How to Make a Mirror: The Ultimate Guide?

Mirrors are made by heating materials in a furnace, cooling them quickly with water, and then shaping them into the desired form before they can cool down too much. Any type of glass or metal can be used to make mirrors, but glass mirrors are more common because of their clarity. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about making mirrors, so read on if you’re ready to learn more!

Safety First

When you’re making a mirror, you must work with materials and tools that are safe. You don’t want to expose yourself or others around you to toxic chemicals or dust, for example. Always protect your eyes and wear respiratory protection when cutting glass. Glass is one of those mediums that will cut you if it has any sharp edges left, so be mindful of how smooth your cuts are as well. It’s also good practice not to smoke when working with glass as ash can get into crevices and mar your finished project.

Materials

There are alternative methods for making mirrors but for now, we’ll focus on using glass. One of the first steps in making a mirror is to grind off any residue from previous manufacturing. We can do that with sandpaper or more abrasive materials like emery paper or steel wool. Next, we need to measure our piece of glass; before you begin cutting, though, it’s important to think about how big you want your finished mirror. Once you have your measurements, cut them as evenly as possible with a glass cutter and break away any jagged edges with small files and sandpaper if necessary. Now it’s time for polishing!

Layout

Working with glass is no joke, so follow these steps and you should be just fine. But before we go further, it’s best to learn about safety first. There are two ways of cutting glass. Either use a small saw blade or diamond bit or use a wet saw for more intricate cuts. Using either tool will require eye protection, ear protection and gloves. Work in an open area where there is plenty of ventilation and never wear jewelry while working with glass—yes, even rings! They can get caught on sharp edges if your hands slip while handling them and they can shatter into pieces that could hit you or others around you.

Cutting Glass

Finding glass of appropriate size can be difficult—they come in large sheets that are far too big for your needs. If you can’t find a glass company that cuts it down for you, consider using acrylic instead. Acrylic is easy to cut and won’t warp when exposed to heat or cold; it may not have quite as much shine as glass, but oftentimes, people don’t notice unless they look very closely. A sheet of 1/4 inch thick acrylic is strong enough for mirror-making purposes and only costs about $10.

Drilling Holes

One of the first steps in making a mirror is figuring out how to drill holes into the glass. To do that, you’ll need a special drilling machine and some diamond-coated bits. If you don’t already have these materials, now would be a good time to purchase them. You can find these at hardware stores and online retailers like Amazon. Once you have your drilling equipment and your mirror frame, it’s time to start building!

Nailing Down Corners

If you’re making your mirror from scratch, chances are you’ll be using glass for it. To attach that glass properly, start by covering your frame in plywood. Lay out four pieces of plywood so they cover each side of your frame, leaving two inches at each end and four inches at each corner. Screw them down (drill pilot holes first if you’re working with hardwoods) and then sand them as smooth as possible before moving on to attaching your mirror-to-be.

Preparing Frame

Gather your frame pieces and find a level surface to work on. Using your pencil, mark one of your pieces of lumber at each corner and four more evenly spaced along both sides for an L shape. This is where you’ll drill holes for mounting your frame. Place two layers of wood in front of you so that they run perpendicular (at 90 degrees) with one another and use your hammer and nails to secure them together as tightly as possible. For best results, you should use galvanized nails, which are stronger than stainless steel nails.

Applying Polyurethane

With your glass firmly clamped into place, now it’s time to give it an application of polyurethane. This is kind of fun because you get a chance to see your design in full scale! Apply generous amounts of polyurethane, as shown in Figures 3-9. While you’re doing that, be sure not to drip any of it onto your counter or yourself (ask me how I know...). You might want to wear some gloves so you don’t end up with sticky fingers and polyurethane hands. Let it dry for at least 24 hours.