liquid nails to the back of the frame (edges closest to the middle) and laid the mirror on top of it). A little goes a long way.
I decided to prop it up next to my Pottery Barn Inspired Media Console🙂
I just love easy and cheap projects! $15 and 1 hour for a decorative mirror is a steal:) And the versatility is endless! I would love one hanging on a wall in my house or even over my mantle!
If you love this I would LOVE your pins;)
Thank you:)
Also, be sure to keep up with the Shanty Sisters on Facebook!
Ashley
Thanks for sharing this idea! I made one for my son’s playroom. Shared on my blog here with a link back to your post.
This is awesome. I purchased a very big mirror yesterday at a going out of business sale for 5$ and wanted to make a frame for it. Thanks for the tutorial!
I fell in love with mirror. the fact it adds just the right touch and can be used in any room is great! My husband and I completed this project together with the new Kreg Jig that my sweet husband bought me for Valentine’s Day!! So in love that that thing! i’d say our first project went great! 🙂 thanks for the great idea!
Can’t wait to try this for my daughters new apartment. She wanted a mirror for her room
Brills! It’s my Craft of the Week, and when I make mine, I’ll link to you then, too. http://homemademodern.blogspot.com/2013/02/craft-of-week-huge-leaning-mirror.html
Thanks ever so much for this inspiring post!
Thanks Valerie! Loved your post!! So cute and can’t wait to see your version:)
Sent from my iPad
My spouse and I attempted to do this and the frame turned out great, but we had trouble getting the cheapo frame/backing off the mirror and broke two in the process. I have another mirror but havn’t touched it in fear of breaking another. Every store we tried seems to have mirrors will backs/frames that are impossible to get off? Any advice on this.
I love the mirror and the vase in front of it. Does anyone know where I can get the vase and what the price is? Thanks!
I’ve been looking for ideas for my cheap mirror. This is awesome!
I just found two realllly ugly mirrors at the Salvation Army! I can’t wait to update them!
This is the first DIY wood project I have ever done! Thank you for your great site! I look forward to doing more projects from your site. 🙂
What is this tool you used to create the 45 degree angles?
That’s a Mitre Box. I had to look it up because it looks like the perfect tool for this project!
I used acetone to get the glue off the plastic on my third mirror, so much easier.
Good to know! Thank you Catherine:)
where did you get your awesome vase thing that is in front of the mirror?
I’m working on my mirror right now – the stain is soaking in as I type. I did have one problem though. My mirror from Walmart was 49″ long. I hadn’t bothered to look at the measurements and cut the wood to the lengths you’d listed, assuming that I had the same mirror as you did because mine was also from Walmart, was $5 (well, $5.99 or something like that), and looked the same as the one in the picture. It only cost an extra $5 to buy more wood and I’m sure I’ll use the original cuts for something else, but it was a good lesson in double checking to make sure that the measurements listed for a project are accurate for your materials.
Thanks for sharing though. I’m so excited to see my finished product!
I had the same thing happen to me. Very annoying to get wood cut and realize you can’t use it.
I suggest adding a warning to the post telling people to measure their own mirror.
I would think measuring your own mirror would be common sense..
my thought is that you could have bought a glass cutting tool and learned how to cut off an inch AND gained a new tool!
This is so great…next project on my list. Can’t wait to try it! Thanks for sharing!!
did you put anythiing on the back of it so the mirror wouldn’t break?