How to age a mirror with your own hands?

Recently, in the process of interior decoration of residential premises, aging mirrors have become especially popular. The presence of such a decorative element in the house gives the room a unique elegance and sophisticated charm. A photo of a loved one or another desired image can be entered in the mirror. From these mirrors you can create a beautiful picture or an exclusive panel in Retro style.

There are ready-made “aged” mirrors on sale. They are manufactured at the factory using sophisticated technologies, using toxic chemicals and expensive non-ferrous metals (copper, silver, gold). As a rule, such products are very expensive, so not everyone can afford to purchase them. But we will tell fans and admirers of antiques how to age a mirror with their own hands.

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We make a mirror at home

Getting to the task, you should decide on the size of the mirror, come up with a picture or ornament on the mirror, as well as in what color and material the whole process of work will be performed.

Important! When working with chemicals, safety precautions must be kept in mind. A protective mask, rubber gloves and goggles should be prepared to reliably protect your lungs, hands and eyes from the negative effects of chemicals.

Materials for work

So, for work we need the following:

• Mirror.
• Hydrochloric acid.
• Spray paint gold color.
• Paint remover spray.
• Paper towels.
• Plastic spatula.
• Spray bottle.
• Cotton rags.
• Funnel.
• Gloves, masks, glasses for working with chemicals.

Important! The room in which you are going to age the mirror with your own hands should be well ventilated, and it is better to do this outdoors.

Let's get to work:

• Prepare the desktop, cover it with newspapers to protect the surface of the countertop.
• Wear protective equipment (mask, goggles, gloves).
• Remove the mirror from the frame.
• Coat the back of the mirror with a paint remover.
• Remove the mirror coating with a plastic spatula, being careful not to damage the mirror.

Important! If the paint does not fit well, then spray again and wait, and after some time continue to work.

• Wipe a damp surface with a cloth.
• Clean the surface with a dry cloth so that the surface is clean and dry.
• Extremely carefully pour hydrochloric acid into the bottle through the funnel.
• Sprinkle a mirror surface on the hydrochloric acid bottle.
• To achieve a more realistic effect, pay special attention to the edges of the mirror.
• Wipe off excess acid with a cloth and wipe the surface with a damp cloth.
• Top with a gold paint, which will help give the mirror a spectacular look and protect it from further disappearance of the mirror coating.

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We make frame

There are many ways to age a frame.

Materials for work

To solve this problem you will need:

• Paraffin or wax candle.
• Potal.
• Craquelure varnish.
• Acrylic paint.

Getting started:

1. Paint the top of the frame with dark acrylic paint.
2. After the frame dries, rub its convex places with a candle.
3. Apply a coat of gray-blue paint, remove excess paint on convex places with a soft cloth.
4. Wipe off the paraffin.
5. The convex parts should look brighter than in the recesses of the frame.

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Stock footage

If you show imagination, ingenuity and skill, then everyone will be able to age a mirror at home. And as a result, you will get a wonderful element of the interior - a beautiful aged mirror made with your own hands.