A cracked mirror is not something that adds too much value to your entire home decor. It can appear to be quite unsightly if not fixed at the right time. It does not matter if the cracked mirror is in your bedroom or the living room. It can give a disheveled look to the entire space.
So, if you are contemplating throwing away the cracked mirror, you might as well consider scrolling through this article and saving up some money.
There is no need for you to throw away the cracked mirror. All you have to do is follow a few easy steps and DIY it.
Things you will need to fix a cracked mirror:
- Cotton towel
- Razor blades
- Liquid soap
- Glass cleaner
- Paper plates
- Resin
- Putty knife
- Acetone
- Toothpicks
Steps to Fix A Cracked Mirror
Here are easy steps that you can follow a cracked mirror all by yourself:
1. Cleaning the Cracked Mirror
In the case of a cracked mirror, it is important to first start by cleaning it. You need to make sure that there are no stains on the mirror. The cracked mirror can be easily cleaned with the help of a microfiber cotton towel. The cotton towel will help remove any dust particles from the cracked mirror and make it look clean. If any broken pieces have fallen from the cracked mirror, you can just trash them.
You cannot clean the mirror just by simply wiping it off with the help of a cotton towel. You must use a mirror cleaner as well. If you do not have a mirror cleaner, you can simply make one at home. All you have to do is to mix vinegar, dish soap, and water.
2. Put a Stabilizer Film
Once you are done cleaning the cracked mirror properly, you must apply a stabilizer film to it. You need to start by removing all the contents of the mirror repairing kit that you have made for the job. To apply the stabilizer film, you must remove the adhesive back it has.
Make sure you peel off its back properly so that it can be applied to the cracked mirror without any hassle. Sometimes, it can be really difficult to remove the adhesive back of a stabilizer film because it is too sticky. When done with removing the adhesive back, you need to put the stabilizer film onto the cracked mirror carefully.
3. Apply Resin
After you have put a stabilizer film, it is time to apply the resin on the cracked mirror to help fix it. The resin comes with a syringe to make the application more convenient for you.
If you want to apply the resin nicely, it is important that you first touch the edge of the stabilizer film and lift it slightly. It is time to nudge the same edge underneath the stabilizer film when you are done doing this.
You must repeat this procedure for any cracked areas that you see in the mirror. This way, the cracked mirror areas will have a layer of resin. You also need to firmly press the top of the stabilizer film to help the resin layer set into the cracks.
4. Let it set
Once you are done with applying a layer of resin into the cracks, you must give it enough time to set. Yes, you read that correctly. The resin takes at least 40 minutes or so. You can also set a timer for this purpose if you want. The resin will become hard once it has dried properly. This is also one way of telling that the resin has dried properly.
5. Remove the Stabilizer Film
Now that the resin has dried, it is time to peel off the stabilizer film. First, you need to touch the resin surface with your hands to make sure that it has dried properly and nothing is sticking to your hands.
When you are sure about it, just remove the stabilizer film. You can do it with the help of a knife as well if it does not come off on its own. Just make sure that you do it all in one go. The stabilizer film could still be sticky.
6. Remove the Excess Resin
Next up, you would be required to scrape off any excess resin that there might be on the cracked mirror. To be able to smoothly do the job, you must scrape the excess resin while wearing a pair of gloves.
The gloves will keep your fingers protected during the entire task. You can also use a razor blade to scrape off the resin from the cracked mirror. Again, make sure you do this step while taking all the precautionary measures and not harming yourself or cracking the mirror more.
7. Thoroughly Clean the Mirror Again
The last step is to clean the mirror again. You have taken so many steps to fix the cracked mirror. This means that you have touched the cracked mirror multiple times, causing stains.
The stabilizer film and the resin might have also left a few marks here or there on the cracked mirror. To get rid of those marks, it is important to clean the mirror thoroughly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Price of Fixing A Cracked Mirror?
If you want to fix a cracked mirror, you must realize that it comes with a cost. The price of fixing a cracked mirror is not as much as getting a new one but it can cost you something between the range of $100 to $500, depending on the quality of the material you are using and also the number of cracked mirrors you want to fix.
This cost could be a lot for someone. So, it is important that you first decide if you are willing to spend this much money on fixing a cracked mirror or not. There might be some sale going on and you might get a better new mirror for the same price. In such a situation, it is important to evaluate if you want to go forward with repairing the cracked mirror or not.
Can a Mirror Repairing Kit be Used for Large Mirrors?
A mirror repair kit is designed to fix small cracks in the mirrors. If you are someone who has a large mirror that needs to be fixed, then you should consider taking a look at the cracks in the mirror.
If the mirror is cracked beyond repair, it is only better to throw it away rather than waste money and energy on repairing it. It is also important to note here that repairing a mirror is no easy job. It takes a lot of time as well.
Related: How to Repair Mirror Desilvering – Remarkable Solutions
Can You Fix the Mirror Silvering?
Apart from repairing the cracks in the mirror, there is another thing that is a major concern for a lot of people. It is the silvering of the mirror. If you are wondering about repairing the mirror silvering then you must know you can easily do it.
So, what causes mirror silvering?
Mirror silvering takes place in humid places. Bathroom mirrors are more likely to get the mirror silvering as compared to mirrors in other places in the house. You can easily repair the mirror and get rid of the mirror silvering with the help of a technique called re-silvering.
Here is how you can perform re-silvering:
- First, you need to remove the mirror from the frame it is in.
- After you are done removing the frame of the mirror, you need to clean the mirror.
- Next, you need to make use of a multi-strip solution and a knife to take off the backing paint from the mirror.
- You can get your hands on a mirror removal kit for this process if you feel the need.
- The re-silver kit will come with a solution that you need to apply at the back of the mirror you want to re-silver.
- Make sure that you only apply the solution of the silver spots that are evident in the mirror.
- Now you must take a cotton towel and dip it in a soapy mixture to wipe off the remaining solution from the mirror.
- You need to apply the remaining solution again at the back of the mirror with the help of a paintbrush.
- You need to put a thick layer of the silvering solution to make sure that the entire surface is covered.
- Lastly, you need to wait for the solution to completely dry for about 12 hours or so.
Does a Broken Mirror Bring Bad Luck?
There are a lot of myths and superstitions regarding a broken mirror. One of the most common superstitions regarding a broken mirror is that it is bad luck. This is untrue.
In many cultures, it is believed that a broken mirror brings bad luck for at least seven years. The Romans believe that if someone breaks a mirror, they would have to wait for a new soul to get rid of this bad luck.
Should You Throw Away A Broken Mirror?
You must realize if a mirror is worth repairing or not. If you feel that a broken mirror is worth throwing away then you should do it. Just make sure that you throw it away in a way that does not cause harm to anyone else. Make sure that the broken mirror pieces are thrown away and wrapped in paper.
How to Use a Broken Mirror?
If you do not feel like repairing your broken mirror but still want to repurpose it, you can start by using the broken mirror to decorate different parts of your house. For instance, you can use the small broken pieces of the mirror on your furniture and give it a new life.
You can also stick the broken mirror pieces on used bottles and make them into a decorative item that you can even gift to someone.
Conclusion
You have a fair idea of everything you can do with the broken mirror. The choice is completely yours if you want to fix a cracked mirror or repurpose the broken mirror pieces into something else. Make sure that whatever you do, you do it carefully and take all safety precautions.
