DIY driftwood mirror frame (with no nails or screws)

I am pretty tickled about how today’s project turned out, mostly because last month seemed to be DIY disaster month for me. I encountered problem after problem in April with nearly every stinkin’ thing I tried! Fortunately, I think I may have broken my unlucky streak (at least for now) because this project came together fairly painlessly.

If you recall, I recently added a driftwood finish to some pine boards using a concoction of vinegar and steel wool followed by a few coats of liming wax.

Driftwood-technique-with-liming-wax

(For instructions on how to create a driftwood finish, click here.) My goal was to create a mirror frame for the master bathroom out of the boards.

Before building the frame, I needed to replace the two small, outdated mirrors in the master bathroom with one larger mirror. So I took down the old mirrors.

Removing-old-mirrors

There you are again “Miami Vice” pink …

I cleaned the wall really well and removed all screws. Then I asked the hubs to help me mount the mirror on the wall using mirror adhesive.

Mirror-adhesive

The large mirror we used was formerly collecting dust in our basement. I think the contractor who built the house left it there because it had a chip in the corner and he thought it couldn’t be used. Silly contractor. 😉

Chipped-mirror

After I emptied the entire tube of mirror adhesive on the back of the mirror, we hoisted it up and positioned it on the wall, resting it on the sink backsplash. I added tape to the top corners to keep it from falling while the adhesive set overnight.

Mirror-taped

Next came the fun part, building the frame. I used my miter saw to cut four pieces out of the driftwood pine boards: two for the sides of the mirror, one for the top and one for the bottom.

I attached the wood pieces directly to the mirror using Scotch® Outdoor Mounting Tape.

Scotch-Outdoor-Mounting-Tape

I positioned the four boards on the mirror, leaving about a half inch hanging over the outside edges of the mirror (except for the bottom, which rested on the sink backsplash).

Finally, I added a piece of decorative molding to dress up the top of the frame, which included two small pieces that were designed to wrap around the sides of the frame. I adhered these pieces to the main section of molding with wood glue.

Gluing-corners

After the side pieces dried, I stuck the whole molding piece to the frame using mounting tape.

Driftwood-frame-closeup

Here’s the finished mirror and “driftwood” frame:

DIY-driftwood-mirror-right-side

DIY-driftwood-mirror-left-side

Driftwood-mirror-closeup-2

Next up I’ll be installing new lighting and plumbing fixtures. FYI, my new gorgeous faucets have been sitting in my dining room for about a week now. I visit them often, picking them up and caressing them like they’re my own children. I love them that much. (I wish I was kidding, people.)

What do you think of my DIY driftwood mirror frame?

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32 Responses

  1. Gina says:

    That looks great! Love how it’s done without nails!

  2. Brittney says:

    Wow!! This looks great. Thanks for the inspiration. : )

  3. Nancy says:

    Love it!!

  4. Rosie S says:

    Is the tape pretty forgiving if I don’t get the boards on straight the first time? Can I pull it off and reposition easily? I love this no glue/nail option! And I love how you flipped the clock/shell/ pitcher for the pictures! LOL

    • Susan says:

      This tape is super sticky and permanent, so you really only get one good chance to get it right. I had my level handy and slowly eased each piece onto the mirror, not applying ANY pressure until I felt like it was level and looked good. Once you apply pressure, it’s pretty much set for life, I think. BTW, you get bonus points for noticing the accessories flip. 😉

  5. Wow! I love it when a plan comes together! I especially love the decorative molding across the top!

  6. Patricia Routt says:

    I love the way it turned out, I don’t know if I would attempt something like this my skills with a saw are not that great. I have been wanting to do something like that in our guest bath and this is very encouraging. Thank you

  7. Dorth says:

    I love the mirror now. I’d love to try this.

  8. Peggy says:

    Awesome! Love the look the liming gave that wood! And I adore that dreamy paint color!

  9. What a wonderful job you did,can you come to my house?

  10. Leona says:

    That is beautiful!

  11. Beverly says:

    Love the frame and can’t wait to see the process of changing the faucet/fixtures. I have the same ones and I seriously detest them. Maybe if your process goes well, I will get the courage to change mine.

  12. Hi Susan, your beached frame and crown looks gorgeous in your coastal bathroom. I love the paint color and stripes on the wall too. Very pretty!

  13. gail says:

    wow! so easy, but ohhhh so beautiful Susan!!! great job girl!
    pinning!
    gail

    • Nicole says:

      Can you see a gap behind the frame from the wall.ninhave this same mirror and love this look.

      • Susan says:

        This is a great question and one that requires me to explain in some detail. Yes, with my project, there’s a slight gap between the mirror frame and the wall. This is mostly due to the fact that the mirror we used (the leftover in the basement) had old adhesive and drywall paper stuck to the back of it that could not be removed. So I just added more adhesive to the whole thing and stuck it to the wall. As a result of all the old junk stuck on the back, the actual mirror itself stands away from the wall about 1/16″. Add in there the thickness of the mirror glass and I would estimate that our frame sits a little over 1/8″ away from the wall. BUT if you have a mirror without old junk stuck on it, the gap between the frame and the mirror should barely be noticeable at all. 😉 In fact, I used a pro frame from Mirror Mate in our guest bath and the tiny gap between the frame and the wall is no prob at all. Hope this helps.

        • Nicole says:

          Thanks so much. This response does help.

        • Carolyn says:

          You did a beautiful job with the mirror and trim. I’ve been wanting to do the same thing in my master bathroom. The big mirror is already on the wall. To fill in the gap on the side, why not use caulking.

  14. Carolyn says:

    Please add me to your email subscription. Thanks

  15. Lou Ann says:

    I love this look. We have a large mirror in our master bath and I was going to take it down for 2 smaller ones. After seeing what you did to transform your mirror my husband and I are going to do the same thing with our mirror.

  16. Brenda says:

    I absolutely love your mirror. I already have a large mirror on the wall and have been wanting to update it. I can never find a handyman (costly) and no hubby to help me out. I’m a senior but I think that I could do this. Thanks for the wonderful idea You get an A+.

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