Restoration of the mirror coating of the mirror. We breathe life into an old mirror. Why is a restoration service beneficial?

To date, the workshop is in full swing on the restoration of several interesting orders at once. 19th century sideboard, Singer sewing machine, 19th century antique cabinet, same century sideboard. They brought us a table and 3 chairs by Ambramtsev - a very rare specimen. And we are about to begin the restoration of a very beautiful two-sided icon.

But today let's talk about the mirror... Or rather, not about it, but about its frame, the work on which is nearing completion.

We've written a bit about her before, but let's refresh your memory.

This is a large wall (floor) mirror, for which the customer separately purchased the tops and asked to be combined into a single composition.

Here it is:

And an enlarged photo of the decor:

The frame itself came to us in a very bad condition.

What is hidden under the layers of the old coating, we only had to find out. And for this it was necessary to clean the frame of everything with which it was covered for many years and even more than once. Masters call it "wash".

Due to the fact that a special chemical solution is used, the entire procedure must be carried out in a protective mask and gloves to avoid chemical vapors entering the respiratory organs, as well as to avoid contact with the skin.

The whole process is quite laborious and time consuming. But on the other hand, after washing, the product has a completely different look.

Let's take a look at what was found under the layers of old paint and varnish.

The bottom of the frame was badly damaged. Many cracks and chips were found, as well as traces of bugs, which are always willing to feast on good wood.

Grinding, polishing, strengthening and replacing dilapidated parts, gluing - this is an incomplete list of what the framing for the future mirror went through.

And upon completion of all the preparatory work, we fixed the carved pommel and proceeded to painting with varnish.

Let's not guess now how many uniform and thinnest layers of varnish will be applied, but we already know for sure that the result will be excellent !!

We will show you the final version of the restored 19th century mirror frame with pommel in our future news, when the last layer has been applied and dried.

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Probably, every person has some kind of old, old thing that it is a pity to throw away. It is often difficult to place such a thing somewhere, because it does not look anywhere and only spoils the entire interior.
So do I. While cleaning the apartment that I inherited from my grandmother, I found this old mirror:

I feel sorry for throwing it away, but leaving it just like that is also unacceptable.
First we need to glue the mirror with double-sided tape. I chose a Buromax product.

Depending on the size of the mirror, its shape, you should choose tape of various sizes. For my case, the average fit well.
Carefully cover the mirror with tape.

Advice from my own experience: If your mirror has ever been painted, try to get the duct tape in the first time. The paint sticks to the glue and the tape becomes unusable.
If you want to make the frame more beautiful, use a clerical knife to cut out waves from the tape.

It is very important that the knife is sharp. In the end it should look like this:

I'm going to decorate the mirror in a romantic style. For this you will need:
1. Beads in several colors.
2. Plastic decorations that can be bought at craft stores.
3. Organza ribbon. A bow will be tied from it.

Now carefully remove the protective film from the adhesive tape and sprinkle the frame with beads. Instead, you can also use fish bait, it will cost even less and will look no less pretty. Somewhere you should leave free space for the rest of the decorations.
We form a bow from the ribbon.

It is tied in the same way as shoelaces. After that, we place the branches where we like, we attach a bow from above.

Mirrors always need careful maintenance. Only in this way they will always look especially impressive. However, over time, amalgam may begin to peel off on some mirrors, causing it to lose its attractive appearance and reflectivity. If this happened to your mirror, do not despair and immediately carry it to the trash. Do-it-yourself mirror restoration will help to cope with this problem. However, it is necessary to be realistically aware that mirrors are manufactured in factory conditions as a result of a very complex technological process. That is why you will be able to successfully restore only minor damage to the mirror surface.

What can cause amalgam to come off?

First of all, you need to know that the amalgam can move away if the free air circulation from the inside is disturbed. That is why if transparent spots appear on a reflective surface, you should think about moving the mirror to some other place.

You also need to know that all mirrors are created under industrial conditions by applying a very thin layer of metal mixed with special substances to the surface. The metal is sprayed into several layers over the entire surface, which cannot be achieved at home. Therefore, do-it-yourself mirror restoration is carried out in order to improve its overall appearance and make small defects less noticeable.

Restoration process

To repair the mirror, you will need to stock up on the following:

Transparent adhesive for metal and glass.
Brush.
Hard brush.
Napkins.
Alcohol-based degreaser.
Scissors.
Foam sponge.
Glass cleaner.

The sequence of actions to restore the mirror at home is as follows:

Starting the restoration of the mirror, first of all, carefully remove it from the frame and inspect the damage. On top of this area, brush a little with a stiff brush to remove amalgam particles and any existing debris.
After the surface has been thoroughly cleaned, wash it with glass cleaner and wipe dry.
Now you need to degrease the cleaned and washed surface. To do this, moisten the sponge with any alcohol-containing agent, wipe the surface with it and leave to dry.
Let's move on to gluing. Cut out a piece of foil that is larger than the damaged area. Cover the mirror with a thin layer at the damaged area with a slight overlap around. Place the cut piece of foil on top, glossy side down, and press firmly.
Very carefully flatten the foil with a cloth, at the same time trying to expel excess glue.

