How to update an old mirror. Master Class

Restoration of the mirror was a simple and affordable matter. When all of Moscow was still placed inside the garden ring, serene summer days craftsmen walked around the yards. With loud voices, they announced the inhabitants of their arrival. Who offered to sharpen knives and scissors, junk workers changed whistles and balloons for old shabby things, handicraftsmen brought home-made slippers. There were masters who, in the conditions of the yard, literally on two stools, restored the brilliant coating of old mirrors.

Old reference books have preserved a huge number of recipes for making solutions for the manufacture and restoration of mirrors. Let's take just one example.

For the production of 1 sq. meters of the mirror, the following materials are needed:

1. AgNO3 silver nitrate (AKS) -3.6 g
2. Alkali NaOH (or KOH) - 2.6 g
3. ammonia 25% (NH4OH) - 7.6 ml
4. SnCl 2 (stannous chloride) - 1 g for 14.5 sq.m
5. Nitric acid (concentrated) - approximately 34.5 ml
6. Distilled water - 1.5 - 1.7 l
7. Medical iodine - 6 drops for about 43 sq.m. mirrors.

It would seem that mirror restoration is available to everyone. I bought everything I needed at a pharmacy or a store, mixed it, applied it to the surface of the glass and the mirror like new. Probably, the way it is, but there is one, "but". It will take more than one month to acquire the skills of a mirror canvas restorer. Given the relative cheapness of finished mirrors, the restoration of old mirrors is not in demand.

Not every mirror glass needs to be restored. Partial losses do not spoil the appearance of the old mirror as a whole. On the contrary, they emphasize its authenticity.

Of course, you can try to polish the glass sheet itself, but all the scratches and chips that were on the old mirror will remain in place. Moreover, the new mirror coating will make them more visible. Thus, the restoration of the mirror will not lead to the desired result.

For the most part, antique objects reach us with already replaced, so-called "non-native" mirrors.

The replacement could have taken place 20 and 70 years ago, so they look rather old, cloudy, scratched, with chipped corners, peeling off the coating.

One of the signs of a non-native mirror is that its size does not match the size of the frame in which it is inserted.

As a rule, glasses on old objects had a facet - a beveled edge, which created an additional play of light rays passing through and reflecting in clear handmade edges. In a native mirror, the facet runs along the entire perimeter of the glass and exactly repeats the shape of the frame into which the mirror is inserted.

In any bathroom or hallway there is a mirror - the main assistant in restoring beauty (especially for women). But what to do if there are dark spots on the mirror?

There are several reasons for the appearance of dark (black) spots on the mirror. If there are dark spots around the edges, it is likely that the cleaner you used to clean the mirror has left on the back of the mirror and damaged the finish. If there are dark spots in the middle of the mirror, then they are usually caused by moisture or the cleaning agent has reached the middle reverse side mirror and damaged it. Unfortunately, in any case, there is no way to remove the dark spots on the mirror. The only solution is to repair the mirror by creating new framework around it or masking spots in other ways. Here are some ideas to help hide black marks on your mirror.

Hide dark spots on the mirror with a frame

What you will need:

• Decorative glass beads or tiles (glass mosaic)
• Tube of contour paste (lead imitation)
• A set of paints for painting on glass
• Mirror strips (look in home improvement stores)

How to remove dark spots on the mirror:

1. If there are stains on the edge of the mirror, you can make a frame out of several various materials to hide the imperfections underneath. Use your creativity! Here are some ideas to get you started:
2. Glue decorative glass beads or tiles (mosaics) around the perimeter of the mirror. If the dark spots are some distance from the edge, you can add a few accent beads in their place so that they fit organically into the overall concept of the decorative frame.
3. Mirror strips can be placed around the perimeter of the mirror as a frame to hide black spots and retain the mirror function at the edges.
4. If you have the opportunity to remove the mirror from the wall and put it in the apartment, you can apply the base of the future pattern (pattern) with contour paste and, after the lead has solidified, complete its creation with paints for painting on glass (stained glass paints). This will give your mirror an original look.

Mirror amalgam restoration

If the mirror is severely damaged and there is no way to creatively hide it, you can try removing the reflective surface (amalgam) from the damaged area and applying a new reflective solution to the area. Professionals can restore the mirror for you (search on the Internet), but get ready to pay well for this. Or you can do it yourself and much cheaper. Here's what to do:

What you will need:

• Protective face mask
• Razor blade scraper
• Special solvent (for removing mirror amalgam - optional)
• 3mm mirror of the same shape and size as the original

Restoring the reflective surface of the mirror:

