How To Paint A Mirror Frame GOLD

Rub n Buff mirror makeover for a Paris room

The perfect mirror for my Parisian bedroom makeover needed a good dose of glamour. Well, yes, it needed a good 'ol coat of gold paint, and I was delighted at how easy and inexpensive this little makeover turned out to be.

As some of you already know, I'm working to bring style and glamour to the renter's room on the left side of the picture below. The room belongs to one of my daughter's friends, and she wanted it transformed into a Paris room.

A few weeks ago, I went to install a Paris gallery wall; you can read everything about it right HERE.

One wall was checked off the to-do list, leaving three more walls still waiting for some pretties.

There's this little wall in between the bathroom and closet doors that sported a frameless mirror. Nothing wrong with it, just a bit too cold. At first, I thought of adding a frame to the mirror and gluing it in place. But hey, I went another route with this mirror situation.

This is one of those cases where it pays to be a hoarder. ;)

Several years ago, I scored this mirror on Craigslist. It was used there in my dining room for the longest time until I built the bookcases and bench/desk, and that's when it was sent to the furthest corner of our basement to be forgotten... Well, until now!

I like this mirror, it's an antique, it's HEAVY.

I love the simple, curvy lines, the details at each corner, and the middle section.

The white paint did no justice to all those beautiful details.

The mirror was dug out from the basement, and here it was ready to get the glam treatment it deserved.

*This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

You can watch the video below or continue reading for all the details about this mirror makeover.

The materials and tools you'll need:

Painter's tape
Black matte paint - The one I used was Rust-oleum charcoal-gray Chalked paint
Rub'n Buff - I used Antique Gold and Gold Leaf
Soft Brush
Cotton rag
120-grit sandpaper if you're not using chalk paint.

Instructions:

1. PROTECT THE MIRROR

The first task is to protect the mirror from getting any paint. I used painter's tape alongside the frame. I didn't cover the center of the mirror as I was going to apply the paint with a brush.

2. SAND THE FRAME

I skipped this step because I used chalk paint, which adheres to any type of finish. If you use acrylic paint, it's best to lightly sand the surface to remove any glossy finish on the frame. Sanding or lightly roughening the surface will improve the bond of the new coat of paint.

3. GIVE THE FRAME A COAT OF BLACK PAINT

As you can see, the paint I used is not exactly black. It was the darkest matte paint I could find when I decided to paint this mirror. Which happened at around 1 a.m. a few weeks ago.

Most of that dark paint will be hidden below the next coat of paint, underneath the gold.

This dark shade will be visible only in the detailed areas and crevices, adding depth and character to the entire mirror.

No need for perfection, applying this dark coat of paint. Make sure you tap the brush to cover those low spots in the corners and the middle-section details.

Let the paint dry before continuing on to the next step.

4. APPLY THE RUB'N BUFF

Let me start this step by telling you what Rub'n Buff is. According to its manufacturer, Amaco, Rub'n Buff is "formulated from Carnauba waxes, fine metallic powders, and select pigments for a finish no paint can duplicate".

When applying it, yes, it felt like I was applying wax with excellent coverage. You can apply it to clean, dry surfaces with a soft cloth or even with your fingers, but I used a soft brush, which worked out really nicely.

This small tube (15 ml) was more than enough to paint the entire frame.

White mirror turned golden with rub n buff

I squeezed the Rub'n Buff onto the brush bristles and started painting the frame.

The main advice I can give you on how to paint a frame like this is to apply the first strokes to the flat surfaces of the frame.

You want most of that product to provide you with complete coverage on those flat surfaces.

After a few strokes, and when your brush doesn't have much product on it, go and work on those details.

Remember that you want the dark paint to peek through on those low-detailed areas.

It goes fast because, as I said, the Rub'n Buff has good coverage.

I tried two colors: Antique Gold and Gold Leaf.

I liked the Gold Leaf because it's slightly lighter than the Antique Gold. Although hard to notice, at least in the middle of the night, as it was when working on this project.

5. BUFF IT

By the time I finished painting the frame, the first area I painted was already dry. Even though it mainly dries as soon as you apply the product.

I used a cotton rag, which I forgot to mention during the video, to buff the entire frame. It gives you a soft sheen that looks very natural.

Well, I brought the mirror to its new destination. Here you can see the unframed mirror to be replaced. And there on the right, I was taking the measurements to install the hardware.

By the way, I used two 50 lb. picture hangers, like the ones you see HERE, to mount this mirror on the wall.