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A builder-grade frameless mirror looks unfinished; wrap it in a wood frame and it becomes a feature. This build frames a standard 24" x 36" mirror with a 1x8 and 1x6 header and footer, 1x3 sides, and a 1x2 border, giving a substantial surround you can paint or stain to match the room. An optional shelf with angled brackets turns it into a place for a plant or a jar of brushes.
The frame is assembled face-down and flat: lay the boards out, arrange for square, and join them — pocket holes make the tidiest joints, but the long 1x2 border laid over the top and screwed and glued with 1-1/4" fasteners also locks everything together. Check square with diagonal measurements before the glue sets; a mirror frame that's even slightly out of square reads as crooked on the wall.
The mirror mounts to the back of the completed frame with mirror clips (glue is a belt-and-suspenders addition). The single most important thing here is hanging: a 24x36 mirror is heavy and it's over a sink, so use a heavy-duty picture-hanging kit into a stud or a properly rated drywall anchor. This is not a place to trust a single small hook.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 24" x 36" mirror | 1 each |
| Mirror clips with 3/4" screws | 6 each |
| 1x8 board, 28-1/2" | 1 each |
| 1x6 board, 28-1/2" | 1 each |
| 1x3 board, 8 ft | 1 each |
| 1x2 board, 8 ft | 2 each |
| 1x4 board, 6 ftOptional shelf and its angled brackets. | 1 each |
| Heavy-duty picture-hanging kitRated for a heavy mirror over a sink. | 1 each |
| Wood screws, 1-1/4" | 24 each |
| Wood glue | 3 oz |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Header1x8 | 1 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 28 1/2" |
| Footer1x6 | 1 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 28 1/2" |
| Sides1x3 | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 35" |
| Border, long1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 48" |
| Border, short1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 25 1/2" |
| Shelf (optional)1x4 | 1 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 28 1/2" |
| Shelf supports (optional)1x4Cut out at an angle as brackets. | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 6 1/2" |
Buy 6 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
1 board
1 board
1 board
2 boards
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Lay the 1x3 sides, 1x6 footer, and 1x8 header down and arrange for square. Join them — pocket screws into the header and footer are cleanest. Lay the long 1x2 border on top around the outside and screw and glue with 1-1/4" fasteners. Check diagonals and adjust for square before the glue grabs.
If you want a shelf, cut the two supports into angled brackets, fasten them under the shelf board, and attach the assembly to the frame. Skip this step for a plain mirror.
Sand the frame smooth and paint or stain it to match the bathroom before the mirror goes in, so you don't get finish on the glass.
Set the mirror into the back of the frame and secure it with mirror clips (a bead of mirror-safe adhesive is optional insurance). Attach a heavy-duty picture-hanging kit, then hang into a stud or a properly rated drywall anchor and level it. Never trust a single light hook with a mirror over a sink.
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