How to Craft a Mirror Frame

Paint a wood picture frame for a mirror frame.

Mirrors lend themselves well to decorative as well as functional wall décor. Crafting a mirror frame is easily accomplished and allows the crafter to create a one-of-a-kind frame reflecting the tastes of the decorator or the mirror recipient. With a few inexpensive supplies, you can create a mirror frame from a wood picture frame or from a Styrofoam form in an afternoon. Supplies are available at craft stores or local discount stores in the craft department.

Things You'll Need

• Newspaper
• Glue gun
• Glue sticks
• Acrylic paint
• Paintbrush (craft size)
• Jar or margarine tub
• Water
• Rags
• Clear acrylic paint coat
• Sawtooth hanger
• Nails
• Small hammer
• Styrofoam form (wreath form)
• Dried Spanish moss
• Artificial/dried flowers, greenery, or seashells

Instructions

Wood Mirror Frame

1. Place the wood frame (fitting the mirror's measurements) on a surface covered with newspapers. Wood frames work with standard dimension mirrors such as rectangles, ovals, squares and circles. Working with a wood frame will be difficult if you have an unusual size mirror.

2. Pour about 4 oz. of acrylic craft paint into a clean jar or margarine tub to paint the frame in a solid color. Use a small, craft size paintbrush to paint the frame. Keep your brush strokes in the same up-and-down stroke. Acrylic paint dries smoothly. Allow the paint to dry for 24 to 48 hours.

3. Paint the frame with an acrylic clear coat. You may use a spray clear coat, but the spray paint sometimes causes acrylic paint to run. Allow the clear coat to dry for 24 to 48 hours.

4. Assemble the mirror into the frame. If the frame lacks a hanger, install a sawtooth hanger by using the hardware provided and gently tapping the nails into the holes in the hanger, at least ½ inch from the outside frame edge, on the back center of the frame.

Styrofoam Wreath Form Mirror Frame

1. Cover a work area with newspapers and place the mirror on top. Place the molded Styrofoam wreath form on top of the mirror. The mirror should fit in the open area of the Styrofoam form with about 1 inch of Styrofoam resting on top of the mirror edges.

2. Glue the underside of the Styrofoam form to the top edges of the mirror, using the glue gun. Allow the glue to cool.

3. Glue dried Spanish moss to the Styrofoam form/frame, completely covering the sides and top of the form. Green Styrofoam forms are available; these don't show any white through the moss.

4. Glue artificial/dried flowers, seashells, or greenery over the Spanish moss. Flowers or greenery may be spaced 1 or 2 inches apart, or grouped in clusters. Allow the glue to cool.

5. Press a sawtooth hanger into the center back of the Styrofoam mirror frame and use the glue gun to glue each end securely into the foam. Allow the glue to cool.

Tips & Warnings

• Wood frames may be covered with seashells. Seal your shell mirror frame by painting with a clear acrylic coat. Dried roses make especially beautiful floral mirror frames when glued atop dried Spanish moss. Add a wire ribbon bow for extra beauty.

• Neither of these methods is advisable for very large or antique mirrors. Very heavy or antique mirrors should be framed by professionals for safety reasons.

References

• Picture Hang Solutions: Sawtooth Picture Hangers Overview

Resources

• Save On Crafts: Styrofoam Forms
• Crafts for all Seasons: Seashell Wreath