How to Engrave Mirrors

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Things You'll Need

  • Rubber mat

  • Protective eyewear

  • Clamp

  • Permanent marker

  • Glass engraving tool

  • Colored paper

  • Tape

Engraving is the process of carving a design into solid matter. It can be done on stone, metal, glass or a variety of other materials. Engraving mirrors adds texture and design to an ordinary glass surface. Often people use this technique to make wedding reception gifts or customized home mirrors. The process used to engrave mirrors is similar to the technique as glass engraving. It differs because the design is etched into the back of the mirror to remove the silver paint. Create custom mirrors with this technique for a fraction of the price.

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Step 1

Place the mirror, reflective side down, on the rubber mat. Put the mat directly under the spot you want to engrave on the mirror. Set this up on a work table.

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Step 2

Clamp the mirror to the edge of the table so it doesn't slide during the engraving process.

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Step 3

Draw the design you want to engrave on the back of the mirror with a permanent marker. Remember that the mirror image of the design appears on the front when finished.

Step 4

Put on protective eyewear to guard your eyes from flying glass specks and dust.

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Step 5

Use a glass engraving tool to carve out the image you drew. A glass engraving tool can be purchased at a hardware store for about $30.

Step 6

Cut a square of colored paper and tape it over the image on the backside. The engraved image on the front will be the color of the paper.

Step 7

Remove the mirror from the clamps and it's finished.

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