Any tips for how to frame a bathroom mirror?

[Frederick Skelly]

Hi folks,
My mom asked me to put a simple frame on her bathroom mirror. I can buy such a thing but $200 seems expensive when I own a shop full of tools. I THINK this is "Cut 4 pieces of molding, miter them on both ends, join them together (somehow) and use adhesive to attach the frame to to the face of the mirror."
* Has anyone done this? Is it that simple?
* What is a good way to reinforce the miter joint at each corner? (I dont own a Domino or Biscuit joiner. I do have a very seldom used Kreg jig.)
* Any other suggestions?

Thanks for giving me a hand!
Fred

[Paul Girouard]

Hi folks,
My mom asked me to put a simple frame on her bathroom mirror. I can buy such a thing but $200 seems expensive when I own a shop full of tools. I THINK this is "Cut 4 pieces of molding, miter them on both ends, join them together (somehow) and use adhesive to attach the frame to to the face of the mirror."
* Has anyone done this? Is it that simple?
* What is a good way to reinforce the miter joint at each corner? (I dont own a Domino or Biscuit joiner. I do have a very seldom used Kreg jig.)
* Any other suggestions?

Thanks for giving me a hand!
Fred


Sure it’s just that simple!

Is there all ready a mirror in the bathroom?
IF there is how is it held in place?
It could be in a J shaped bottom track with a couple of mirror clips at the top holding it in place.
It could be sitting on rubber glazing strips on top of the counter top or back splash and glued to the wall with mirror mastic.

IF there’s no mirror at this time, you’d need to buy a mirror.

If you don’t have a mirror you could cut a rabbet for the mirror to nest into.

The frame could be simply glued together , no pocket screws , no biscuits , no dominos, simple miters glued together.

Next you need to decide how does the frame get attached to the wall?

Does the frame need a back if say you want to hang the mirror like a picture with a wire in the back?

Is the frame made of wood that stained? Or painted? It could be MDF paint grade , some people will say never use MDF in a bath room, but I assure you it’s done frequently with good success.


So sure, it’s just as simple as you want to make it, but things generally are not as simple as people want them to be!

IF you are factoring in your time , at a living wage, and you need to buy the mirror , the mirror with frame you can buy for $200.00 will be cheaper!

[John K Jordan]

Due to the thickness and weight of some glass mirrors (you didn't mention the size) and the potential disaster if a simple mitered frame came apart I'd probably consider at least a 1/2 lap joint with a mitered front. There's probably a proper name for this but I don't know it. Another option is to cut rabbets on the back of each piece and fasten in a piece of thin ply (1/8" baltic birch?) for strength - I did that once. I've also cut slots through the corners and glued in splines. Probably plenty of better ways from readers with far more experience.

Speaking of mirrors, this reminded me: do you have any use for a large mirror probably 5'x4', left in my garage 15 years ago by the previous owner of the house. Can't locate him. The mirror is still in a wooden crate.

JKJ


Hi folks,
My mom asked me to put a simple frame on her bathroom mirror. I can buy such a thing but $200 seems expensive when I own a shop full of tools. I THINK this is "Cut 4 pieces of molding, miter them on both ends, join them together (somehow) and use adhesive to attach the frame to to the face of the mirror."
* Has anyone done this? Is it that simple?
* What is a good way to reinforce the miter joint at each corner? (I dont own a Domino or Biscuit joiner. I do have a very seldom used Kreg jig.)
* Any other suggestions?

Thanks for giving me a hand!
Fred

[Lee Schierer]

I would avoid gluing the frame to the mirror. You will be able to see the glue in the mirror reflection. Design a rabbet into your frame and paint the rabbet black so it won't be seen in the reflection. Make your frame with lap joints or mortise and tenon for the corners. That is how the mirror in the attached photo was done. The mirror in the photo is hanging on a french cleat recessed into the back of the frame and the mirror is mounted in the frame with a 1/4" backer board. In your case, I would suggest screwing the frame into the studs and plugging the holes or simply gluing the frame to the wall.
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[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks everyone! These are all good ideas!

I hadn't considered lap joints. Rabbeting a thin piece of ply across the back is another idea I hadn't thought of. (John, thank you for the kind offer on that mirror. I can't use it either, but I appreciate it!)

The mirror is already up. It's about the same size as the one in Lee's picture. They used those ugly clear plastic L-shaped things at the top and bottom. I'll have to work around those - replace them with something flatter or notch the frame.

