Like all good resale shop outings, I came across an item I didn’t even know I needed. But it was love at first sight!
I found this cute bamboo mirror. It was a really heavy piece. When I checked out the back, it clearly needed some help. The bamboo was in great shape, just a bit dingy and dusty. The mirror itself had some age stains that I particularly loved. The price for the mirror was $50. I snatched it up because I immediately knew the perfect place for it. How to fix it was something I needed to research a little more.
Materials Needed:
- linseed oil
- brush
- coffee can (something to pour linseed oil in)
- paper towels
- brown wall panel
- nails (leftover from original frame)
- 2 bags of metal screws
- glass cleaner
- newspaper or wipes
- Gorilla Glue Heavy Duty
- caulk rod
- old towels or cushioned blanket
- work gloves
Tools Needed:
- hammer
- clamps
- utility knife, circular saw, or miter saw to cut hardboard panel
- speed square
- drill or screwdriver
Step 1: Detach mirror from frame
I laid out some old bath towels on the garage floor and carefully flipped the mirror face down. I used my hammer to lightly lift up the corner pieces. This was really easy to do because the corner pieces holding the mirror in place were falling apart. The bamboo layer came off very easily after the corner pieces were removed.
Step 2: Bamboo frame layer
I knew I wanted to preserve the natural color of the bamboo for the mirror. I had already painted some rattan end tables for the same room. I liked the idea of having a some natural color mixed in.
I used my hammer to carefully remove all nails from the back of the bamboo frame layer. Then, I wiped the bamboo frame layer with a paper towel to remove all the dust. Next, I placed the bamboo frame layer on newspaper. I poured some linseed oil in a coffee can. While using a brush applied the linseed oil on the bamboo frame layer. I applied two layers on the linseed oil with some dry time in between.
In between linseed coats, I cleaned up the mirror with some glass cleaner.
The linseed oil gave the bamboo frame layer a nice sheen and brightened up the natural color. I wiped down the bamboo frame layer with a microfiber cloth to absorb any leftover oil.
Step 3: Secure wood and mirror
The mirror was glued to a piece of wood. My goal was to salvage the wood and reattach it to the mirror with liquid nails so it was secure and sturdy. The wood was partially connected to the mirror when I bought it. I could envision multiple horrific incidences with the mirror not fully attached. I was able to pull apart the wood from the mirror successfully without breaking it, which was a tad more nerve wracking than I thought. I scraped off the glue previously used on the back of the mirror. I used Gorilla Glue-heavy duty glue to adhere the wood to the back of the mirror. I clamped all around the edges of the mirror and wood panel. I allowed this to sit overnight.
Step 4: Corner panel board pieces
I used my speed square to measure new corner pieces for the mirror. This couldn’t have been easier. I used my miter saw to cut out the pieces, but I think you could easily use a sharp utility knife for this step. I attached each corner with the Gorilla Glue. I was unable to use clamps on this part because I didn’t want to damage the bamboo frame layer. I carefully set extra wood pieces on top of the corners. I used metal screws #4 x 3/4 inch to attach the corners to the bamboo frame layer. I used some leftover nails from the original frame for additional support.
Step 5 and 6: Clean up the mirror and place in its new home!
I have always used newspaper to clean glass or windows. I worked at a bed and breakfast one summer in college in San Marcos with one of my best friends Ali. I learned this trick from them, along with a few others I’ll share at another time. Thomas, my husband, enjoys a paper copy of the newspaper so we always have an abundance of newspaper laying around. Spray some glass cleaner and make that mirror sparkle!
I decided above the fireplace would be a perfect place for the mirror. I still have the fireplace mantle on my to do list. I think its the perfect spot!
I know this mirror is more unique and the chances that you’ll find the exact same one is probably pretty rare. But I hope this encourages you to pick up something you love that might not be in the best shape, but with a little TLC it’ll be perfect! This didn’t have a huge transformation on the overall appearance of the mirror, but I hope the steps I took tweaking the mirror back will assist you when fixing the back of an art piece or mirror that you might find at a secondhand shop! Now I’m in the mood to go thrifting….again!
Hey Allie!
It’s your cousin Nici from Monroe, LA!
What you are doing is so great! I’m constantly organizing and I love to see what other people are doing!!
Hope all is well and tell everyone hello!
💜😊
Hey Nici! Thanks for stopping by to check out the blog! I really appreciate all the kind words. I’m working on the pantry next so hopefully you’ll get some good ideas! Hope we can do a big meeting soon; it’s been too long. I’ll be sure to tell everyone hello and please do the same for us!