How to Get a Patina Look on Mirrors

A patina look on mirrors creates an interesting antique effect. An antique mirror has a faded look, creating clouds in the mirror where the reflective surface has worn away from the back with age. You can find antique mirrors with a patina look at various flea markets or estate sales, but creating one yourself is less expensive, and you don't have to travel around. You can strip the reflective surface from the back of a mirror with a commercially prepared solution that eats away at the reflective surface.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic tablecloth or tarp
• Newspaper
• Rubber gloves
• Paint stripper
• Paint brush
• Putty knife
• Window cleaner
• Paper towels
• Black patina aging solution
• Chip brush
• Rags
• Silver paint

Instructions

1. Cover a flat work surface with a plastic tablecloth or tarp and several layers of newspapers in a well-ventilated room or outside. Place a mirror with the face down on the newspapers. Put on a pair of rubber gloves.

2. Apply paint stripper to the back of the mirror with a paint brush. Apply the paint stripper thickly and allow it to sit for three hours.

3. Remove the paint with a putty knife by scraping the back of the mirror until most of the paint has been removed. Wash the back of the mirror with a window cleaner and a clean rag. Rinse with a wet rag and allow it to dry.

4. Apply black patina aging solution to the back of the mirror using a chip brush, which is an inexpensive, disposable paint brush. Dip the brush into the solution and lightly brush it on the back surface of the mirror in a few spots. Apply more heavily to the corners and around the middle to create a look that appears to have aged naturally over time.

5. Wipe the solution off the mirror with a clean, wet cloth once you have reached the level of aging you prefer. Wipe the mirror dry with a clean dry cloth.

6. Paint the back of the mirror with silver paint. This paint will show in the areas that the mirrored surface have been removed. The silver gives an additional antique look.

Tips & Warnings

• Splatter the aging solution onto the back of the mirror for a splotchy pattern.