Important! All movements should go from the center to the edges. And all excess glue is removed with a foam sponge.

After the foil is glued and leveled, and excess glue is removed, leave the mirror to dry for several hours.
For reliability, the gluing place can be covered with a layer of colorless varnish, but this procedure is not mandatory.
Finally, slide the mirror back into the frame.

Important! If in this way you were unable to hide the defects, then this means. that their area is too large. In such a situation, hardly anything can be done, and nothing remains but to simply buy a new product.

If there are traces of oil paint on the reflective surface, then soak a piece of cloth in turpentine, and then clean the contamination. After that, rinse the mirror with warm water and leave it to dry completely.

Important! To remove the paint, you can use a small spatula. However, you need to be as careful as possible so as not to damage the surface.

In some cases, changing the color of the frame can completely change the look of the mirror. Based on what the frame is made of, choose the right paint and paint the frame with it.

Important! Sometimes it may be necessary to remove the old layer of paint. To do this, you can use a grinder with an appropriate nozzle or just sandpaper.

footage

Do-it-yourself mirror restoration is possible only if there are small defects. It often happens that it is impossible to salvage an old product because it is too damaged, and an attempt to restore it in the end can only worsen its appearance. Don't forget about it!

You will need

- Mirror cleaner
- Bulb
- Sponge, rags, cotton wool, newspapers
- Water
- Ammonia (or gasoline and burnt magnesia)
- Chalk
- Vinegar
- Foil
- Transparent tape
- Scissors
- Silicone sealant
- Toothpicks
- Wax and turpentine (optional)

Instruction

Give the original and transparency if it is very dirty and dull. To do this, you can use special glass cleaners and follow the instructions. There are many improvised means with which the housewives clean the mirrors. For example,
you need to cut the onion and rub it with an effort on the places on the glass cloth, infested with flies.
Dull can be cleaned with a sponge dipped in a mixture of water and ammonia or refined gasoline and burnt magnesia (all in equal parts).
Add 2 tablespoons of crushed chalk and vinegar to 200 g of water. Stir the reacted mixture thoroughly. After settling the solution, remove the liquid from the sediment and use it to clean the heavily soiled mirror surface. Be careful - the product should not get on the amalgam or wooden frame.

You can restore a mirror with a scratched wrong side using foil. For this, take only a perfectly smooth sheet from the new package - even small wrinkles on the patch will spoil the impression of the redecoration of the mirror. Cut out a strip of foil slightly larger than the scratch itself; stick it with transparent tape.

Use silicone sealant to prime scratches on silver amalgam. Thoroughly clean the damaged area with a mixture of water and alcohol and wipe dry. After that, begin to carefully fill the cracks with silicone, using sharpened wooden sticks (you can take toothpicks). After the product has dried, carefully remove the excess and wipe the restored mirror with a damp and then dry rag.

note

If you failed to restore a damaged mirror using the above methods, buy a new product. Never experiment with materials hazardous to life and health. For example, there are recommendations to cover up scratches on amalgam with a mixture of certain substances and mercury - working with it at home is strongly not recommended!

Helpful advice

So that the restoration of the mirror does not become a real problem for you, take care of the product correctly. In a room with high humidity, you should buy special mirrors designed for bathrooms. You can independently treat the amalgam surface with melted wax and turpentine (1: 2) - it will become more wear-resistant. Wipe the mirror surface regularly: first remove dust from it with a dry cloth, then clean it with a special agent and polish it with newspapers or a soft cloth.

Sources:

Care of mirrors and mirror surfaces
mirror restoration

Sooner or later, scuffs and scratches appear on all mirrors. And although most of the defects that have appeared do not prevent a person from using table or floor mirrors, they significantly spoil the appearance of the mirror. Restoring mirrors at home can solve this problem.

You will need

- glass cleaner
- soft towel;
- cerium oxide;
- ammonia;
- wool of a lamb;
- sprayer;
- protective glasses;
- paper towel;
- dust mask;
- rubber gloves.

Instruction

Restoration of mirrors helps to completely get rid of scratches, the depth of which is less than 0.1 mm, and make deeper defects more invisible. Clean the mirror with glass cleaner. Use products that contain alcohol - they do not leave streaks. Dry thoroughly with a soft towel. Wait until the surface is completely dry.

Place the mirror on a flat surface (such as the floor) to reduce the risk of breaking it. If possible, remove the mirrored pieces of decorated furniture if you are restoring them. Sand the mirror with lamb's wool and cerium oxide. In no case do not press hard on the surface, so as not to break the glass.

Sand only the scratches, not the entire mirror. Particular attention should be paid to deep defects. Of course, it is impossible to achieve their complete disappearance, but it is in your power to disguise them, to make them much less noticeable. Minor defects will disappear completely.

Mix two cups of cold water with fifteen milliliters of liquid ammonia. Put on protective goggles and a mask. Apply the resulting solution to the polished area using a spray bottle. Dry the mirror thoroughly with a paper towel. Repeat the scratch repair process (spraying and sanding) several times until the scratch is completely gone or less visible if it was too deep.

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 treated with insect, mold and fungus repellant and finished 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?

Such a service as the restoration of 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 simply dear 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!

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Frame restoration process No. 5

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