How to Resilver a Bathroom Mirror

Does your bathroom mirror have dark spots or black edges?

It’s because of the constant exposition of the mirror to moisture.

It results in potential damage to the silver backing.

These spots cannot be restrained.

If you want your glass to serve as a new, you can either buy a new one or resilver it by yourself.

Check: List of the Best Bathroom Mirrors

How To Resilver A Bathroom Mirror

Re-silvering is a critical process and won’t be cheap.

So, are you ready to spend on a re-silvering kit?

If yes, then you must know how to do it first.

You have to use some chemicals like nitric acid [1], silver nitrate, copper, etc. to follow this process.

Also, proper attention is necessary for avoiding any kind of accident.

Check out this video tutorial on how to resilver a mirror at home.

Here are some simple steps on how to resilver your bathroom mirror.

1. Wipe Away the Backing

Removal of the old coating is the first step of re-silvering.

There is a faded and painted surface on the backside of the mirror that protects the copper and silver coating.

This part is needed to remove at first.

For removing this coating, you need a special type of paint strippers.

Make sure that your stripper is usable on the glass.

You also can use a paint remover.

You will find different industrial-grade paint removal like Dumond Chemicals, Inc. 3301 Smart Strip Advanced Paint Remover.

The removers are easily applicable and can be applied by roller, brush, or sprayer.

After applying it, the surface needs to be cleaned with a munificent amount of solvent.

During this process, safety is a primary concern because of the presence of harsh chemicals.

Also, there is a risk of cutting your hand by the rough glass edges.

You can use a face mask and hand gloves for your safety.

If you can manage or have any painters’ respirator like 7 in 1 Half Facepiece Reusable 6200 Respirator Suit for 6200 Gas Spray Painting Protection Respirator, that will be great.

 

2. Remove the Real Silver

Next, you will need nitric acid to remove the actual silver coating that caused black spots on your mirror.

Avoid using dilute nitric acid as it won’t help in removing the silver.

Use moderate strong ones for a better service.

Be careful as well as follow proper safety and guideline to conduct this step because the acid can cause a different kind of irritation.

Also, dispose of these harmful chemicals properly otherwise they will cause pollution.

3. Clean the Surface Area

After removing the original silver, it’s important for you to clean the glass surface thoroughly.

If not, there will be blemishes in the complete product as well as the newly applied silver will not bond properly to the glass.

So, it’s very indispensable to carry away any dirt, debris, or materials that will come between the glass and silver.

Be sure to remove any fibers from the cleaning cloth or cleaning solution residue.

In this case, you can avoid such cleaning solutions that may create a film or residue on the surface and can use purified water to polish and clean it up.

READ MORE: How to Fix Mirror Desilvering

Also, don’t forget to dispel your fingerprints and smudges.

It’s better not to touch the surface with your hand. You may have to repeat all these processes again if you don’t smudge-free mirror after re-silvering.

So, be careful!

4. Re-apply the Silver

This is the step where you will resilver your bathroom mirror for a new look.

For this, you need to place your mirror glass in a steady hand or place.

Then you have to take the silver nitrate from your re-silvering [2] kit and mix it with other chemicals as the instruction paper.

Once your silver is ready, you can pour it into a spray bottle to spray it all over the backside of your mirror.

If you don’t want to prepare this spray on your own, then you can buy mirror spray (such as Rust-Oleum 267727 Specialty Mirror Spray, 6-Ounce, Silver) that can be used directly.

You have to evenly coat this silver nitrate spray on the surface and it will bond directly with the glass.

The mixer will turn clear and silver after it has been dried fully.

According to some experts, it takes 24 to 48 hours to dry completely.

In the case of mirror spray, it may take less time than it.

5. Add the Copper Coating

To seal the silver, you have to add copper paint on it after it has dried entirely.

This copper coating acts as a first layer of protection that prevents silver from damaging over time and create black edges.

You can buy liquid copper paint from any home recovery shop or you can buy spray paint like Rust-Oleum 7273830 Stops Rust Metallic Spray Paint, 11 oz, Copper.

Give a proper finish to your glass.

6. Add a Final Layer of Protection

After copper paint, apply the final layer of protection to prevent any damage and scratches to the reflecting coating.

For this, you have to cover the metallic layer with a grey paint (such as Rust-Oleum 249115 Painter’s Touch 2X Ultra Cover, 12-Ounce, Dark Gray) that will generate faded backing to your mirror.

If one coating doesn’t give proper dull appearance then put on another coating.

It’s not an overnight procedure, so give proper time to dry and cure each coat before applying another layer.

After this step, you will get a bathroom mirror that will be as effective as a new one!

Related: How To Fix A Scratched Mirror

Final Words

By following these steps, you can resilver any mirror including the bathroom mirror, and transfer it into a completely new one.

Of course, don’t forget to check any fault or scratch on the mirror, otherwise, all your labor will go in vain.

Remember to buy the chemicals and backing paint of good quality to ensure the process.

It will be easy for you to apply this procedure practically.

If you do so, then share your experience with us without any hesitation.

Resources

1. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Nitric-acid#:~:text=Nitric%20acid%20is%20a%20nitrogen,conjugate%20acid%20of%20a%20nitrate.
2. https://www.westdean.org.uk/study/school-of-conservation/blog/metalwork/restoring-a-mirror-a-method-of-re-silvering