Antique mirror glass refers to old mirrors that have an aged, weathered look to them. The silvering on the back of antique mirrors often deteriorates over time, giving the glass a cloudy, mottled appearance. Antique mirror glass is a popular decorative material used in furniture and home décor.
How to antique mirror glass? It’s actually quite simple to give ordinary glass mirrors an antique, aged look. With some easy DIY methods, you can transform sleek modern mirror glass into a handsome old-fashioned antique mirror that looks like it came straight out of a European estate.
Creating antique mirror glass effects involves artificially wearing down the silvery backing on regular mirrored glass. This can be done mechanically through sanding or chemically by exposing the mirror to acidic solutions. The resulting worn look gives the impression of a valuable antique that has been gently aged by the passing decades.
Mirror Glass Antiquing Methods
There are a few main techniques used to antique regular mirror glass to give it an aged, weathered appearance. The most common antiquing methods involve physically or chemically removing some of the silvering from the back of the mirror. This creates transparent spots and irregular cloudy patches that make the glass look old.
Popular approaches include mechanical sanding, chemical weathering with acids, and paint removal. The specific method chosen will depend on factors like how much time you want to spend, your desired level of distressing, and whether you need to antique an entire mirror or just portions of it.
Sanding Mirrors to Antique Appearance
Sanding or abrading a mirror’s silvered backing is the most direct way to create transparent scrapes and scratches that make glass look aged. All you need is medium grit sandpaper, a sanding block, safety gear, and some elbow grease. Start by disassembling the mirror from any frame and laying the glass front-side down on a flat, padded surface.
Gently rub the back in random circular motions with the sandpaper. Check often to gauge progress and concentrate on smaller areas for concentrated distressing. Be very careful not to shatter the fragile glass. Sanding gives great control for targeting specific antiquing effects. Focus on mirror edges or corners to mimic actual nicks from age.
Chemically Weathering Mirror Glass
While manual sanding may be the most DIY-friendly technique for antiquing mirrors, you can also use chemical solutions to corrode and mottle glass surfaces. Acids and other caustic liquids eat away at mirror backing very effectively.
Common chemical antiquing approaches include:
- Vinegar or lemon juice – Safe mild acids
- Bleaches and ammonia – Remove silvering
- Paint removers – Strip backing layers
- Wine, coffee, etc – Stain glass surface
The advantage of chemical antiquing for mirrors is that you can just dip, pour or splatter the distressing agents onto the glass to weather it. No manual labor needed. The natural reactions relic the finish.
Method | Time | Effort | Risk |
Sanding | Longer | High | Low |
Chemical | Faster | Low | High |
Mirror Back Paint Removal Techniques
Some mirrors feature protective backing paints that can hide the reflective silvering underneath. Removing this coating is an easy antiquing trick to reveal delicate tarnished silver.
Common paint removal options include:
- Non-toxic chemical strippers
- DIY vinegar solution bath
- Careful paint scraping
- Heating paint with hot air gun
Take care not to damage the silvering layer underneath the paint when stripping it. Work incrementally and gently test intermediary results. Remaining flecks of old paint can contribute to an aged appearance.
Distressed Mirror Looks With Acids
Mild acids are very effective for antiquing mirrors with chemical weathering. Vinegar and lemon juice contain acetic and citric acids respectively that corrode silver finishes. For more intense effects, try sulfuric acid products found at hardware stores. Always pre-wet mirrors before applying acids so they don’t soak in too aggressively.
Let react for a few minutes before neutralising with baking soda and rinsing. Acids give very realistic pitted textures camouflaging missing bits of silvering. They naturally motivate for Draw A Mirror cracked cloudy patterns too. Adjust concentrations and soak times to control mirror antiquing levels.
Vinegar Applications For Aged Mirrors
Vinegar is an easily obtained mild acid choice for antiquing mirror glass. The acetic acid reacts gently with silvering so great for gradual, controllable results. Straight white vinegar works best. Simply soak a cloth and wipe vinegar across the mirror backing in irregular patterns. Let it bubble and react for 2-3 minutes before rinsing and drying with a soft towel.
