How and how to properly repair a crack in the mirror with your own hands

Mirrors are made from a fragile material. Glass can crack or burst from various influences, and some models even from temperature extremes.

Buying a good mirror that will be the perfect replacement for your old one is not an easy task. Therefore, many people have a question: how to remove a crack in the mirror, will it be possible to get rid of it completely or will have to show imagination and decorate it in an interesting way.

What is needed in order to remove a crack on the mirror with your own hands

If the mirror cracks, it always frustrates the owners. The search for a solution to the problem that has arisen begins. There is just one caveat. It will not be possible to completely remove the crack on the glass. At home, with a complete restoration, no means at hand will help.

Some people try to fix the situation with sanding, foil or even toothpaste, but all this will not make the crack disappear, but only mask it for a while. For some, this will be an excellent way out of this situation.

It is dangerous to carry out complex work at home, since a mirror is a rather whimsical object and loves only careful professional handling. But you can always find a way out of any situation.

If you cannot remove the crack, you can decorate it beautifully. This will not only save the mirror, but also refresh the interior. This may require a variety of materials.

The most common techniques for decorating a reflective surface are stencils, or their framing, craquelure, various patterns 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 DIY mirror restoration

Not everyone immediately decides to restore the mirror with their own hands. This occurs most often due to ignorance of all the advantages of this process. But self-restoration of a mirror has a lot of positive aspects that can push you towards its implementation. These include aspects such as:

• In small towns, and even villages, it is rare to find a master who would qualitatively repair a mirror. Not everyone can restore the amalgam. It is much easier to decorate small flaws on your own than to look for a specialist restorer of such a profile.
• Repairing damage on a cracked mirror is not cheap. Most often, this procedure will cost more than buying 3 new mirrors. And decorating with your own hands involves only the cost of a minimum set, which often consists of one stencil.
• If a crack on a wooden surface can be easily covered with wax and this does not require special skills, then restoring glass is a completely different business. Therefore, again, it is much easier to close the crack with an interesting pattern that would fit the interior. This will definitely not require special skills and knowledge, enough paint and desire.
• It's no secret that a small scratch can turn into a large spall. This happens most often due to the transportation of the mirror to the workshop. And when the piece of furniture has already been delivered, it turns out that it cannot be restored. It is for this reason that it is better to leave the structure in the same place and take advantage of interesting ideas for self-restoration.

How to repair a crack from a mirror with your own hands

Not everyone knows how to repair a crack in a mirror with their own hands. There are several ways to fix the problem. This will require a minimum set of tools, a little time and the desire to bring the mirror into proper form.

Important! Since the methods involve the use of decor, it is necessary to choose the right one for your interior.

How to clean with stencils

Stencils are a versatile thing that saves in different situations and a crack in the glass is no exception. There are many variations of stencils and they are suitable for every interior. To bring the idea to life, you need to purchase brushes of a suitable size, acrylic paints, a simple pencil, an ordinary sponge, masking tape, acetone (you can use nail polish remover) and, of course, a patterned stencil.

You can use this method as follows:

1. Preparation of the workplace. It is necessary to lay out all the tools and materials in front of you at once, so as not to be distracted by the missing ones. Everything should be conveniently located so that the work does not cause discomfort.
2. It is more convenient to use stencils that are already purchased in a store. If you wish, you can make them yourself. To do this, you will need a selected pattern and thick cardboard that will not let paint pass through itself.
3. Before applying paints 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 smear. This can be done on any piece of paper.
4. The stencil is attached with masking tape to the selected area. If the drawing suggests the presence of several colors. Then, for accuracy of execution, they are sealed with tape to prevent other paint from getting into. Without scotch tape, only the place that will be signed first remains.
5. You can apply paint in two ways: with a brush or a sponge. Many craftsmen who have already done this, note that it is much more convenient and faster to do this with a sponge. After applying all the colors, you need to correct the contour. A thin brush is used for this.

Stencils

As you can already see, the method with stencils is quite simple and effective. Under the paint, cracks and even small chips will become less noticeable. The advantage of this method is that stencils can be different, from flowers to cartoon characters. Special drawing skills are not required, since the task will only be in painting a finished drawing.

This is one of the most effective and inexpensive ways. An indisputable advantage is the fact that the patterns can be changed whenever you want. They are easily erased if you use acetone.

Important! If the stencil is attached to the mirror with ordinary tape, then the traces from it will have to be wiped off for a long time and using chemicals. They, in turn, can erase the applied drawing.

Craquelure

Craquelure is one of the most popular and beautiful ways. In addition to mirrors, it is also used for aging furniture. The method is suitable for those who are not afraid to add more cracks to the mirror surface, only artificial ones.

The craquelure technique is to add texture to the mirror in the form of small irregularities. So you can not only hide the resulting flaw, but also add an independent object to the interior, which gives it its own peculiarity and sophistication.

This is done using craquelure varnish and acrylic paint. The color of the paint should be in good harmony with the wall or mirror frame. Although the technique does not imply complex machinations, it still requires caution in performing all actions.

The selected paint is applied to the mirror surface as the first layer. It should dry completely. Only after that, a second layer of craquelure varnish is applied. The two components will begin to interact, creating artificial cracks. The mirror is not damaged in any way. It looks very nice, since a mirror surface will look out through the new irregularities, reflecting the light.

Removing the crack using a drawing

The patterned method is almost identical to the stencil method. Only here you will have to come up with the plot of the picture yourself and draw it.

Anything can be depicted on the mirrors. These can be trees, birds, flowers, or ordinary geometric patterns. If acrylic paints were used before, now you will need stained glass ones. They are made specifically for painting mirror surfaces.

Frame

If a crack appears on the side, then it can be originally covered with a frame. It can be anything. There are no restrictions on this type of decoration. The main thing is to build on the capabilities of the mirror surface. It is better to refrain from decorating with large massive objects. And they will not look very nice on a light reflective surface.

Materials such as buttons, beads, shells, decorative stones, clothespins, textured rope threads and even antique coins are often used. The pattern is built in such a way as to cover all defects. It is better to choose reliable glue for fastening.

How to remove scratches from a 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 also will not remove it completely, but only disguise it.

You can apply toothpaste and flannel cloth. The product is gently rubbed into a shallow scratch. Then it dries up and polishes. And for deeper cracks, a colorless silicone sealant or foil is suitable.

Beautiful ways to decorate a mirror

A beautiful mirror decoration will not only cover the cracks, but will also interestingly complement the interior. For this, you can use any means and materials. You can often find ways to decorate with shells. They look beautiful next to the mirror surface and give it a special mood.

Additional Information! By decorating with filled frames, the mirror can be visually enlarged or reduced. Its size will depend on how the beautiful frame is positioned.

In addition to shells, wine bottle corks can also be used. 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, then the plugs are fixed in their original form without cutting. A mirror framed with a hemp rope looks beautiful in all interiors.

Mirror care rules

Mirror care rules must 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 moisture.
• It is best not to place mirrors in direct sunlight.
• Mirrors can only be wiped with soft, lint-free cloths (it is better to purchase a specialized one, this will reduce the risk of scratches).
• There is a thin layer of silver on the mirror, so the surface should never be wiped with a glass cleaner. They contain ammonia, which damages the surface.

After familiarizing yourself with all the possible ways to decorate a mirror, everyone can easily repair a crack in the mirror with their own hands.

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Photo 50 options for the original decoration of mirrors