Re-Silvering Old Mirrors


Click to enlarge		 We are not specialists in re-silvering old mirrors. We include this page to answer some of your questions and give you a few tips.

Re-silvering an exquisite painted mirror like this one would be a job for a master craftsman.

If your old mirror is large and/or valuable, look in your local printed Yellow Pages under "Mirrors" or "Glass" for a re-silvering service or ask your local glass store for a recommendation. Not all local craftsmen have websites and many of them are too busy to advertise.

Reasons not to re-silver an old mirror:

  • If you've seen the "Antiques Roadshow" on PBS, you know that you can destroy the value of an antique by refinishing it.
  • When you take an old mirror out of its frame, you run the risk of breaking the glass and further damaging the backing paint.
  • Scratches and other imperfections in the glass are more visible when the silver is bright and new.
  • If you can feel the scratch with your fingernail, you can not remove it by hand polishing.
  • Machine polishing thins the glass which distorts the reflection.
  • Distressed antique mirrors are very popular - see Antiquing Mirrors
To re-silver an old mirror properly, you must strip it down to plain glass.
  1. Use a wooden or plastic scraper and paint remover from the hardware store to remove the backing paint.
  2. Use paper towel and acetone from the hardware store to remove residue from the paint stripper.
  3. Use our Mirror Removers and cotton balls to dissolve the silver and copper (if your silver has a copper backing).
  4. Use our Sheet Glass Mirroring Kit to re-silver the glass.
It is sometimes possible to re-silver a small section on an otherwise sound mirror. The very best you will get is a back line between the old silver and the new. It is quite possible that you will end up loosening and removing more of the fragile backing paint and silver. We offer ABSOLUTELY NO GUARANTEES for this process.
  • Polish the affected section with a paste of distilled water and extra fine pumice to remove any remaining paint.
  • Clean the affected area with a little glass cleaner, hot water and a clean paper towel.
  • Follow the instructions in How To Silver Sheet Glass to tin and silver the affected area.
  • Dry and paint the affected area with Black or Gray Roll Coat.

Tips on cleaning old mirrors:

  • Clean the mirror face by spraying glass cleaner on an old towel or T-shirt and then wiping the glass. Water is the enemy of mirrors. Do not spray the cleaner directly on the glass.
  • NEVER use a dust cloth or vacuum on the back of a mirror. Leave it dusty. Any suction or friction can damage the backing paint and expose the silver to corrosion.


Many thanks to Tom Eddleman of Jackson MS for this wonderful photo. To see Tom's work, go to the Customer's Gallery.`

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