How To Frame A Bathroom Mirror

There are many options on the market today for homeowners with or without the proper carpentry skills and tools. 

I am going to show you how I made a frame for my bathroom mirror using a miter saw, but don’t fret because at the end of the post I am going to show you how EASY it is to do without a miter saw, too.

Here is my bathroom mirror before:  Just a plain mirror, actually two placed together.  It lacks any style, but I am going to change that.   The mirrors were originally hung with Mirror Mastic – which is a glue that won’t bleed through to the mirrored finish.

Supplies Needed:

• Mdf(primed) Baseboard Moulding with Cap  19/32” x 5-1/4”
• Miter Saw
• Paint
• Paint Brush
• Caulk
• Liquid Nails and Caulk Gun
• Pencil
• Measuring tape

1. I went to Lowe’s  with my mirrors measurements. I needed 3 pieces of primed Base with Cap moulding that I found in the moulding aisle.

The actual moulding I used.

2. I first had to measure the mirror and wall and cut 4 pieces of moulding to fit using a miter saw.  I set the miter saw on a 45 degree angle.  Since my mirror is a big rectangle I needed 2- long pieces – top and bottom and 2 -shorter pieces for the left and right side of the mirror.

3. Once your moulding is cut, you need to paint the back of the molding near the top edge so the unfinished back won’t be reflected in the mirror when the moulding is installed.

4. Once that is dry, flip to the right side and paint one or two coats on all of your pieces.  I used Sherwin Williams paint in Alabaster.

5. To frame the mirror:   Starting with the bottom piece, apply Liquid Nails to the back.  I had the counter top backsplash to automatically level the piece. If you don’t have this – use a bubble level and mark with tape or a pencil where to place the moulding to make sure it is level.  Liquid Nails dries quickly and you don’t have much time from the time you apply it to get it in place on the wall.

6. Once the bottom piece is level and securely on the wall - add the side pieces in the same way and then the top piece last.

 7. If your mitered joints don’t match perfectly – caulk will be your best friend and make you look like a professional carpenter.  I like to use Dap Alex Plus Easy Caulk.  The only place I can find it anymore is at Wal-Mart.  It is the best caulk as you don’t need a caulk gun and the container makes it so easy to use - no mess.

8. When you cut the nozzle on the tip of the caulk container- cut it on an angle and then just run the tip along the joint.  Pretend it is a can of whipped crème and you have to add it to the joint.    After the caulk is in the joint, run a wet finger over the line to smooth.   If needed you can touch the area up with paint after caulk is dry.

Joint After

After

Now if you like the way the moulding transformed the look of the mirror, but are thinking that you don’t have a miter saw or the skills to do this yourself – READ ON about how easy No-Miter Moulding is to work with.

 Lowe’s and Home Depot both sell No-Miter Moulding.  It is so easy to use and a bit more decorative then the plain molding I used to frame my mirror.  It eliminates difficult miter cuts, waste, and carpentry skills.  It is a DIY’ers dream. 

It comes unfinished

And primed – I like using the primed – one less step for me to complete.

It goes together like this- a block at each corner with baseboard or trim moulding on top, bottom, and sides of mirror.

All you have to do is measure your mirror – width and height and take those measurements to the home improvement center. Pick your block and subtract the size of each block from the size from your mirror measurements.  Example:  Say your mirror is 64-inches long and you chose a 4- inch square block for the corners.  Subtract 4 –inches x 2 to get the length of the board that will go between them. It would be 56- inches) 

Have your baseboard/trim moulding cut to that size.  Now when you get home, all the pieces  - 4 blocks and 4 pieces of baseboard/trim just have to be nailed up to the wall using Liquid Nails.  EASY!

 Home Improvement stores will make straight cuts on wood for you – some may charge you 50 cents a cut, but most will do it for you for free. 

Once you are successful and see how easy it is to frame out a mirror, you will be looking at every room of your home to see where you can apply your new skills.  The hardest part of using No-Miter Moulding will be deciding what decorative pieces and corner blocks to use.