I remember someone here had done one of these and it wasnt so expensive. I know I have seen some kits ar Lowes, and I just did search and this one looks pretty reasonable. I have no knowledge of these, other than being interested in tdoing it one day as well. This one looks like it is under $100.

Here is a link that might be useful: mirr edge

You could buy some moulding and paint it, miter cut it and glue it around the perimiter of the mirror. It will look like a framed mirror. Gorilla Glue would work.

Gabi

Thanks Sheila, I am looking for a wood one, but that is the kind of kit I need!

Gabi, thanks, but like I said, I already tried molding and it doesn't work. It needs a groove in it to cover the brass strip, and I don't have the tools to cut grooves.

How about Mirror Mates? I saw this company used a long time ago on HGTV.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mirror Mate

I think I remember someone saying you could replace the brass piece with a flatter one. Hopefully the person that did that will see this post.

Laurie

I just found an old post that I saved. Unfortunately, I forgot to make a note of who wrote this.

Okay, here goes.
You will need:
- a mitre saw or a mitre box w/saw
- a small hand saw or coping saw (a hacksaw will also work)
- Elmer's wood glue
- paint (I used acrylic latex, craft paint and spray lacquer for a gloss finish)
- small nails
- hammer
- drill
- four corner clamps (Home Depot)
- a 1/2" wood chisel (Home Depot)
- four metal mirror clips (Home Depot)
- clear silicone caulk or silicone aquarium sealer
First, buy a set of metal mirror clips. You'll find these in Home Depot in the "Picture Framing" section. They come two to a package. I used 3/8" clips. The size of the clips is determined by the thickness of your mirror glass. Use the smallest you can get that will hold your mirror to the wall. This is the secret to "working around" the plastic clips, LOL.
Remove the plastic clips and replace them with the metal clips. No, wait -- actually, put the metal clips on FIRST and THEN remove the plastic clips, so the mirror doesn't fall off the wall, LOL.
Depending on the size of your mirror, you might want to use mollies with the clips. (My mirrors are resting on backsplashes, so I wasn't too worried about them falling.) If you use mollies, make sure you get the kind that are flush to the wall.
You're using metal clips because they have a much lower profile. This will be important later.
Two clips on the top and two on the bottom should suffice.
Next, measure the mirror and buy your trim. Give yourself about a foot extra on each side, because you'll have to cut it down for the mitered corners.
Make sure the trim you buy is not warped. You can do this by laying the pieces on the floor at the store. The pieces should lie flat on the floor.
NOTE: You are going to paint and assemble the frame BEFORE you put it up.
Paint the trim BEFORE you cut it. When painting long trim pieces, make sure you put a base coat on BOTH SIDES, front and back, even though you are only going to see one side. If you only paint one side, the wood will warp. (I found THAT out the hard way, LOL.) You can do this if you lay the trim on a couple of paint cans as you paint.
When you have the paint and finish the way you want it, carefully measure your mirror. (If you're new at this sort of thing, you might want to make a mockup of cardboard or craftpaper first, to get the measurements exact.) Remember, you want the edge of the glass to fall about halfway under the frame.
Measure and mark the wood, and carefully cut your four pieces, mitering the corners at 45 degrees.
Sand the cut edges till they're smooth. Don't worry about little chips in your paint, you'll touch these up later.
Before you glue the corners, drill small nail holes in the side corners of the two side pieces only. Drill all the way through. (You will put little nails here after the frame is assembled, for added strength and to prevent twisting.)
Lay the four pieces on a flat surface. (I use the floor) Put the corner clamps at each corner, adjusting them until you're satisfied with all four corners.
Now release the corners, one at a time, applying glue to the edges that will join, and return the corners to the clamp, tightening each corner, one at a time, wiping away excess glue as you go.
Leave the frame to dry over night.
In the morning, remove the corner clamps carefully.
Put four small nails into your four nailholes. Countersink the heads, and if they are going to show, fill them.
With fine sandpaper or steel wool, smooth off any flaws. Using an artist's brush, touch up any part of the corners that need to be touched up. Let this dry.
Try your frame onto the mirror. You will see that the frame still doesn't lie quite flat to the mirror because of the clips. Using a pencil, mark the back of the frame where the clips interfere with the frame.
Using a small handsaw and the wood chisel, chip away just enough wood from the back of the frame so that the frame will lie flat to the mirror. This is easier than it sounds... it's a very small bit of wood and you don't have to be too delicate about it because it's on the back of the frame and no one will ever see it.
When you've chipped out your four small bits of wood, the frame should now lie flat to the glass!
Clean the mirror and the back of the frame very well. Apply a bead of silicone adhesive to the back of the frame -- not too close to the inner edge, because you don't want the silicone to show in the mirror -- and press the frame to the glass.
Stand there and hold the frame to the mirror for twelve hours.
Okay, not really. This last bit is kind of hard to describe... I contrived several lengths of scrap wood and gallon paint cans as braces to hold the frame pressed to the wall until it cured.
I wish I had pictures of the process, sorry.
I hope I haven't scared anyone off. Let me know if I've been too obscure and I'll try and help.
Good luck and let me know how you do!
And when you apply the glue (or in my case, the silicone adhesive) you apply it along the center of the frame, not at the edges. And don't use too much glue, or it will smoosh to the edges, and if it does, you'll be able to see it.

Laurie

HEy- Did you see that Will Smith from a previous season of Design Star is on that Mirror Mate link? LOL

I had the same dilemma when I redid my powder bath. I had this very large, perfectly good mirror, but I wanted one with a frame around it to update the bath.

Mirror mates was so expensive, the Lowe's kits were ugly and the trim width narrower than I wanted. The instructions above are good, but alot of work!

I went to Lowe's and Garden Ridge (which is a local home decor store). I found mirrors there for $60 that were as big as my old non framed mirror. I took the old mirror down, put it out on the curb and someone took it away before the trash man came!

It was actually MUCH cheaper to just go buy a new framed mirror than trying to work with the one I had.

Jesemy, the Mirrormate is exactly what I am looking for! It is $144 for the size I need, cheaper than getting a mitre saw and all the other tools and making it from scratch. And they have the cherry wood that matches our cabinets which I don't think I could match if I made them myself.

The brass strip at the bottom of our mirror is impossible to get off even if I wanted to make this myself; it is boxed in at the ends by a wall on one side and the shower glass on the other end, and it is too tightly fit on the bottom to slide down off the mirror. I know I would end up cracking the mirror. The Mirrormate covers the strip which is what I need.

Thanks for everyone's help!

I ordered Mirrormate frames for two bathroom mirrors and they really look great and update the rooms wonderfully. I was very pleased with them and the service.

I'd like to ask those that have installed the frames if there is a gap when you view the mirror from the side? My room extends to the left of the counter/mirror and as one sits on the toilet they can see the left side of the mirror. I would love to frame this mirror, but I really don't care to see a gap and the raw edge of my mirror behind it! :(

My solution may end up being the same as carol's. It'd be much cheaper than me buying a router to countersink the edges and u-channel.

Installation tips:
The u-channel on the bottom of the mirror is usually always nailed in, so you wouldn't be able to remove it without removing the mirror.
If you have mirror clips and want to leave the mirror and install the frame, then remove the clips and lean the mirror forward just enough to place some construction adhesive behind it. Replace the clips until the glue dries, then remove them to install the frame. Just make sure the type adhesive you use is safe for mirrors.

Apply the molding so that it overhangs all the mirror's edges. Then apply caulk between the molding and the wall, which will completely hide the brass and give your mirror a nice built-in look.