1. Before starting work, check the year of manufacture of the mirror. If the mirror is antique or very old, then it may have been made with mercury and other harmful substances. Think it might be worth entrusting its restoration to professionals? If you choose to do it yourself, be sure to wear protective clothing, gloves, and a mask to avoid any risks or injury.
2. Remove the mirror from the wall and place it face down on a hard surface.
3. Using a razor blade, carefully scrape off the mirror's reflective surface (amalgam). Be careful not to damage the glass or litter around.
4. If the blade cannot remove the amalgam, use a special solvent for this purpose. You can buy it in stores with goods for the repair and home improvement.
5. Once the reflective layer has been completely removed from the back of the mirror, the easiest way to restore the amalgam is to place a new mirror behind the old glass. Of course, it is possible to recreate a new reflective coating with a special solution, and there are some websites that detail the process. However, it is quite difficult.
6. Attach the prepared new 3mm mirror to the back of the glass and hang it in its place on the wall.
7. The mirror should look good, like new!

• Make sure you get rid of the remnants of the removed reflective layer. Old mirrors contain harmful substances, which can be dangerous if placed in a trash can.

Over time, many items break or lose their attractive appearance, the mirror is no exception. Unfortunately, the broken product can only be disposed of. If there are minor damages on the surface, try to repair them at home.

Advantages of do-it-yourself mirror restoration

Sometimes due to insufficient air circulation or exposure to other adverse factors the reflective layer begins to move away, and the mirror ceases to perform its main function. Also, small scratches and chips may appear on the surface, but do not rush and purchase a new product. With the desire and time, any home master can carry out the restoration himself, extending the life of his favorite mirror. Self repair allows you to significantly save on the purchase of a new product and has a number of other advantages:

• restoration in a specialized company can be expensive, because it is a time-consuming and responsible process;
• not every city has a person who is professionally engaged in the restoration of reflective surfaces;
• it will take a lot of time to find a restorer, deliver the item to him and back;
• during transportation there is a serious risk that the glass will break.

IMPORTANT! Do not use substances that can threaten human life and health, such as mercury! At home, it is permissible to use only safe improvised means.

Once again, pay attention to the fact that you can repair minor damage yourself, and entrust serious repairs to professionals. Let's talk more about how to improve the reflective surface with your own hands.

How to restore a mirror yourself

Experts note that any mirror must be carefully looked after, then its restoration will not be a problem for you. In a room with high humidity like a bathroom, you should purchase special reflective glass designed for use in such conditions that it will not stain over time. You can make your own amalgam more wear-resistant using folk recipes. To do this, it is treated with melted wax and turpentine in a ratio of 1: 2. In addition, you need to properly clean the mirror surface so that it does not lose its attractive appearance:

• dust is removed with a soft dry cloth;
• after getting rid of dust, the mirror is treated with a special glass cleaner;
• at the end, the product is polished with newspapers, removing stains.

If, despite the observance of all conditions, small defects still appear, try to eliminate them using improvised means. The choice of materials and working methods will depend on the specific situation - large areas are restored with foil and glue, and silicone sealant is used for small scratches. For the procedure, you must prepare in advance workplace and the necessary tools.

Necessary materials and tools

Repairs may require:

• special glue designed for glass and metal;
• brush with hard bristles;
• foam sponge;
• soft napkins or cloth;
• glass cleaner;
• composition for degreasing surfaces (gasoline or alcohol-containing agent);
• foil;
• scissors;
• brush;
• silicone sealant.

REFERENCE! Small repairs are easy to do at home. If at the same time it is not possible to completely eliminate minor damage, they will at least become less noticeable.

Mirror restoration instructions

When the workplace and everything necessary materials will be ready, start repairing. In case of visible damage to the amalgam, first you need to carefully remove the product from the frame and place it on a table, which is better to cover with a soft cloth. Next, you should follow a certain algorithm of actions:

• clean the damaged area with a brush with hard bristles;
• next, you need to wash the mirror with glass cleaner and dry everything;
• degrease the surface with an alcohol-containing agent and carefully wipe everything, let the product dry again;
• cut a piece of foil with scissors right size(it should be slightly larger than the damaged area);
• we apply special glue, apply the cut-out foil to the mirror with the glossy side down and, as it should, press it (some craftsmen use transparent tape instead of glue);
• carefully align the foil with a clean, dry cloth or napkins and wipe off excess glue;
• when the glue is completely dry after a few hours, the restored mirror can be inserted into the frame.

ATTENTION! If the described method did not help to remove visible defects, this may mean that the damage area is too large. In this case, it is unlikely that it will be possible to fix something.

If desired, the gluing site can be covered with a thin layer of colorless varnish for greater reliability, but this is not necessary.

How to restore a mirror if there are scratches and chips

Sealant is used to repair small scratches and chips on fragile amalgam. To do this, we also pre-clean and degrease the damaged area, wipe it dry with soft cloths. Next, carefully fill the existing cracks with silicone, for convenience, you can use simple toothpicks. Then let the product dry well and remove all excess.

