If your favourite mirror seems to have gotten cracked or broken during your move but you don’t really know if it’s possible to replace it, we’ll tell you all about the possibilities for making it look like new again.
Carefully remove the broken pieces
To move the possible glass debris without injuring yourself, the trick is to place a spatula under the pieces by the cracks, if these are still attached to the rest of the mirror, and pry with the spatula to remove them. You should be precise and take great precautions so you don’t scratch or break other parts of the mirror or hurt yourself. If the mirror is too badly damaged and no longer usable, you can also lift it up and take it out completely using the spatula, taking care not to slice open your fingers and protecting the frame from cuts. This will let you take your frame to a mirror replacement specialist.
Clean, examine, and replace the frame
Before packing up and transporting the rest of your mirror, you can examine and clean the frame for debris from the mirror, which could damage it during the trip from your house to the repairer. Depending on the type of frame and the damage it has sustained, a professional can remove all the broken parts, scrub the support with a solvent suitable for the frame’s materials, and clean the whole surface so the frame can accommodate the new mirror as before. This operation will be possible only if the frame itself hasn’t been damaged. If the frame of your mirror is damaged, it’s possible to rebuild part of the frame by creating a custom moulding and changing the back of the frame, but it’s also possible to completely reframe a new mirror by specifying the desired dimensions. In conclusion, replacing a mirror is possible if the frame isn’t too damaged; otherwise, it’s best to mould or replace the frame at the same time as the mirror glass.
Choose the thickness and type of glass for your new mirror
Mirrors are available in different thicknesses ranging from 2 to 8 mm, but the most commonly used thicknesses are 5 mm and 6 mm. Mirrors less than 3 mm thick are stylish but extremely fragile and therefore not easy to transport. It should also be noted that, depending on the type of frame chosen, the thickness of the mirror should be adjusted to it, but also to its functionality. Here are some recommendations for choosing the thickness of a mirror:
- Bathroom mirror: Choose a frame and mirror that’s 5 mm thick with polished edges that aren’t sharp and a silver colour that can be seen properly from all angles.
- Entrance, living room, or dining room mirror: If it’s a decorative mirror whose goal is to embellish but also to brighten and give a new dimension to a room, it should be a slightly more imposing mirror. In this case, choose a large mirror that’s at least 5 mm thick with polished edges. You can also indulge yourself by choosing other glass colours, such as grey, black effect, or antique effect.
If you’re superstitious and think breaking a mirror will bring you 7 years of bad luck, follow these steps and your mirror will be stronger than before it cracked. After these three actions, your mirror will again be capable of reflecting your image!
