Framed Mirror

I had a full-length mirror on my bedroom wall so I could check my outfit top to bottom. It was just a cheap, plastic-framed mirror.

I saw on Pinterest that you can take the plastic edging off and replace it with wood. And all the blogs made it look oh so easy.

Lies.

I cried during this project. Real tears.

But let me back up to the beginning. I took my mirror off the wall, took it outside, and started taking the edging off.

And broke the mirror.

On my way to taking the mirror outside I snapped a Before. The dogs went crazy barking at the strange mirror dogs.

This mirror has no After because it died.

The mirror broke so bad that I put it in the trash. I thought about getting a glass cutter and trying to salvage it but I would have had to cut it too short. I wanted a full-length mirror.

And this project was on hold for awhile.

Until I bought a $6 mirror at Lowe's. I looked for one without a plastic edge, but since those have a nice beveled edge, it was $25. I figured I'd be really careful and save money, so I went with the cheaper option.

It freaking broke again. I was being so, so careful. Apparently there was room for improvement.

If anyone wants to try this and learn from my mistakes: Do NOT bend the plastic pieces back, that's how the mirror breaks. You need to make sure it is cut away with a box cutter. And the glue is thicker in the corners, which is why those are harder and the area that breaks.

The good news is I went to Home Depot and bought a $3 glass cutter (the one at Lowe's is $5 and had poor reviews online). This was another pain point and I don't have any photos because there was screaming (although no crying just yet). I cleaned the glass just like it said to do online, and put down my straight edge and cut.

And my straight edge slid and my cut was crooked.

J helped me out and we got a straight cut.

And again, the project sat. Weeks passed. It needed to think about what it had done. 

When I had recovered enough emotionally, I brought out the wood from the garage that had been sitting there patiently for two months.

I cut the two shortest top and bottom pieces and prepared to router out an edge for the mirror to sit in.

I put another piece of wood the same width next to the piece I was going to router so that my straight edge had something to sit on and be stable. 

I measured to determine how far away my straight edge needed to be from my routered edge.

I should have clamped it, but I just held it down with my hand. A few times I pushed too hard on the edge with my router and it shifted and cut too deep, but I just adjusted and concentrated on pushing forward instead of to the side.

I think we've already established that I am not a professional.

After the picture frame disaster, I didn't even try mitered edges.

I made marks on my wood so I didn't route all the way down, just where the mirror would sit.

And promptly forgot all about it and routed the entire edge of the first piece of wood.

But I did better on my second, you can see the routed edge stops.

Then I realized my top and bottom pieces were too long, because the routed edges pushed the wood closer. Um, hello, should have thought of that.

Not a profesional.

Also not a big deal, I was able to shave those pieces down.

I was so excited. This project which had caused me such angst was so close to being done! I just needed to make the pocket holes!

And this is where I cried. I didn't realize it, but the bit they give you for the Kreg Jig is super long. I just used a regular small bit. Well the head of the drill gets in the way and causes the screw to tilt at an angle. The screw popped out on the other side and cracked my wood.

This is where I cried. I had spent a very freaking long time measuring, cutting, and routing this wood and now it was cracked. J comforted me. Then helped me fix it. We glued and clamped the wood. Got the proper Kreg Jig bit, and did it correctly.

The wood on the right was where it cracked. The wood on the left had its own problems. Not a professional.

Stupid traitorous pocket holes

I did a couple dry fits and had to route out just a wee bit more to make sure the mirror fit snugly. I carried the mirror so, so carefully every time I moved it. I would have been livid if I dropped it and it shattered. But it survived. 

Then it was ready for stain. I stained a couple sample pieces of wood and J and I decided on Dark Walnut.

I flipped it over and was just going to stain the routered edge, since I had read that the mirror will reflect the glued edge. But I ended up just staining the whole thing.

Then it was time to glue the mirror and I grabbed my e6000 glue. The top was screwed on but it was broken and missing the most important piece! I am not a superstitious person and really wasn't worried when I broke that mirror, but maybe there is something to this.

Or not, because I put a toothpick in there and was able to use the glue. Except my hand cramped and I squished the bottle in half, which caused it to rip and get glue all over my hand. But I still glued my mirror so whatever. 

While I was waiting for it to dry, I was wondering if the glue would be enough.

 I went to Lowes and asked if they had anything like the holders on a picture frame. He gave me this:

The plastic pieces were actually pretty thick so I didn't love it. I ended up getting mending braces:

And when I got home, the glue did such a good job that I didn't even use them. But the good news is that I've been meaning to shore up J's dirt sifter and they will work just fine for that, so I'll keep them.

Don't judge my bedroom; we have family living with us temporarily so all my junk is stored in the corner.

I am pretty happy with the After. It was just way too much work. Maybe after a few days the pain will have faded and I can just enjoy it.