Thanks again.
Fred

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Fred

I would avoid making a frame with mitres at the corners, unless it was a half lap mitre. The basic mitred joint simply lacks enough face-to-face glue area to be strong to resist the expansion and contraction due to the moisture in a bathroom. My recommendation is either a mortice-and-tenon, which is reinforced either with a drawbore or wedged through m&t.

Both are rebated at the rear to hold a floating mirror.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Frederick Skelly]

Hi Fred

I would avoid making a frame with mitres at the corners, unless it was a half lap mitre. The basic mitred joint simply lacks enough face-to-face glue area to be strong to resist the expansion and contraction due to the moisture in a bathroom. My recommendation is either a mortice-and-tenon, which is reinforced either with a drawbore or wedged through m&t.

Both are rebated at the rear to hold a floating mirror.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks Derek. That was my concern too - that the mitered joint wasn't going to be strong enough. I hadn't considered a wedged M&T.

Fred

[Jared Sankovich]

Half lap laminated glue up with your moulding of choice on top. Mirror held in a rebate with stop nailed on.

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[Patrick Walsh]

Fred,

I made mirrors and vanities in bellow picture a couple months ago.

Mirror molding I made on the shaper. Miteers I did on a sliding saw and used dominoes to join them.

Be aware that getting perfect 45% cuts is very very important as whatever discrepancy you have in one cut will be compounded by four by the time you get to your last joined miter. With a small molding not such a big deal depending on the application. On a large molding the joint won’t close. At the least your frame won’t be square.

In the attached picture the frame is attached to the wall and the mirror is actually a medicine cab recessed into the wall. I would talk to a glass shop regarding what they use for adhesive. My shop mate recently built a medicine cabinet that then got fully wrapped with mirror. They just glued over our work that had been shot with conversion varnish. Point is whatever they used stuck no problems.

Oh I had nothing to do with the finish on these vanities. Our finisher does not believe in sanding sealer and can’t be bother to do anything he doesn’t want to do or agree with. He is lazy....
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[Frederick Skelly]

Those look great John. Thanks for the idea!
Fred

[Frederick Skelly]

Fred,

I made mirrors and vanities in bellow picture a couple months ago.

Mirror molding I made on the shaper. Miteers I did on a sliding saw and used dominoes to join them.

Be aware that getting perfect 45% cuts is very very important as whatever discrepancy you have in one cut will be compounded by four by the time you get to your last joined miter. With a small molding not such a big deal depending on the application. On a large molding the joint won’t close. At the least your frame won’t be square.

The attended picture the frame is attend to the wall and the mirror is actually a medicine cab recessed into the wall. I would talk to a glass shop regarding what they use for adhesive. My shop mate recently built a medicine cabinet that then got fully wrapped in mirror. They just glued over our work that had been shot with conversion varnish. Point is whatever they used stuck no problems.

Thanks Patrick! If I go with miters, I'll need to make a fixture so I can tune them on my shooting board. (Yet another chance to use mt LV shooting plane - man I love that tool!)
Fred

[Jim Becker]

Those that I have build were pretty much like any "picture frame" or "window", but made strong enough to handle the weight of the mirror. I have used both Lap Joints and M&T.

[Paul Girouard]

It all depends on what type of frame and more importantly HOW YOU FASTEN the frame to the wall.

IF you plan on leaving the mirror in place and rabbeting the frame there is absolutely NO need for bridle joints , half lapped joints , biscuits , pocket screws at all.

As you noted IF you leave the mirror clips in place you’ll have to deal with those in some fashion , which could be as simple as drilling a recess with a foster bit to accommodate the clips.

Mirror mastic holds mirror extremely well , you’d be able to remove one mirror in twenty IF you used glass cups without breaking the mirror. Generally IF you get the mirror off the wall you end up with drywall stuck to the back of the mirror.


If you leave the mirror on the wall simple miters and nailing the “frame” to the wall would be more than adequate.
It would be nice to cut the parts and glue the frame together , and add some pocket screws IF you wanted to.

It is important to paint the rabbet either with black paint as Lee suggested of with the same paint you paint the frame.
The good part of pre-assembly is you most likely will NOT hit backing to the left and right of the mirror , BUT you should find at least two studs across the top and bottom.

Another option is to use some Power Grab adhesive on the back of the frame , along with four daps of hot glue. The hot glue holds the frame in place until the Power Grab cures.

