It's often done by cutting molding and gluing it in place, but this requires a miter saw to do neatly.

The Improvements catalog offers kits specifically for the purpose that include corners, so no mitering is required. They're available in both woodgrain and mirror finishes. The link below is to the page that lists both.

Here is a link that might be useful: Improvements

Yes!

I'm in the process of framing all my bathroom mirrors this way.

I have 5 bathrooms (yes, it's a big house) that had big hideous raw-edged mirrors bolted flat to the wall, and I've built frames for three of them so far. I love the way they're turning out.

I didn't use pre-finished frames. I purchased wooden trim-by-the-foot from Home Depot and built frames from scratch.

I have experience building picture frames, so it wasn't difficult for me. You'll need a mitre saw (or a mitre box), corner clamps and a couple of other basic tools and materials.

If you're interested in knowing more about how I did it, let me know, and I can post some photos later today.

How big are your mirrors? Are they a standard picture-frame size?

I am not the original poster, but I sure would love to see some photos. I have the same deal. I wonder though and I am sure a photo would help clarify-I also have a little backsplash on the counter (maybe 3 or 4 inches?))/
Thanks for offering to post!

Here's one of the raw mirrors. Notice the ugly plastic clip.

Here's the trim as it came from Home Depot. I used the trim on the right for two different mirrors:

After painting, cutting, assembling and mounting, here is what one of the finished frames looks like:

Here's another finished product -- same trim, but different paint job:

I'm very pleased with how this all turned out. It really wasn't that difficult, didn't cost very much, and it saved me a ton of money.

Let me know if you want detailed directions on the process.

I never used this company, but this could be the non-handy person route...

Here is a link that might be useful: Mirror Mate

mclarke: I'd love get instructions on how to frame mirrors like the ones you did, they are EXACTLY like the ones I have in my bathrooms (all 3 of them!) with the same ugly plastic clips and everything. Look to be about the same size too. Would you mind posting, or email me? amelia(at)thelins(dot)org. Thanks!

Amelia

I want directions too. I have 5 mirrors to frame. No plastic clip, but just as bad looking.

Me,too. But I may order from ls497's site if the instructions are too complicated for doing it myself.

Lowes now sells kits that have square decorative corners and then the sides just "butt" up against. They only have certain sizes but are fairly nice. They have a groove underneath so they sit flush to the wall. You can also get the squares and molding yourself in the molding dept and then you don't have to miter at all. There are molding stores that will have many more squares to chose from if the HD or Lowes does not have what you want.

mclarke - me too. I've been wanting to do the exact same thing (I even had molding samples taped to the mirror for a while) but haven't figured out how to work around the ugly plastic clips. How'd ya do it??!!

Okay, here goes.

You will need:

- a mitre saw or a mitre box w/saw
- a small hand saw or coping saw (a hacksaw will also work)
- Elmer's wood glue
- paint (I used acrylic latex, craft paint and spray lacquer for a gloss finish)
- small nails
- hammer
- drill
- four corner clamps (Home Depot)
- a 1/2" wood chisel (Home Depot)
- four metal mirror clips (Home Depot)
- clear silicone caulk or silicone aquarium sealer

First, buy a set of metal mirror clips. You'll find these in Home Depot in the "Picture Framing" section. They come two to a package. I used 3/8" clips. The size of the clips is determined by the thickness of your mirror glass. Use the smallest you can get that will hold your mirror to the wall. This is the secret to "working around" the plastic clips, LOL.

Remove the plastic clips and replace them with the metal clips. No, wait -- actually, put the metal clips on FIRST and THEN remove the plastic clips, so the mirror doesn't fall off the wall, LOL.

Depending on the size of your mirror, you might want to use mollies with the clips. (My mirrors are resting on backsplashes, so I wasn't too worried about them falling.) If you use mollies, make sure you get the kind that are flush to the wall.

You're using metal clips because they have a much lower profile. This will be important later.

Two clips on the top and two on the bottom should suffice.

Next, measure the mirror and buy your trim. Give yourself about a foot extra on each side, because you'll have to cut it down for the mitered corners.

Make sure the trim you buy is not warped. You can do this by laying the pieces on the floor at the store. The pieces should lie flat on the floor.

NOTE: You are going to paint and assemble the frame BEFORE you put it up.

Paint the trim BEFORE you cut it. When painting long trim pieces, make sure you put a base coat on BOTH SIDES, front and back, even though you are only going to see one side. If you only paint one side, the wood will warp. (I found THAT out the hard way, LOL.) You can do this if you lay the trim on a couple of paint cans as you paint.

When you have the paint and finish the way you want it, carefully measure your mirror. (If you're new at this sort of thing, you might want to make a mockup of cardboard or craftpaper first, to get the measurements exact.) Remember, you want the edge of the glass to fall about halfway under the frame.

Measure and mark the wood, and carefully cut your four pieces, mitering the corners at 45 degrees.

