Tall “X” DIY Mirror

I am frequently asked about my living room mirrors and everyone is always surprised when I tell them they are actually a DIY project I did a few years ago. When we first moved into our new home I realized the living room needed a statement piece. I tried to find tall designer inspired mirrors but just couldn’t bring myself to spend a chunk of money on them, so I set out to try and make what I had envisioned for a fraction of the cost!!

Supply list:
Cut to 57.5″ x 23″ 
This can be customized a bit depending on the size mirror you get
TIP: If you don’t have a large saw to cut the plywood some Home Depots will cut it for FREE or Lowe’s does cuts for a small fee.

I found mine on a local classifieds page but Home Depot sells wood that looks similar
They come in a few different sizes so you can pick the size you like best, I used the 2.5″ size

– Wood trim
1.5″ wide and .25″ thick

– Wood Glue
– Black paint
Tool List:
– Miter saw
– Sander or sand paper
– Clamps
– Nail gun or hammer & nails
STEP 1:
The first thing you want to do is paint your cut pieces of plywood that you will attach your mirror to  as well as your trim pieces, let them dry while you make your other cuts.
STEP 2:
Next cut the barnwood to frame out your piece of plywood. Remember to cut the corners at a 45 degree angle. Frame out all sides of the plywood.
STEP 3:
Then cut the trim pieces to make the X’s on the mirror. Divide the height of the mirror into 3 equal sections. Make three equal size boxes with the trim. Don’t glue anything down yet.
STEP 4: 
Now to make the X’s you will need to measure each box on a diagonal (do each one separately because the boxes can vary in size slightly). Cut the diagonal trim pieces so they fit into the corners of the boxes. The best way to do this is to trace the angles on the wood and cut them on the saw. Repeat this step for all three boxes.
STEP 5:
Now it’s time to put everything together!! Lay out your wood trim pieces on the mirror. Once you get them how you want, take some clear silicone adhesive and glue each piece down to the mirror. Depending on how tight fitting your wood trim pieces meet up you may want to fill the small gaps with wood filler.
STEP 6:
Then attach your mirror to the plywood. Use the same adhesive on the back of the mirror and glue it down to the middle of the plywood.
STEP 7:
Next attach your barnwood frame! Take each piece you have already cut and attach it with some wood glue. Then take your clamps and clamp the wood down while you secure each piece with a few nails.

STEP 8:
When the glue has dried, sand the wood filler (if you used it) touch up the paint and add the flat braces to each corner. The final step is to add the hanging hardware. There are many ways you can do this. I like to drive 2 screws several inches apart into the back of the wood and connect them with picture hanging wire.
          
That’s it, your done, and now you have a beautiful custom mirror without the designer price tag!!
-Grey Birch Designs-

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