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Trash To Treasure

How do I refinish a framed mirror?

17 years ago

Hi everyone,

I just bought a framed mirror from a garage sale, and I'm hoping you can help me! I want to refinish the frame (because the paint is chipped and dinged up),but am not sure how to do it. What's the best way to refinish a frame? (mirror is about 2 feet by 3 feet) Should I paint or can I stain? The original color of the paint is gold (looks metallic, not flat) Would love suggestions!!!

Thanks,

Joanna

Comments (4)

haziemoon
17 years ago
My first suggestion is to take the mirror out, if you want to sand. I did a couple without removing the mirror, and damaged the mirror
during sanding. If you want to stain it you have to sand it down or use a paint remover. That is alot of work. I'd paint several coats of the paint you want on it, or use a
primer, then paint. On something that small,if you don't have primer already...it's just chaeaper to do several coats of the paint you want to use.

Haziemoon
mojojojogrlnj
17 years ago
oh I would keep the paint and get some water based dark stain and antique it.....just brush on stain and wipe off for that distressed look....(just me love the shabby look)
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There are others with more experience with this than me, but I would think that you would kind of "dry" paint it. Load your brush and then dab some of it off before pouncing small amounts onto the frame. I have even used wadded up paper towels with very little amounts of paint on it, almost dry, to dab on paint. I would get one of those small bottles of craft paint at JoAnns or Hobby Lobby and experiment. If you dab some on and don't like it, you could probably wipe it off. I have also used a product called Treasure Gold by Plaid Enterprises that really worked for me and was easy. I actually just remembered this after I had typed all of the above. I used it in kind of a pewter to go over a gold mirror. I used my fingers to put it on sparingly and then wiped over it with a paper towel. It was fast and easy and only cost a few dollars. Hope I am not confusing you, and I also hope others chime in with some suggestions for you.
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joanna427
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks for both of your input! Does it matter what type of sand paper I use? (course or fine?) I'm thinking of sanding, repainting it with the original color (do I use acrylic paint or spray paint?) and then possibly antiquing it like suggested...Is there a certain type of stain I have to use for distressing it? And wipe off with a cloth? Also, should I seal it once it's done?
Thanks!
Joanna
mojojojogrlnj
17 years ago
the type of sand paper you will use depends on what your trying to achieve....if you just want to file the dings chips out...(which if you going to distress I would leave them lol) you would use 150 grain....then a 200 grain to smooth....but if you are going to antique it....I would go buy the black antique kit you can buy at walmart for 10.00....it has everything you need....gold spray paint and black Water based stain....sand paper and paint brush...first you spray with gold let dry....sand it where you want more distress...(corners inside close to mirror etc) then paint on stain and wipe off....just keep adding more stain til you get the look you want....if you want to do it yourself with your own look or color....spray paint it the best way to go...you get a nice even finish and no brush marks...anyway good luck and post a pic when your done:) oh and here is a photo of my ivory distressed window I painted....I just love the look

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