HOW TO PAINT AN UGLY MIRROR

This is the "AFTER"! It hangs in a guest room that I am almost finished decorating. Making over this ugly duckling mirror was extra fun! I used the techniques I had learned in a recent Annie Sloan Chalk Paint painting class. Today I'm sharing the techniques that made this mirror into a swan...

 Here is the "BEFORE"...  The mirror has great bones and is very heavy so I knew that there was real potential under that horrid manufactured finish.

Ready to paint? Let's get started!

I'm sharing a lot of tips and tidbits along with the tutorial!

The beauty of a painted piece is building layers and layers of paint and wax, adding and removing and buffing until the process works together to create a masterpiece!

Suplies:

newspaper, white paper or anything to cover the glass of the mirror.

tape

Annie Sloan Old White chalk paint

Annie Sloan Pure White chalk paint

Annie Sloan Clear Wax

Annie Sloan Dark Wax

paintbrushes

wax brushes or white t-shirt type cloths

soft white clothes

sand paper 180, 200, 80 grit

small disposable paperware bowls

plastic spoons

lint free paper towels (Viva)

1~ Cover the mirror... I used white paper and taped it to the mirror. It is easy to scrape off paint, but getting wax off of a mirror is much harder! This is an important step!

2. Paint 2 coats of Old White ASCP on the mirror. Make sure the paint dries completely in between coats. Because the finish underneath was acceptable to see here and there I was not too too careful about getting every nook and corner covered. Just slap it on...it will turn out fine!

SG Tip: Pour your paint in a disposable paperware bowl. It makes it so much easier to dip your brush into the paint!

3. Using your wax brush (or a white t-shirt type cloth), work a small amount of clear wax into the paint. The biggest mistake when using wax is using too much. Just a little dab will do ya!

Work in a small area at a time. Use a little pressure and "scrub" the wax into the wood.

Let the wax dry~ I let it dry about 1/2 hour.

4. Now sand the mirror to get the paint smooth. I use 180 or 200 grit sandpaper. Because you have waxed it first you will pull up less chalk dust.

SG Tip: Keep a dust buster handy or a soft, just damp white rag and pick up the chalk dust as you go along.

5. Afer the whole mirror is sanded with the fine grit sandpaper, sand the areas you want to distress back with a coarser grit sand paper.  Work in small areas at a time.. but keep the big picture in mind!

Pay attention to the edges and corners. I really roughed up my piece!

6. Once you are please with your distressing (you can go back later and do more), mix 1/4 tsp of dark wax with 2 tsp of clear wax in a disposable bowl. Use plastic spoons. This will be your "sludge" to wax and antique the mirror. If you do not use all of this sludge you can keep it for later use. I have small disposable cups, the kind salad dressing comes in, to store extra wax. Label the formula on the top of the lid with a magic marker.

SG Tip: Here is a link for these wonderful plastic cups and lids. I use them for so many things!

The Webstrauant Store

Using your wax brush for dark wax (or a white t-shirt type cloth), lightly scrub the wax over a small area and then using a white cloth (t-shirt type) rub the area to take off a little of the wax...not much will come off. If you like the look, let it dry. 

If you think it is too dark, put a little clear wax (tiny) on a white cloth and rub off the dark wax. Work quickly.

SG Tip:  Clear wax removes dark wax.  

SG Tip: If for some reason the dark wax isn't budging, all wax can be totally removed by using mineral spirits on a cotton cloth applied to the the wax and rubbed off.

7. Once the wax is dry it can be buffed, using a white t-shirt type cloth, to a lovely lustre. Use a little elbow grease!

8. When everything is dry... dry brush the mirror with Annie Sloan Pure White chalk paint.

Here's how to dry brush:

Pour the AS Pure White Paint in a disposable bowl. Dip just the very tip or the "eyelashes" of the brush into the paint.

Swipe the brush on a dry, lint free paper towel.

Using quick, gentle strokes dry brush the mirror with the Pure White paint here and there. It should be soft and light and not heavy.

9. Let the mirror totally dry. I always give it 24 hours.

SG Tip: Put your piece in a place where you don't look at it for that time. Then when you look at it after the 24 hours you will have a fresh perspective. I almost always like my pieces much better after the 24 hour period!

10. Hang in the perfect place!!!

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