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Letter 18676
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+++ WHAT IS THE METHOD AND MATERIALS YOU NEED TO MAKE A MODERN MIRROR LOOK LIKE AN ANTIQUE VENETIAN MIRROR-I.E. WITH STREAKS, SPATTERS, FOGGING, ETC.-SO THAT IT LOOKS LIKE IT HAS AGED NATURALLY OVER TIME. Lisa G
+++ Brian greenspan of New York promises to antique any mirror you take in - unfortunately, I live in England so this is impossible for me to do! If anyone has the address of a London antique mirroring outfit I'd like to have it. I would also be prepared to try antiquing a mirror myself but as all your other letters ask, How do you do it??? What chemicals do you us? I'd love to know! stella W
+++ The questions that were already posted about redoing old mirrors or finishing regular mirrors while antiquing them are among the same that I have; however, I did not see any answers to the questions that were posted. If anyone can help please do. Thank you. Ace B Ed. note: Please see the banner ad at the top of this page, Ace. |
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++++ To antique a mirror - FIRST be sure you have adequate ventilation AND protective respirator that is rated for more than dust and mist. You need the type that will protect you from chemicals, but not as sophisticated as to protect from light solvents. Use protective gloves [link is to product info at Amazon] and eye protection (goggles [link is to product info at Amazon]) too. First, remove the "paint" backing that protects the silvering by using an ordinary paint remover such as the stripper commonly used on wood furniture. Then, use NITRIC ACID which will remove the silvering by spattering it on the exposed silvering. This can be accomplished using an old toothbrush, dipping it in the acid solution and then brushing across another object (preferably plastic or glass) to flip small, random droplets onto the surface of the silvering. You can also put the acid exactly where you want it with a toothpick or for larger "damaged" areas, just pour a very small amount onto the place you want to remove the silver. The longer the nitric stays on the surface, the more damage it will do. This stuff is STRONG and works quickly. Dilute it with distilled water until you achieve a strength that works for your purpose. Start weak and work to stronger. Mirrors can't successfully be re-silvered in patches. Nitric acid is available at laboratory supplies, chemical supply houses. Don't put it in contact with ANY metal. my full name is GAIL
(legally!)
++++ Gail, thank you for giving us an answer. I knew there was somebody out there that had to know. I am going to follow your instructions on a project, I can't wait to see how it turns out. Once again, many thanks, Belinda Amedee
++++ Hello all, I am a designer and am interested in working with mirrors that have transparent panels in them. Nothing complicated, but I am looking for a way to remove the silver backing from a rectangle in the middle of a mirror to be able to show an image through the middle, from behind. I have seen several suggestions of chemicals, such as nitric acid, however I assume that these chemicals are hard to mask off. Can anyone advise me of a suitable way to do this, or of a premixed solution made for the purpose that I may be able to get my hands on? Many thanks. Tobias |
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To expose a window in the middle of mirror , you can set a border
using masking tape , strip the paint backing with paint remover that
only contains waxy suspension of Halogenated Alkyl ( in some case
Methyl Chloride or else ), after paint totally removed , clean the
waxy leftover , and with the tape border still attached , just remove
the silvering using a metal polishing PASTE product like
Autosol Metal Polish
[link is to product info at Eastwood] and brass cleaner
like Brasso [link is to product info at Amazon] or silver
polishing paste. To achieve antique effect , the main principles is
to expose the silvering layer from behind, and use vary chemical to
achieve different effect. To get "sepia" color , use diluted Black
and white Photochemical for B/W pictures, that is compatible with
silver system. Because Black and white sepia photos pigmentation
mostly based on Organic Silver Complex. To make brown , use Sulphur
salt (Sodium Thiosulphate , Dithiosulphate and combined with
perchlorates ).
Good luck guys.....
Wen An-Lee
furniture & interior metal crafter - Semarang, Central Java,
Indonesia
Not having any success with making sepia or brown tones on mirror. New at this so forgive the dumb questions but: 1) is final "mirror" side the silver-treated side or the plain glass side? 2) Which black and white photo chemical gives sepia tone ?--developer or another one? 3) You have to re-paint the "back" side again, yes? With what? Black acrylic paint? Any suggestions greatly appreciated!
Jan Holland
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
I have developed a simple process for producing an "antique" effect using new mirror material. The tarnish/distress effects can be controlled and the look is very realistic. The concentrate will make 2 gallons of solution that can treat up to 300 sq. ft. of mirror surface.
Patent applied for: US # 10711183.

Timothy Poe
Timothy Poe
Studio - Birmingham, Alabama
DEAR SIR,
I WANT TO MAKE MIRRORS ANTIQUED FROM THE BACK , MIRRORS THAT LOOK OLD WITH SOME ANTIQUE STAINS , WHAT ARE THE MATERIAL OR PRODUCT USED TO DO THESE MIRRORS AND HOW TO DO THEM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
MAY KAZMA
INTERIOR ARCHITECT - TOURISM AREA, ABU DHABI, U.A.E.
