How To Paint A Plastic Mirror Frame To Look Like Wood

Transforming a plastic mirror frame into one with a wood look is super simple with this quick trick.

Come see the simple DIY.


I know it seems as if my bathroom renovation is taking forever. And frankly, it is.

Thanks to a few unexpected bumps - which by the way, should always be expected - the complete lack of a design plan and a weekend warrior DIYer, the project that started April is still not complete as we enter August.

Yes, the bathroom is fully functional. We have a shower curtain, a new vanity and a working sink, but when you love decor, that's only half the battle.

The room isn't finished until it's been fully accessorized and therein lies the rub.

Usually, when I decorate a room, I paint the walls in a bold hue, that alone warms up a space.

It provides the inspiration and the backdrop for rest of the plan.

However this room is white. Very, very white and to be honest, it feels a little cold to this color craving girl.

After years of very dark paint in a room with no windows, I was ready for light and bright, but this is a new challenge for me. Truth be told, I've been kind of stumped.

I could add some interest with a bold shower curtain, but right now, I'm in love with the simple white lace one I have up.

I could also add a few bright towels, but the crochet tipped white ones I found remind so much of the ones my grandmother used to make, I couldn't pass them up either.

Perhaps in the fall, I'll switch it up, but for now, I need to find another way.

And the only other way to do that in this small space, is on the walls.

Enter my mirror dilemma.


Years ago, I found a very sweet mirror at Marshall's for about $15. It was super cheap because it was chipped on top.

Its bright white frame looked so sharp against my red bathroom walls, no one ever noticed...not even the other residents of the house.

When it came time to put it back up, the white frame against white walls did nothing for me. No contrast, no drama. Blah. Plus, new bathroom, new mirror, right?

Well, I thought so. But after combing through the aisles of every home store/ antique store/ thrift shop and garage sale within a ten mile radius, I was empty handed. Nothing compared to its detailed vintage style. Plus it was free.

So I went home and asked my handy husband, the guy who's renovated the entire house, what we could do with it. His reply was swift and definitive.

Hang it up. Looks great. 

Clearly, he was getting to the end of his DIY rope. Happy with the progress we'd made so far and not willing to push, I agreed and it went on the wall.

For about a week. And then it came back down.

Nope, it has to be a wood framed mirror. That white isn't right. The room needs warmth and something that will tie in with the new wooden countertop. This time I was firm.

Ok, I guess we can try to stain it...even though it's not wood, hopefully it will look like wood.

Well that easy and if he was willing to give it a go, so was I.

Of course after fifteen years, he finally noticed the chipped top and decided that had to be fixed before we even opened the can of stain. I was not going to argue with that.

That chip always bugged me.

How To Paint A Plastic Frame Mirror To Look Like Wood

Since the mirror is a composite plastic or resin material, this entire makeover was a bit of a crap shoot, but we went into knowing that it could get ruined along the way. Thankfully, that didn't happen.

1. Sand The Mirror Frame

We tackled the repair first.

I had always thought that we could get some wood filler or putty and build up the low spots, but he had a way better idea.


He remedied it by chopping off a piece on the other side so it was now relatively symmetrical using a small hand saw.

Then he used a file to smooth down the newly cut and old broken ends.


You can see the composite material exposed where the original break and new cuts were made.

You can also use wood filler to repair any chips in your mirror and then sand any spots that needed smoothing.

 2. Tape Off The Mirror

Next, we taped the edges where the mirror met the frame, to avoid a lot of clean up.

We used a thick blue painter's tape for the most coverage.

3. Stain The Mirror Frame

Using a rag he had dipped into a water based stain, he gently rubbed it along the plastic frame.

Rubbing too hard or trying to use too much stain backfired and it just sort of repelled and rubbed away instead of adhering to the frame.


It became very clear, very quickly that several thin coats, that were allowed to dry thoroughly in between were the key.

So that's what we did.

We also made sure to move the rag in one direction to mimic a wood grain, as we did when refinishing wood.

Dabbing, patting, blotting all looked terrible...long straight movements were the key.

We did use a small brush for the detailed work at the top, but again, thin coats, one direction of movement and lots of dry time.

4. Seal The Mirror Frame

Several days later, when we were happy with the color, we contemplated sealing it with a poly spray, but we were afraid it would ruin the wood look finish and give it a cheap plastic feel. We skipped that step.

To test it, I got out my water and vinegar solution and scrubbed it and the stain didn't budge. It was set. Fabulous.

5. Clean The Mirror

The very last step in the process was to clean the glass.

We removed the tape and ran a razor across it to get rid of any of the stain splatter and then we used Cerama Bryte - fast becoming my all time favorite cleaner - to give it a good shine.


It's back up on the wall and I have to say, I'm thrilled with it.

The room is really coming together and those now updated and stenciled walls are beginning to feel a little bit cozier.

I still have a few more finishing touches to add to the room before I can call it completely done.

And even then, it'll only be done for now.

In the fall and probably winter, I get to play all over again.

But hopefully, the weekend warrior will be off the hook.

Maybe.

But don't tell him that.

How do you warm up a white room?