Does anyone know how to refresh an old mirror?

Question

Got a very old mirror, it shows his age.  I want to refresh it, not change it.  I've heard that you can use some product to polish it but I don't know what.

Rebecca Ruge · Answer

There is a 'Mirror' spray paint you could try..... Rust-Oleum and Krylon both make a mirror paint.

Barbara · Answer

Once an old mirror's silver starts to break down it can't be fixed, however it can all be scraped off and you will have a piece of glass that can be re-mirrored.

Melody · Answer

I agree with both Barbra and Rebecca, take all the 'old' silver off the back and then have it re-mirrored, I would say if you want to do it your self take an old 'glass, plate or something clear' spray it with the mirror finish paint and let it dry to see if you get the effect you want BEFORE doing it to the precious pice you want to bring back to life.

Twila Lockwood · Answer

If you don't want to ruin the value of an antique mirror, mount a new one behind it.

Dexter · Answer

Actually mirrors have a silver nitrate coating and then are painted to protect the silvering from being damaged.
You can strip the back paint off and then would want to desilver the glass. Don’t use a scraper or steel wool it will scratch your glass, the only mirrors that are worth resilvering are the bevel edged ones. If it has a cut edge it’s cheaper to replace.
Look at glass companies in your town some offer resilvering, also can buy the items to do it yourself.

Moc8293440 · Answer

Find 
Amway products do well

Jeff · Answer

In the late 1970's, back before 'green' was a concern, I was employed at a shop that restored old antique mirrors.  We placed them in a vat, soaked them in battery acid, rinsed them well, and scraped the old backing off, by hand, with a single edge razor. The original mirror was then 'backed' by another piece of plate mirror. Not sure this method would be approved in todays world, but it does work.

Merilee · Answer

The huge mirrors that were and still are used in bathrooms or on closet doors-if the edges look bad from water or getting 'used' they can be cut off at a glass shop and reused.

Melody · Answer

Nancy, I was trying to get back to you when you ask me if I know where to go or who to go to for (re-silvering the mirror)... I've never been to Canada so I have no idea what you have available for resources but I would say check with a jeweler, a glass cutter

Dexter · Answer

http://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/bathrooms/repair-or-resilver-a-mirror/ This is the place I would use for resilvering, excellent work. Hy-Lite Mirror & Glass 1416 NW 51st St Seattle WA 98107

Bec7991430 · Answer

Apply ground pumice to the backside, like ball players put on their hands.

B. Enne · Answer

I don't know where you live specifically, but these names came up during a search: http://www.fricksresilvering.com/ http://www.flintstoneglassandmirror.ca/about.asp http://www.howtodothings.com/home-garden/how-to-resilver-a-mirror http://interiordesign.lovetoknow.com/How_to_Resilver_a_Mirror

Kathy · Answer

Yes, let my sister look in it until it breaks.

Does anyone know how to refresh an old mirror?

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Does anyone know how to refresh an old mirror?

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