Repeat as necessary for more aging. Try masking off portions of a mirror to selectively antiquing. Varied patterns look most realistic. Sprinkle on baking soda to neutralise excess acid or if the vinegar solution gets too strong. Allow vinegar-treated mirrors to fully dry before replacing them in frames.
Abrading Mirror Surfaces With Abrasives
In addition to sandpaper, you can also use steel wool, wire brushes, or abrasive pads for physically removing mirror silvering. This adds realistic scratches and scuffs consistent with antique wear. Apply gentle pressure in scattered circular scrubbing motions across the mirror backing. Increase intensity gradually, taking care not to shred through the silver layer.
Soak in vinegar after to tarnish abraded areas and darken resulting grooves. Try dragging jagged rocks or old keys across glass for deep concentrated scratches mimicking damage over time. Layer combination weathering techniques like abrasion scrubbing plus acid washes to build a convincingly aged mirror appearance.
Mirror Glass Aging With Ammonia
Clear household ammonia is another readily available chemical antiquing agent for mirror glass treatment. The alkaline solution reacts aggressively with silvering so produces accelerated aging effects. Wear protective gloves and goggles when handling concentrated amounts of caustic ammonia. Work in a well-aired location.
Lightly moisten the back of a mirror with ammonia using a spray bottle or soaked cloth. Watch silvering bubble away as ammonia oxidises the metallic surface. Rinse promptly once desired transparency is achieved. Ammonia is more suited for small accent mirrors versus entire large panes since effects happen quickly. Combine with subtle manual sanding for extra control if needed.
Bleach Antiquing For Silvered Mirrors
Ordinary bleach contains sodium hypochlorite – an effective chemical weathering agent that rots silvering, especially on vintage mercury-backed mirrors. The social media world has recently popularised bleach-based methods for mirror antiquing through viral videos. Bleach is extremely caustic so this technique requires careful preparation and safety considerations.
Don protective gear, work outdoors, apply lightly using a sprayer, and rinse immediately once finishing. Never combine bleach with other household cleaners – this can produce toxic chlorine gas. While dramatic, bleach antiquing mirror results are harsh and inconsistent compared to controlled methods like sanding or mild acids.
Manual Mirror Sanding For Vintage Looks
If seeking an introductory DIY approach to antiquing modern mirrors, try manual sanding first. It provides good transparency effects with low risk and high control compared to chemicals. Gather some medium (150) grit sandpaper, rubber sanding block, safety glasses and gloves. Disassemble the mirror from any frame and place the front-side down on a soft surface.
Gently rub the backing in scattered patterns at inconsistent pressures. Check progress frequently. Target edges or corners for concentrated wear imitation. Try circular scrubs, straight scrapes, or general scuffing motions depending on desired visuals. Neutralise any leftover debris with baking soda solution. Finish by sealing with clear lacquer spray if desired.
FAQ’s
How are antique mirrors made?
Antique mirrors are made by covering the back of a sheet of glass with tin or mercury.
How do you paint a mirror to look old?
You can paint a mirror to look old by applying various paint colors and washes of paint randomly over the mirror’s surface and edges to mimic aged mirror styles and patina from earlier time periods.
Can you antique the front of a mirror?
Yes, you can antique the front, or reflective side, of a mirror by lightly sanding it and applying faux aging techniques like washing it with tea or spraying it with metallic spray paint to give it a vintage look.
Conclusion
Antique mirrors were made differently than modern mirrors. The glass was covered with either tin or mercury on the back to create the reflective surface. This allowed the mirrors to properly reflect light and images before newer mirror making techniques.Using tin or mercury gave the antique mirrors their distinctive look and feel.
Over time, the materials used could deteriorate and affect the reflection. They show craftsmanship from earlier times. Antique mirrors provide a unique glimpse into mirror making history from before newer methods were developed. Their reflections are a look into the past.