So like my first post said there many way to create a frame around a mirror.

For a mirror frame that’s going to be hung on a french cleat , or using wire , or even screws in a key hole slot the corner connections need to be stronger as they will bear the weight of the mirror.





Mirrors that are doors, mirror in rabbets , held in place with Rockler clips.


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No real frame on this one , but it set on a angle for a handicapped you man, this one we left clamps on for ten days or so, mirror mastic has about a 20 day cure rate IIRC.

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[Paul Girouard]

Mirrors are trapped in place by the frames.
IIRC we assembled the frames , attached them to the frame from the back with the Rockler clips, we bored recesses in the GWB to accommodate the clips to allow the frames to lay flat of the wall.

We nailed the frames to the wall , then the painter painted them in place. After which the electrician installed the light fixtures.



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[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks Paul! This helps me!

[Frederick Skelly]

Those that I have build were pretty much like any "picture frame" or "window", but made strong enough to handle the weight of the mirror. I have used both Lap Joints and M&T.

Thanks Jim!

[Zachary Hoyt]

I've done a few, I got a number of about 2x3' mirrors for $1 a piece at our local dollar store, without frames. I have had good luck with a miter joint with a #20 biscuit. I cut a slot for the mirror to go into about 1/2" deep, with the tablesaw. I then screw the bottom and top boards into the studs, the mirror is held up by them and the side boards just make it look nicer but don't really hold much weight.
Zach

[Cary Falk]

I have done all 3 of our bathrooms. One is 3'x3', one is probably 3'x6', and the other is a smaller round top with a bevel that the contractor glued to the wall:confused:. All 3 have those standard plastic mirror hanging/holding clips. I didn't feel like taking the large ones off the wall. I made the frame about 1" thick. The rabbit that overlaps the mirror is wide enough to completely cover the clips. I used a routered out a pocket in the backside of the frame where the clips were. The frame corners were reinforced with splines or biscuits. I used silicone to attach the frame to the mirror.

[Frederick Skelly]

Zach, Cary - thank you! I appreciate the ideas.
Fred

[Pat Barry]

I have done all 3 of our bathrooms. One is 3'x3', one is probably 3'x6', and the other is a smaller round top with a bevel that the contractor glued to the wall:confused:. All 3 have those standard plastic mirror hanging/holding clips. I didn't feel like taking the large ones off the wall. I made the frame about 1" thick. The rabbit that overlaps the mirror is wide enough to completely cover the clips. I used a routered out a pocket in the backside of the frame where the clips were. The frame corners were reinforced with splines or biscuits. I used silicone to attach the frame to the mirror.
I like this idea. My daughter has an 8ft by 4 ft frameless mirror on her wall and she'd like it framed. Now I know how I can do it.

[Cary Falk]

I like this idea. My daughter has an 8ft by 4 ft frameless mirror on her wall and she'd like it framed. Now I know how I can do it.

If you have any questions or want pictures, feel free to PM me.

[Yonak Hawkins]

For our mirror, already securely mounted to the wall, I added a maple frame. The corners are mitred. The frame is attached to the wall and the mirror edge using construction adhesive :

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Because wood movement causes the mitred corners to separate, I added cherry corners :

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[Paul Girouard]

Here’s a odd one , but the client loved it:

Rabbeted both piece the lower one was set simply nailed to the wall studs.

Added the rubber spacers ; then dropped the mirror into the lower rabbet.

Then the top rabbeted piece was installed to trap the mirror in place.

Top and mirror border are Spalted Western / Big Leaf Maple.


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[Jim Becker]

Yonak, that looks "stupendous"! Nice work!

[Frederick Skelly]

For our mirror, already securely mounted to the wall, I added a maple frame. The corners are mitred. The frame is attached to the wall and the mirror edge using construction adhesive :

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Because wood movement causes the mitred corners to separate, I added cherry corners :

That looks really nice with your vanity. Thanks Yonak!
Fred

[Frederick Skelly]

Here’s a odd one , but the client loved it:

Rabbeted both piece the lower one was set simply nailed to the wall studs.

Added the rubber spacers ; then dropped the mirror into the lower rabbet.

Then the top rabbeted piece was installed to trap the mirror in place.

Top and mirror border are Spalted Western / Big Leaf Maple

That's really unique Paul. I like it!
Fred

[Yonak Hawkins]

Thanks, Jim and Fred.