DIY upcycled mirror project

You will need the following tools and materials for this DIY upcycled mirror project:

• Circular mirror, or mirror on an extending arm

• Pliers (if using extending mirror)

• Metal paint and primer (optional)

• Paint

• Toilet rolls

• Scissors

• Glue gun

• Fixing or coke can tab

• Hammer

• Nails

• Strong glue

Depending on what tools and materials you already have, we estimate this project will cost around £15. 

If you're using a mirror on an extending arm, use pliers to unscrew the attached bolts, and disconnect the parts of the mirror so you are left with just the circular section.

Next, paint your mirror to match the colour you want your design to be. We decided on black, so we painted the frame with a metal paint. You'll need to use metal paint, or alternatively a layer of primer before your paint, as the material is difficult to properly adhere to.

You'll need to get hold of quite a few toilet rolls for this project. Exactly how many you need will depend on the size of your mirror, the width you cut them down to, and your chosen pattern.

Paint your toilet rolls inside and out, and then cut. Alternatively, you can cut them and then paint, as this will mean you can also paint the sides, and save you having to touch up the paint once the mirror is assembled. Look at the thickness of your mirror to determine how thin to cut the strips. We cut ours into four. If you want to vary your design in colour, section up your toilet rolls, and paint them different colours.

Decide on a pattern for your toilet rolls. We decided on a simple design, with two layers. You can always vary the pattern, for example by doing one full row, and missing out a space on every other toilet roll when you go to glue your next layer.

Grab your hot glue gun and put a spot of glue to the mirror, pushing your toilet roll onto this. When you glue your next one, put a little glue on both the mirror, and the toilet roll next to it. This will make the design a little more secure.

Attach a fixing to the back of a mirror. We used the fixing used for photo frames, but if you don't have one on hand, the tab of a coke can will also work. We recommend using a strong glue for this (such as e600) to ensure it's secure. Glue it directly onto the back of the mirror

Now, just hammer a nail into the wall, hang and admire!

An extra hack...

If you used a mirror on an extending arm, we have an extra little tip for how to use the extending piece

All you need to do is pre-drill holes into a wall, and screw the extending arm in place. If you do this in a place where you need extra storage, you can extend it when needed, and retract it when not. It could be very useful on the inside of a cupboard, or in a laundry room for hanging damp clothes.