How to Cover a Table With Mirrors

Take the mirror off the walls and use it on the table. Mirrored furniture was popular during the 1920s and 1930s in the Art Deco and Hollywood Regency design styles. The look is glamorous and sophisticated and used as a design trick to break up wood furniture, create the illusion of more room and increase light in a room. You can make your own mirrored furniture with old mirrors installed in a mosaic style. But another way to add mirror to a table is to lay the mirror on top of the table. You can position it on the tabletop or first cover with a table cloth and then place the mirror on top, giving you a completely different and new table.

Things You'll Need

• Mirror
• Glass cutter
• Glass snips
• Mastic (mirror adhesive)
• Caulk gun
• Metal straight edge
• Protective gloves
• Protective eyewear
• Sandpaper
• Paper, graph or plain
• Rubber float
• Grout
• Grout sealer
• Sponge

Instructions

1. Sand the surface of the table to remove any excess finish and prepare the surface to accept adhesive.

2. Make a template of the table to ensure that you will have and cut the appropriate amount and size of mirror. Use plain paper or graph paper with lines that will help to make correct-size templates. Use this template to mark out the mirror before cutting.

3. Using a glass cutter--it resembles a utility knife--score the surface of the glass by running the cutter along the surface several times. Use a metal straight edge to ensure straight cuts. Cut the pieces according the the template. Use the glass snips to break the mirror apart. Sand the edges of the mirror to removed any sharp points.

4. Lay out the pieces of the the mirror to make sure you have enough cut and that the fit is true. Begin adhering the pieces to the table according to the manufacturer's direction of the mastic you selected. Be sure to use the caulk gun for applying the mastic to the surface. Let dry according to the manufacturer's directions--usually 24 hours.

5. Apply grout to fill in between the pieces once the adhesive has dried. Prepare the grout according to the manufacturer's directions. Apply grout by holding the rubber float at an angle, pushing the grout into the spaces.

6. Remove any excess grout from the mirror with a damp sponge. Do this carefully as to not remove any grout from the spaces, or grout lines between each piece. Let dry overnight. Seal the grout with a grout sealer to prevent any cracking from occurring. Let dry according to the manufacturer's directions

Place mats

1. Lay out mirror place mats for a less permanent mirror solution. Mirror place mats are available in many shapes and sizes, with some having decorative, etched surfaces. Use matching mirror coasters to complete the look.

2. Lay out a mirror centerpiece to reflect a chandelier (if you have one). The centerpiece is longer than place mats and will cover more surface. Mimic the shape of your table through the mirror centerpiece, so look for a round one for a round table, or an oval or octagon shape.

3. Look specialty shapes and colors for place mats and centerpieces. These special colors and shapes will add unique personality and flair to your table setting.

References

• Fine Home Displays: Mirror Placemats
• Better Homes and Gardens magazine: Make a Mosaic Mirrored Table