Dear sir
Thanks for information and I know to silver colour antique mirror
making but I want to different color making. like that brown . yes u
tell to brown is making to used to sulphur salt (sodium
thiosulphate,dithiosulphate and combined with perchlorates)but how
can i can make?
what is the mixing another acid please tell me the details
ok thanks for information
Abul Rasheed Noushad
- Kuwait
All you need is Goof Off [link is to product info at Amazon] and Steel Wool [link is to product info at Rockler] (a fine grade)
Emily Banks
- Sandy, Utah
What effect does the goof off and steel wool achieve??
Is it comparable to the above options??
Lisa Naro
- Marlton, New Jersey
I understand that antiquing mirror is quite easy. Just strip the back with a metal stripper, wipe on liquid Draino or splatter. Dry and Paint to seal. Has anyone used this technique?
Hillary Hamilton
- Texas
I hesitate to claim that something is easy until I've done it, Hillary :-)
Please get back to us after you've done it! :-)
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I have stripped the back off a mirror and I want to create a fog or slight gray effect when viewed from the front side.
Charlie Taylor
shop - Dallas, Texas
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February 20, 2008 I am trying to tarnish the silver on a mirror without removing the silver from the glass. Any way to do this? Christopher
Carnino
July 22, 2008 This is a simple one for antiquing any silver surface.
For a mirror you would want to either selectively strip off
the protective layer or remove it completely. You could use
paint thinner or anything else you like that removes
paint. Jason Barnhart
July 25, 2008 Thank you to Jason Barnhart and GAIL for the techniques
to antique mirrors. Janet Knapp |
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I am not familiar with this website. I am just a craftsperson, not a business. How do you find the answers to these questions, regarding aging a mirror? thanks,
Barbara M![]()
- Willits, California
Hi, Barbara! This is a thread, an ongoing discussion, containing both questions and answers -- whichever the readers offer. Stella W has told you where to send your mirror for antiquing if you want to go that way. And we've referred you to the banner at the top of the page and a posting from Timothy Poe where you can buy the aging chemistry and instructions if that's the way you want to go.
And Gail from Sedona, Wen An-Lee, Janet B, and Jason B have each told you how they do it.
If this isn't answering your question, please tell us what you want. Thanks.
Regards,
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Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
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November 21, 2008 I am in the process of looking to buy an extremely large
mirror and I want to age it. I would love to have it take on
some oxidized-copper like greens, and get milky and foggy.
can anyone give me any advice on how I would be able to
achieve this?...I am really just looking to experiment with
many different types of "finishes" so any and all advice
would be much appreciated. Rob C
December 1, 2008 I would like to know if a lay person can achieve the look of this mirror --> I would be the lay person. I really want exactly this
mirror (wall divider), but my budget is laughing at the $800
sticker price. As you can see, it's the green/brown sepia
foggy tones that an earlier poster inquired about. I don't
see that anyone has so far stumbled across this page with
help on this type of aging in particular. My brain is
cowering at the idea of burning a big acid hole through my
arm. My eyeballs can't stop looking at this mirrored divider
as the only one in the whole world for me. What to do, what
to do. |
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I am very struck on antique mirror technique. So, I want to ask
some questions:
1)Where can I buy things which are needed to antique the mirror? Can
you recommend some web sites, where I can do that?
2)What things or chemical preparations I need to antique a
mirror?
3)Maybe, you have some instructions how to do that?
Neringa Vasiliauskaite
stained glass - Lithuania
March 10, 2009
What was Emily in Sandy's procedure on the steel wool and goof off for antiquing a mirror
maryann m![]()
designer - lehi, Utah
March 30, 2009
I have a huge mirror which I have already aged. What do I seal the back with?
Nancy Chesser
- Greenville, Delaware
April 13, 2009
www.hgtv.com/holidays-entertaining/distressing-mirror/index.html is a pretty thorough how-to that I am going to try soon.
Somhairle Wylkenn
- Lynchburg, Virginia
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April 17, 2009 hello, Shelly Kenny
April 28, 2009 There is a company called Modello Designs in the U.S.
that has a solution (fluids), kits, starter kits for aging
mirror surfaces. Bas Venema
April 29, 2009 Hi, readers. This website is made possible by supporting advertisers, including Timothy Poe Studio / AMPS Industries -- a supplier of aging solutions for mirrors. Nothing wrong with going to Modello or other places if they have something that AMPS doesn't offer, or for any other reason. But forums like this one can't exist for you if you give equal weight to the companies which don't support them as to those companies who do :-) Regards,
October 8, 2009 Dear All, Milan STRITESKY
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