DIY Light Green Frame for a Mirror

Dress up a plain wall mirror with a light-green wood frame.

If you are looking for a simple way to change the look of your bedroom or bathroom, building a frame for your wall mirror is a great project. Framing your mirror in a bright color such as light green will not only change the color scheme of your room but it will also brighten it up. In order to make your own light-green frame for a wall mirror, all you need is some wood trim, paint and epoxy.

Things You'll Need

• Wood trim
• Jig saw
• 45-degree triangle template
• Pencil
• Miter saw
• Light-green paint
• Clear varnish or polyurethane
• Clear, fast-setting epoxy
• Painter's tape

Instructions

1. Select the wood trim you want to use to frame your mirror. If you have some trim left over from another DIY project, now is the perfect time to use it. Otherwise, stop by your local home-improvement store and pick out a style of decorative wood trim or molding that you like and that matches the existing decor in your room.

2. Measure the width and height of the mirror you intend to frame and use a jigsaw to cut two pieces of the trim to length using the width measurement of the mirror and two pieces using the height measurement.

3. Set a 45-degree triangle template on top of one end of one of the pieces of trim you just cut. Position the template so the bottom of the triangle is aligned with the top or bottom edge of the trim and the 45-degree angle is aligned with the corner of the trim. Draw a line in pencil from the corner of the trim along the 45-degree angle to the edge of the wood.

4. Repeat this process on both ends of all four pieces of trim, drawing lines in pencil at a 45-degree angle from the outside corners in toward the center of the trim.

5. Cut the pieces of trim along the 45-degree angle lines using a miter saw. These angled cuts will allow you to assemble the mirror frame so the edges will be flush and the corners will be crisp and even.

6. Paint the front and back of the pieces of wood trim using the light-green paint of your choice. You do not need to paint the entire back of the trim but at least an 1/8-inch of it will be reflected in the mirror, so paint about a 1/2-inch along the top edge. Allow the paint to dry for a full 24 hours until it is completely dry.

7. Apply a coat of clear varnish or polyurethane to the front of all four pieces of painted trim. The polyurethane will seal in the paint and protect it from chipping and water damage. Once you have applied the polyurethane, it is best to allow it to cure for a week or more to ensure that there are no adverse reactions between the polyurethane and the epoxy you will use to attach the trim.

8. Mix the clear, fast-setting epoxy by following the instructions on the packaging and apply a bead of the epoxy to the back of the first piece of trim you intend to install.

9. Hold the piece of wood trim in position over the mirror and then press down, creating a seal with the epoxy. Hold the trim in place, or have someone hold it for you, while you lay down two or three strips of painter's tape to hold the trim in place.

10. Attach the three remaining pieces of trim by following the same procedure, aligning the outside and angled edges as nearly as possible. Use strips of painter's tape to hold the pieces of trim in place while the epoxy sets. Allow the epoxy to cure for as long as the instructions suggest, then remove the tape to enjoy your newly framed mirror.