Desilvering - What To Do About Black Edges On Mirrors

The reason your mirror sparkles, shines and reflects is the silver coating behind the glass. The silver is chemically bonded to the backing when it is manufactured, but that bond can naturally break down over time. However, time isn’t the only reason.

When mirrors are exposed to excess moisture, water can get between the layer of silver and the backing. This causes the bond to break and the silvering to chip off behind the glass. This leaves your mirror with unsightly dark spots or black edges where the silver has fallen away.

The most common cause of desilvering is excess moisture. Bathroom mirrors are especially vulnerable to black edges appearing over time. Whenever you wash your hands, take a hot shower, soak in the tub, or splash around, your mirror absorbs the moisture that is thrown into the air.

The effects of repeated exposure to steam over the years eventually causes it to desilver. Therefore it is recommended to limit splashing, misting and fogging as much as possible to protect not only your mirror but also the other fixtures in your bathroom.

If you’re reading this article, you are probably wondering how to fix or cover up those ugly black edges on your mirror. There are a few options to choose from.

The most obvious choice is to simply replace the mirror entirely. Of course, replacement is no simple task. It is a lot of work and time to take down an old mirror and a lot of expense to purchase and hang a new one. There is another way; a custom mirror frame kit by Mirror Frame Designs.

You can resilver a mirror yourself, the process itself is not difficult. Most do not consider resilvering a DIY project because the chemicals involved are both costly and highly toxic.

Make sure to acquire and wear safety glasses, gloves and a chemical breathing mask and read all usage and disposal instructions that will come with the chemicals.

Resilvering is possible, but it is increasingly hard to find service. Resilvering is time-intensive and costly to perform. Taking it down and transporting (or shipping) it to a repair shop can lead to even more damage. As a result, there are few places that offer resilvering services, since you are often much better off replacing. This option is only really recommended if you simply cannot part with your old mirror, such as with a family heirloom or beloved antique.

Why worry about spending time and money replacing the mirror or the silvering when you can simply cover it up? A custom frame can be made to fit over the damage, as desilvering usually occurs around the outer edges of the mirror.

Mirror Frame Designs custom DIY mirror frames are inexpensive yet exquisite, elegant and affordable. The custom frame uses 3M adhesive to stick to the glass face around the edge of the mirror, hiding those unsightly black spots and improving the appearance of your entire bathroom.

Skip the hassle of other methods and take care of your mirror right at home. Adding a custom frame does more than cover up the damage, too. A new frame upgrades the appearance of not just the mirror, but the entire bathroom. Simply measure, order and DIY install – it’s as easy as 1,2,3! Cover up those ugly black spots with a custom Mirror Frame Designs frame today.