How To: Antique Mirror

How To: Antique Mirror

Inspiration:

Materials Needed:

• Amy Howard At Home Mirror Stripper
• Amy Howard At Home Antique Mirror Solution
• Appropriate gloves for stripping mirror backing paint
• Paint roller
• Safety goggles 
• T-shirt rags
• Kraft paper
• Water source (for rinsing)
• Degreaser
• Small plastic container
• Amy Howard At Home One Step Paint

How To Instructions:
1. Find a well ventilated area for working. You will need a water source for rinsing mirror during the antiquing process. The work area should be protected by plastic tarp or an area that will not be damaged by mirror stripper. Temperature must be above 70 degrees F for the process to work.
2. Place mirror face down on a non abrasive surface. 
3. Put on safety goggles and appropriate gloves to protect from stripper.
4. Shake well Amy Howard At Home Mirror Stripper. Apply stripper to mirror backing paint and promptly roll out stripper with paint roller. You should have a uniform layer of stripper approximately 1/16” thick with total coverage of mirror back. Better to have a little more than less. 
5. The backing paint will begin to bubble up and is ready to remove when entire back has bubbled up. This usually takes minutes to complete.
6. Take a piece of kraft paper slightly larger than mirror and lay it on the bubbled mirror backing paint and lightly pat it down. Slowly lift the kraft paper. The backing paint will lift up on the kraft paper. If any backing paint is left on the mirror, apply small amount of stripper on backing paint, wait five minutes and place piece of kraft paper on that area and remove remaining backing paint.
7. The silver of the mirror is now exposed. Be careful not to scratch the silver during the following processes.
8. Once backing paint is removed, rinse the stripper from mirror with water source. A water hose is best in an area where water can run off and stripper will not damage.
9. Spray degreaser on back of mirror where the backing paint was removed and use rag to wipe off any excess stripper. Be very gentle cleaning to prevent scratching through the exposed silver.
10. Rinse well to remove degreaser and allow mirror to dry.
11. Shake well Amy Howard At Home Antique Mirror Solution and pour amount to be used in a small plastic container large enough to put soft cotton cloth in for application of solution.
12. Soak rag in container of Antique Solution. Apply, gently, solution with saturated cloth on the exposed silver. Use very small circular motion and apply over the entire area. Continue to apply until silver is stays wet. Allow to set 5-10 minutes. The silver will turn dark during this process, but you will need to lift and look at front of mirror to see how intense the antiquing process is occurring. 
13. Continue to apply more Antiquing Solution to promote the antiquing process, checking the front of the mirror to see desired effect. This will take approximately 30 minutes but is dependent on temperature (the warmer the work area, the faster the process). For darker antique mirror, continue application of solution.
14.When mirror has reached desired effect, rinse antique solution with water source and allow to dry.
15. Apply Amy Howard At Home One Step Paint with a roller brush. Two thin coats for best results. Allow first coat to dry to the touch before applying second coat. Black is the best color for this, but can use other colors to get different affects.
16. Enjoy the bragging rights!

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