Frame decoration

In the case when the mirror itself is in order, and its frame has lost its attractive appearance, try yourself as a designer. Originally decorate the frame will help:

• different stones;
• shells;
• old jewelry.

The choice of materials will depend on your capabilities, imagination and the style of the interior as a whole (the updated product should harmoniously fit into the overall picture).

Thus, the restoration of mirrors is a rather painstaking task, but the efforts made will still pay off, as you will be able to extend the life of the damaged product. This is especially valuable if the item is old and expensive, like a memory. It must be remembered that some cases may be too serious, then, unfortunately, it will not be possible to solve the problem on your own.

 Mirror restoration is a delicate process. The master is required to have an accurate knowledge of surface restoration technology and the availability of professional tools. Restoration carried out by amateurs can only spoil the already damaged glass, bringing the mirror to its final disrepair. Entrust the work of restoring the mirror surface to the specialists of our company. Masters will come to any district of Moscow and the nearest suburbs, assess the degree of damage to the canvas and the possibility of its restoration. We accept requests for specialist visits by phone or online.

 Contact us because:

• We will restore any mirror surface if it is subject to restoration
• We will restore the canvas of any size
• Masters have a full range of professional tools at their disposal
• We employ only professional craftsmen
• We will only accept payment when the restoration is 100% completed.

Can an old mirror be restored?

Mirror restoration is a rather painstaking procedure. The possibilities of restorers today are such that they can even collect the fragments and restore the integrity of the canvas. Dust with inside or partial amalgam loss, glass haze, and other surface damage common to very old mirrors are all recoverable. However, in some cases, restoring the surface to its previous appearance is more expensive than inserting new glass into the frame. Therefore, mirrors that are a museum value or a family heirloom are given for complex and expensive restoration.
There are also cases when the mirror sheet is slightly damaged. It makes no sense to throw away a good piece of furniture if it is only slightly scratched, scuffed or slightly clouded. Surfaces can be restored to their previous appearance by carrying out simple restoration work. With the help of abrasive chemicals, the mirror can be made to shine again. However, only an experienced master can choose the right product, calculate the dosage and apply the right amount of effort to bring the canvas into proper form.

Mirror restoration methods

To restore mirror surfaces that have minor damage, restoration methods such as grinding and polishing are used. If a shallow scratch or abrasion has formed on the canvas, the mirror is polished. That is, they are removed from a reflective surface upper layer with coarse abrasives. This procedure is important to be done very carefully so as not to wipe the surface too hard. You can add shine to glass by polishing it.

By itself, polishing as a method of restoring mirrors is carried out by craftsmen in case of clouding of the mirror sheet. The procedure consists of processing the mirror abrasives suitable for this type of surface. As a result, cloudy glass begins to shine like new.

 Mirror restoration can be produced to remove any imperfections from the reflective surface. Grinding and polishing of surfaces is carried out at the customer's home, without taking the mirror sheet out of the room. The cost of these services is democratic. You can invite masters to perform restoration work on any day of the week, including weekends.

Restoration of frames for mirrors

Restoration of frames for mirrors is a profitable service that allows you to return the old frame to its original appearance. Our specialists are able to restore almost any frame, preserving its uniqueness and eliminating all existing damage.

What damage do we work with?

You can safely contact us if the mirror frame has:

• Geometry broken.
• There are visible damage such as chips and cracks.
• There are traces of damage by insects and rodents.
• The integrity of the paintwork is broken or it is completely absent.
• Some or all of the decorative elements are missing.
• The elements for fixing the mirror canvas are broken.

In addition, you can use our services if you want to modernize the frame and make it even more in line with your taste.

Our masters will restore the geometry of the wooden frame with maximum accuracy or adjust its size to suit your needs. All traces of wear will be completely eliminated and worn parts will be replaced with new ones. The frame will be processed by special means to protect against insects, mold and fungus, and also coated with the paint of your choice. Upon completion of all work, you will receive a frame that will not have a trace of old defects.

Why is a restoration service beneficial?

Services such as restoration wooden frames for mirrors has many advantages. The most important thing is that you can update the frame without depriving it of that original look for which you like it, which is especially important for rare or just dear to my heart of things.

Applying for restoration, you can save on buying a new frame, because quality products have a high price, and if your old frame can last for many more years, then replacing it with a new one simply does not make sense.

Anyone who owns a unique item cannot do without restoration. In many cases, only restoration can stop the damage to the wood and preserve the integrity of the frame.

Each of our specialists is a true master of his craft and approaches his work with the utmost responsibility. All the nuances of the restoration are discussed in advance with each individual customer, so you will never get an unexpected result, but only what you really need.

If you do not know the nuances of restoration, our specialist will definitely advise you and select the restoration operations that are needed in your case.

Do not know where to order high-quality mirror frame restoration? We will gladly provide you with our services!

Check price

Frame restoration process No. 5