How and how to cut a mirror at home

Sometimes, when it is not possible to take the mirror to the workshop in order to cut the desired size and shape, such a manipulation can be carried out at home.

But, for its successful completion, it is necessary to know the basic technological steps of glass cutting, with what tools it can be done, and also not to forget about the precautions.

Precautions and safety precautions

Before cutting off the mirror, you need to understand that this type of activity carries a potential threat to the performer.

Therefore, in order to protect yourself from unforeseen industrial injuries, it is important to adhere to the following safety measures:

• Always wear protective goggles and gloves. Eye protection is required, since small fragments that can accidentally fall on the mucous membrane will subsequently cause irreparable damage to the organ of vision.
• Prepare a special box in which the production scraps will be stored. It is imperative to do this to prevent small pieces of glass from getting on or cutting your clothes.
• The surface on which all manipulations will be carried out must be extremely flat and large in area. Also, all the tools and materials at hand should be nearby.
• After you have cut glass or a mirror at home, you need to wipe the work surface and the floor around it with a damp cloth. This manipulation must also be performed with all precautions. Otherwise, you can drive small fragments under the skin, which will be quite problematic to get rid of later.

Necessary tools and materials for cutting glass at home

To know how to cut a mirror correctly, you need to understand not only technological actions, but also what tools it will be carried out.

Here is a list of everything you need:

• High quality diamond glass cutter. It is he who will allow not only to quickly and accurately cut ordinary glass, but also to cope with tempered glass.
• If it is decided to use a grinder for manipulation, then it must be equipped with a diamond-coated disc. But, it is worth remembering that in this case there is a high probability of crumbling the material.
• You also need a large area and always flat surface. The main condition is full adherence of the glass over the entire area to the table. In this case, cracking is easily avoided.
• You will also need a hammer and pliers.
• For marking, you need to take a long ruler and a square. You will also need a marker for marking.
• If it is necessary to carry out curly cutting of the mirror, then you will also additionally need - already made patterns (they can be made of thick cardboard or plywood), as well as a knife for shoemaking or a jigsaw.

Important! If you need to cut tempered glass at home, it is best to do the work on a machine that is equipped with a diamond-coated wheel. In this case, the crumbling process of the heavy-duty mirror or glass can be avoided.

Rules for using a glass cutter

So, how to cut a mirror at home is not so easy, especially without skills, you need to know exactly how to use a glass cutter correctly.

• First you need to check the tool - it should not be loose and the wheel should rotate smoothly. This is a prerequisite for round glass cutters.
• If you need to cut off the mirror with a diamond glass cutter, you need to make sure that the stone is fixed securely enough and at the correct angle.
• The pressure should be even and smooth. Even a slight deviation from the constant pressing force and the mirror surface will crack.
• When carrying out manipulations, it is necessary to listen to the sounds that the instrument makes. There should be no squeaks. If, nevertheless, sounds appeared, this means that the glass cutter has already become dull.

Additional Information! If the incision is made with a deviation from the established line, you should not try to fix the marriage. You just need to step back a few millimeters in the desired direction and repeat the cut line. This is a prerequisite for both rectilinear and curly ways of cutting out mirrors and glass.

Mirror surface preparation

It is important to understand that before you start manipulating a mirror or glass, it must be wiped in order to remove all dirt and dust from the surface. But, it is better to do this with baking soda, as it helps better cleanse. If the soda is powerless against any stains, then you can apply alcohol.

It is also allowed to use a special liquid for glass. It does not matter which cleaning liquid was used, after that, wipe the surface dry on both sides with a cloth that has a good level of hygroscopicity. Only it will allow you to collect all the remaining moisture.

Glass cutting technology principle

Here's how to properly cut a mirror with a glass cutter at home:

• First you need to prepare the mirror surface and tools.
• After that, mark up with a ruler and marker. For the curly version, use special patterns.
• Then carefully draw a line with a glass cutter, observing the constancy of pressing.
• Then very gently tap with a hammer, through several layers of fabric, the edge of the mirror, which will need to be removed. Before this, it is previously slightly suspended from the edge of the table, without fail supporting it so that the mirror or glass does not fall to the floor.
• After that, the work is carried out at a break. That is, they are trying, by applying minor efforts, to break off an unnecessary piece from the base. Then wipe the cut edge with a damp cloth, which was previously folded in several layers. This is done in order to remove small glass particles.

Is it possible to cut glass without a glass cutter at home

Not everyone knows that ordinary glass can be cut using the most familiar scissors. The main conditions in this case are sharp - sharpening of the cutting edge. In this case, it is necessary to place all the glass in a sufficiently large container so that it is covered with water.

It is the liquid that prevents the appearance of chips and cracks. Then, carefully with scissors, begin to cut off small pieces, achieving the desired shape and size.

Note! This type of mirror processing is suitable only if its thickness does not exceed the 4 mm mark and it is necessary to perform curly cutting. Most likely, you will not be able to cut a straight line in this case.

You can use another method. For example, take a file with a rectangular or triangular cutting edge.

The technology of actions in this case is as follows - cuts are made with the edge of the file on both sides. Then the main line is scratched and breaking off is carried out. But in order to realize this option, you need the skill of working with materials such as glass and mirror.

You can also try using a winder drill. Holes are made here in several places. They all lie on the cut line. After that, a thin line is scratched between them and tapping, and breaking off the unnecessary part is eliminated.

Important! If the work is carried out with a drill, then it must be turned in such a way that only an acute angle enters the glass. Otherwise, the mirror will crack.

Considering all these features, it is quite easy to trim or curly cut out a mirror at home.

Video: cutting a mirror with a glass cutter