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I remember someone here had done one of these and it wasnt so expensive. I know I have seen some kits ar Lowes, and I just did search and this one looks pretty reasonable. I have no knowledge of these, other than being interested in tdoing it one day as well. This one looks like it is under $100.
It's actually really simple, make sure you leave 1/16 inch on each side for movement and minor adjustments just in case.
I found a great blog that gives tutorials and she has framed out "builder" mirrors beautifully. search for "showandtell-sausha.blogspot.com. Uses stock molding and trims. enjoy.
I would rate it a 7 depending on what you are starting with. In other words if it's an existing large mirror in a bathroom it's only going to be relatively simple if they left some space at the bottom (vs butting it up against backsplash because otherwise you'll be standing there wondering how a 3-sided frame looks or how to make it right). This assumes the builder mirror which are total pains to get off the wall as they are glued and although you can get them off, it's a real job and you risk breaking it or messing up the walls. Take note of how the mirror is hung as those little clip things they put one them are a problem when adding trim unless you know how to work around them.
Now let's say that isn't a problem, the mirror is on the wall and perfect for a frame, then it's relatively easy. There are lots of nice moldings you can buy in lumber stores or framing stores (but they cost way more). They even make some called "picture molding" just because it has that space for glass already cut into it. What you need to do is measure the depth of that glass and then go check out the trim in stores to see what they have in the width you want with that depth routed in already. It is easiest if you can find a piece that is flat on the back with just that edge taken out or you end up with a problem for cleaning later behind the part that isn't next to the wall. You can probably find man made material trim that is easier to cut and offers more details but watch for how you are going to accomodate that mirror glass depth.
Here's the hard part, cutting. If you want mitered corners (and you don't have to have them if you pick plainer trim that can be just cut straight and butted together at the corner) you need a miter saw. This is not as simple as it sounds if you don't know what you are doing (believe me because I'm Ms. Fix it and cutting perfect miters is very fiddly and frustrating even with a good compound miter saw). This is when you find someone who likes working with wood, give them the demensions (inside edge of finished piece), and have them do the frame for you because it's easy for those who do it all the time. It's worth the money but may not cost you anything if you have a handy friend or relative with a nice electric miter saw.
Once wood is cut the easiest game (assuming the mirror is already attached to the wall) is to put it together and paint it and then hang it (otherwise doing as shown in that one video for the diy mirror is a good method). One warning with mirror is you must paint the back ridge of frame that goes on top of the glass black. That edge reflects in the mirror so will show as raw wood if you don't and black seems to make it disappear even if the front is white.
When you attach the frame, don't nail it unless you are really sure there are studs behind and your frame isn't so tight as to crack the mirror. Besides, hammers near mirrors is just asking for trouble because all it takes it one miss and it's broken. If you want to use hardware, use screws because you can control how far they go in easier and thus protect the mirror. Better to adhere it using glues or similar you can smear on the back and then put on the wall. A glass store knows that kind of thing as you want to make sure you can get it off in the future and some adhesives are not going to allow that.
Hello Marry,
I've never tried framing a mirror myself, but you may want to view these videos for tips on how to create your own DIY frames:
http://houseandhome.com/tv/segment/make-chalkboard-mirror
http://houseandhome.com/tv/segment/diy-statement-mirror
Good luck with the mirror!
Gwen McAuley (gmcauley at hhmedia.com)
No, I live in Winnipeg.
But, if I were wanting to have a mirror framed for a minimal cost, I'd probably do just as I suggested in my post... go to any place where you frame your own pictures. But, make sure that you get a frame you like since the one shown in your photo looks more like furniture than it does a picture frame. But, that's fair ball because that mirror is in reality... furniture.
If you do the work with the proper tools at a shop that frames pictures, you SHOULD get good results. I'm no expert, but I do know that there is special equipment used to cut the corners for picture frames. If it's just done on a miter saw, then you have to ensure there's minimal vibration of the saw blade to ensure that the pieces meet properly at the corners. If the saw blade vibrates during the cut (as most do), then the seam will be wider (and therefore more apparant) than it should be.
How much would you charge? Do you live in Calgary?
I've never framed a mirror, but I have made drawers for kitchen cabinets, if that counts as sufficient woodworking experience. So, unless you get a response from someone who'se framed a mirror or done similar kinds of work, then..... I'd first talk to any furniture repair shop and see if there was any difference (besides the thickness of the material being framed) between framing a mirror and framing a picture.
And, I'd look under "Picture Frames" in my yellow pages for framing galleries that advertised that customers frame their own pictures. That way, you're doing the work yourself, with the proper tools, but you've got an expert guiding you through the process. He makes his money on selling you the framing material.
Now, there's gonna be a difference in the thickness of a mirror and that of a painted canvas, and that difference is gonna require that you modify the framing material. And, since the mirror is fragile, you may be told that there should also be plywood behind it (whereas with pictures, they typically only use a stiff cardboard backing.
The framing can be modified to handle a much thicker "canvas" by putting a "rabbet" (also called "rebate") into the framing material with a table saw or router table, and that can be done at any lumberyard that has a "saw shop". Generally, the lumber yards that sell hardwoods and cater to the hobbyist woodworkers in your area will have a well equipped saw shop to do cutting work for their customers.
(Alternatively, instead of cutting a rabbet into the framing material, you could simply make a "notch" on the back of the framing material by gluing strips of wood the same thickness as the glass to the back of the framing material. Just use wood strips that are narrower in width than your frame, and you'll end up with a "notch" for the mirror to fit into.)
And, considering your frame needs to be stronger than framing material meant for paintings, you might consider using strong wood moldings (like oak baseboard moldings or door casings) for your framing material. When you pick out hardwood moldings, they SHOULD be straight as an arrow, but they aren't always that straight. So, either pick them out yourself or tell the person you talk to that they're going to be used to make a frame, and so they need to be straight, and they'll take more care in picking out the straightest pieces for you. Often, baseboard moldings that aren't very straight are used in short pieces (like inside closets) where straightness isn't as much of an issue.