Giving an old piece of furniture new life is so satisfying. I just love that feeling of knowing I’ve taken something that might have otherwise been junk, and turned it into something useful and beautiful. Upcycling this old mirror has been on my docket for quite a long time.
While cleaning out my parents old barn a couple of summers ago, I came across this mirror. I had to put up a bit of a fight for it, my mom wasn’t sure she was ready to let it go. I had been eyeing it down for several years while it sat in the barn… sad and unused. I decided, that baby is coming home with me one way or another. On my way out of the barn, while struggling to smuggle the mirror which weighs a metric ton, I said to my mother, “nobody is using this thing, i’m taking it home. If you want it back, come and get it from my house.” So now it’s mine.
Upcycled Barn Mirror DIY
I wish the paint on the frame had been a color I liked. It had a perfect natural distressed look from all those years in the barn. Unfortunately it was a pale pink color. I am the only female in the house surrounded by 4 males… we don’t do pink in our house. So it needed a new color.
Step 1
I sanded it down to get rid of all that pink and clear the slate for new paint. This wasn’t truly necessary as the chalk paint I used will adhere to and cover up just about anything. I wanted to get rid of all the pink so it wouldn’t show through when I distressed the new paint. If there were any pits or dents I didn’t fill them. I was going for a bit of a roughed up look, so the dents and pits added to the effect I was going for.
Step 2
To prepare for painting I wiped everything down to get rid of all the dust from sanding. Then I used Glad Press’n Seal to cover the mirror itself. The Press’n Seal worked great to tape the area where I didn’t want to paint.
Step 3
I really love chalk paint for the ease in application and the great matte finish you can get. I use a homemade chalk paint because it’s super easy and way more affordable than the stuff you buy ready to go. Chalk paint will adhere to just about any surface. It also comes off easily prior to being sealed which makes distressing a snap. It’s as easy as throw on a few coats of paint, wipe or sand off the areas you want to look aged, and voila.
Step 4
Always seal chalk paint with wax to complete the project. I use Johnson’s sealing wax and I’ve always had great results. You can get it from your local hardware store (Home Depot) in the paint department. Scoop up a little with an old rag and rub it onto the painted area. Use enough to give your project a decent covering but don’t gob it on. Wipe off any excess to leave it smooth and not sticky. Wax coating will make your project semi waterproof, but not 100%. If your painting something that will get wet you may want to give it additional coats of wax from time to time.
Giving an old piece of furniture new life is so satisfying. I just love that feeling of knowing I’ve taken something that might have otherwise been junk, and turned it into something useful and beautiful. If there is something laying around your house that’s outdated and worn, why not breath new life into that old stuff. A simple coat of paint can work wonders. What will you paint this summer?
