Mirrors are made of a fragile material. Glass can crack or burst from various influences, and some models even from temperature changes.
To buy a good mirror that will be a perfect replacement for the old one is not an easy task. That is why many people have a question: how to fix broken mirror, will you remove the crack completely or will you have to show your imagination and decorate it in an interesting way?
What will be needed to remove the crack on the mirror with your own hands
If the mirror is cracked, it always brings the owners into disorder. The search for a solution to the arisen problem begins. Here is just one nuance. To remove completely the crack on the glass will not work. At home with a full restoration will not help any improvised means.
Some people try to fix the situation with sanding, foil or even toothpaste, but all this will not make the crack disappear, but only disguise it for a while. For some, this will be a great way out of the situation.
It is dangerous to carry out complicated work at home, as the mirror is a rather fastidious object and likes only careful professional treatment. But you can always find a way out of any situation.
If you can not remove the crack, you can decorate it beautifully. This will not only save the mirror, but also refresh the interior. To do this, you may need a variety of materials.
The most common techniques to use for decorating a reflective surface are stencil drawings, or framing them, the method of craquelure, the application of various drawings and interesting frames. As you can see, there are really many ways and each of them is good in its own way.
What are the advantages of mirror restoration with their own hands
Not everyone immediately decides to restore the mirror with their own hands. It arises most often due to ignorance of all the advantages of the process. But the independent restoration of the mirror has a lot of positive aspects that can encourage its implementation. They include such aspects as:
- In small towns or even villages it is rare to find a craftsman who would qualitatively repair a mirror. Not everyone can restore the amalgam. It is much easier to decorate small flaws yourself than to look for a specialist restorer of this profile.
- Fixing the damage on a cracked mirror is not an inexpensive pleasure. Most often such procedure will cost more than buying 3 new mirrors. And decorating with your own hands involves spending only a minimum set, which often consists of a single stencil.
- If the crack on the wooden surface can easily be putty with wax and this does not require special skills, the restoration of glass is a completely different activity. So again, it’s much easier to seal the crack with an interesting pattern that would fit the interior. This definitely does not require special skills and knowledge, just paint and desire.
- It’s no secret that a small scratch can turn into a large chipping. Happens most often because of the transportation of the mirror to the workshop. And when the piece of interior is already delivered, it turns out that it is not restorable. It is for this reason it is better to leave the construction in its former place and take advantage of interesting ideas for independent restoration.
How to fix a crack from a mirror with your own hands
How to caulk a crack on the mirror with your own hands not everyone knows. There are several ways to fix the problem. It will require a minimum set of tools, a little time and the desire to bring the mirror in the proper appearance.
How to remove with stencils
Stencils are a universal thing, which saves in different situations and a crack on the glass is no exception. There are many variations of stencils and they are suitable for every interior. To bring the idea to life it is necessary to purchase brushes of a suitable size, acrylic paints, a simple pencil, an ordinary sponge, masking tape, acetone (you can remove varnish) and, of course, a patterned stencil.
You can use this method as follows:
- Prepare the workplace. It is necessary to lay out in front of you all the tools and materials at once, so as not to be distracted for the missing ones. Everything should be located comfortably, so that the work does not cause discomfort.
- It is more convenient to use ready-made stencils, bought in a store. If desired, you can make them yourself. For this you will need a drawing of your choice and heavy cardboard that won’t let the paint pass through.
- Before applying paint to the surface of the mirror, they are checked for color matching. It often happens that the shade in the jar is very different from the applied stroke. This can be done on any piece of paper.
- The stencil is attached with painter’s tape to the selected area. If the drawing implies the presence of several colors. For accurate execution, they are sealed with scotch tape to prevent the other paint from getting in. Only the place that will be painted first is left without adhesive tape.
- Paint can be applied in two ways: with a brush or sponge. Many craftsmen who have already done this kind of work note that it is much more convenient and faster to do it with a sponge. After applying all the colors, it is necessary to correct the contour. To do this, a thin brush is used.
Stencils
As you may have already noticed, the method with stencils is quite simple and effective. Under a layer of paint, cracks and even small chips will become less noticeable. The advantage of this method is that stencils can be different, starting with flowers and ending with cartoon characters. Special drawing skills will not be required, because the task will only be to paint an already finished picture.
This is one of the most effective and inexpensive ways. An indisputable advantage is that the drawings can be changed whenever you want. They are easily erased by using acetone.
Crackelure
Crackelure is one of the most popular and beautiful ways. In addition to mirrors, it is also used to age furniture. The method is suitable for those who are not afraid to add more cracks to the mirror surface, only already artificial.
The technique of craquelure is to give the mirror texture in the form of small irregularities. So you can not only hide the resulting flaw, but also add to the interior an independent item, which gives it its own character and sophistication.
This is done with the help of crakelure varnish and acrylic paint. By color, the paint must be in good harmony with the wall or mirror frame. Although the technique does not involve complex machinations, it still requires caution in the performance of all actions.
On the mirrored surface, the first layer of the selected paint is applied. It must dry completely. Only after that, the second layer is applied crakelure varnish. The two components will begin to interact, forming artificial cracks. The mirror is not damaged in any way. It looks very beautiful, as the mirror surface will peek out through the new irregularities, reflecting the light.
Eliminating a crack with the help of a pattern
The method with a drawing is almost identical to the method with a stencil. Only here it is already necessary to think out the plot of the picture yourself and draw it.
Everything is depicted on the mirrors. It can be trees, birds, flowers or simple geometric patterns. If before we used acrylic paints, now we will need stained glass ones. They are made specifically for painting mirror surfaces.
Frame
If a crack appeared on the side, it can be originally covered with the help of a frame. It can be anything. There are no restrictions in this form of decoration. The main thing is to start from the possibilities of the mirror surface. It is better to refrain from decorating with large massive objects. And they will not look very beautiful on a light reflecting surface.
Such materials as buttons, beads, shells, decorative stones, clothespins, textured rope threads and even old coins are often used. The pattern is built in such a way as to cover all the defects. For attachment, it is better to choose a reliable glue.
How to remove scratches from the mirror
In addition to decorative designs, you can also use the good old traditional methods of getting rid of cracks. True, as already mentioned, they too will not remove it completely, but only disguise it.
You can use toothpaste and a flannel cloth. The product is carefully rubbed into a shallow scratch. Then it dries and polishes. And for deeper cracks, colorless silicone sealant or foil is suitable.
Beautiful ways to decorate a mirror
A beautiful decoration of the mirror will not only cover the cracks, but also interestingly complement the interior. For this, you can use any means and materials. Often you can find ways to decorate with shells. They look beautiful next to the mirror surface and give it a special mood.
In addition to seashells can be used and corks from wine bottles. They are also placed on the mirror in any order, creating beautiful patterns. If you want to add a little depth to the mirror surface, the corks are attached in their original form without cutting. Beautiful in all interiors looks mirror framed with hemp rope.
Rules of care for the mirror
The rules of care for the mirror must necessarily be followed. Otherwise, there is a risk of reappearance of various cracks and chips. It is important to observe the following rules:
- The mirror surface does not like humidity.
- It is better not to place mirrors under the direct rays of the sun.
- Mirrors can be wiped only with soft, lint-free cloths (it is better to buy specialized, so there will be less risk of scratches).
- There is a thin layer of silver on the mirror, so the surface should never be wiped with agents that are designed to clean glass. They contain ammonia alcohol, which harms the surface.
After familiarizing yourself with all the possible ways to decorate a mirror, everyone can easily fix a crack in the mirror with their own hands.