Sand the cut edges till they're smooth. Don't worry about little chips in your paint, you'll touch these up later.

Before you glue the corners, drill small nail holes in the side corners of the two side pieces only. Drill all the way through. (You will put little nails here after the frame is assembled, for added strength and to prevent twisting.)

Lay the four pieces on a flat surface. (I use the floor) Put the corner clamps at each corner, adjusting them until you're satisfied with all four corners.

Now release the corners, one at a time, applying glue to the edges that will join, and return the corners to the clamp, tightening each corner, one at a time, wiping away excess glue as you go.

Leave the frame to dry over night.

In the morning, remove the corner clamps carefully.

Put four small nails into your four nailholes. Countersink the heads, and if they are going to show, fill them.

With fine sandpaper or steel wool, smooth off any flaws. Using an artist's brush, touch up any part of the corners that need to be touched up. Let this dry.

Try your frame onto the mirror. You will see that the frame still doesn't lie quite flat to the mirror because of the clips. Using a pencil, mark the back of the frame where the clips interfere with the frame.

Using a small handsaw and the wood chisel, chip away just enough wood from the back of the frame so that the frame will lie flat to the mirror. This is easier than it sounds... it's a very small bit of wood and you don't have to be too delicate about it because it's on the back of the frame and no one will ever see it.

When you've chipped out your four small bits of wood, the frame should now lie flat to the glass!

Clean the mirror and the back of the frame very well. Apply a bead of silicone adhesive to the back of the frame -- not too close to the inner edge, because you don't want the silicone to show in the mirror -- and press the frame to the glass.

Stand there and hold the frame to the mirror for twelve hours.

Okay, not really. This last bit is kind of hard to describe... I contrived several lengths of scrap wood and gallon paint cans as braces to hold the frame pressed to the wall until it cured.

I wish I had pictures of the process, sorry.

I hope I haven't scared anyone off. Let me know if I've been too obscure and I'll try and help.

Good luck and let me know how you do!

thanks for the instructions!!

You're welcome!

I did it in a home I was readying to put on the market and it was a piece of cake. My first miter box experience and it wasn't nearly as complicated as outlined above, but then my mirrors were glued to the walls. I just cut molding, nailed and glued it, used some wood filler to even it out and painted it.

I also did this several years ago at my old house in GA. I used the corner blocks & straight pieces of molding & no mitering..it was a piece of cake. Didn't have the plastic clips to deal with, since it was glued to the wall, but I just glued on the lightweight (not wood) molding to the frame with Liquid Nails (tape in place with painters tape to hold until dry). Worked like a charm. I did a crackle finish on mine, but you could do anything you want. I don't think they carry these corner pieces at Lowes anymore, but there are others to choose from. I'm planning to do 2 more of my mirrors here in something similar, maybe even aged black. Just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Okay, this may be a really stupid question, so try to contain your laughter, lol.

I watched a decorating show awhile ago and they tried to glue things to the front of the mirror itself. Well, you could see the backs of the items in the reflection on the mirror!!

Are your frames glued to the mirror itself? Cuz I have a few mirrors I could do this to, but they are side to side with the walls; no room to put it on the wall itself. It would have to go on the mirror directly.

Any experience with that?

TIA, and I love the pics!!

Not a stupid question at all. My mirrors are also tight to the side walls. The frame is glued right to the mirror.

You just want to make sure that you paint the back of the frame, because a little bit of it will show in the mirror.

And when you apply the glue (or in my case, the silicone adhesive) you apply it along the center of the frame, not at the edges. And don't use too much glue, or it will smoosh to the edges, and if it does, you'll be able to see it.

Beautiful crackle, Georgiagal! Love the frames!

mclarke: Thank you for your response and for those directions!! I might try to go the easy-peasy way, but if I had a handy hubby, those might help, lol.

Thanks again!!

I think that's what georgiagal did~glued the moulding directly to the mirror. You have to paint the backsides also, or they'll reflect in the mirror. ;o)

patty_cakes

Georgiagal: Your framed mirror looks stunning. Love the antique crackle finish. Very elegant. Great Job. Dg926

This is a great post. Thanks for sharing your instructions, mclarke.

I have not ordered from mirror mates,but have some samples I am thinking about ordering. Their trim wood is routered very slightly on the edge so you do not see the side edge of the mirror(the molding curves around the edge of the mirror). If you do it yourself even if you make both edges flush can you still see the side edge of the mirror under the molding you add?

Thank you so much for all the tip and links. I've been gone all day so I'm just getting back here. I'm not sure if this is normal or not, but it looks like the plastic clips on mine are coming out of the ceiling. Is there anything I can do about that?

{{gwi:1714770}}

Georgiagal - We've added a simialr trim to some of the windows and doorways in our house, so I that would fit right in to use it on the mirror.

mclarke - DH is pretty handy, so I'm going to print your directions for him :)

Laurie