| Faux Tin Mirror Frame |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-113 |
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Q: How do I create the look of old pressed-tin panels on smaller pieces in my home?
A: (Debbie Stapley, Ask DIY Crafts expert) I love that look also, but tin can be very difficult to work with. A solution is to make a faux pressed-tin mirror with embossed wallpaper and an ordinary frame. Here's how: Materials:
Wooden frame with wide sides
Embossed wallpaper (figure A)
Craft knife
Small mirror
Spray adhesive
Gunmetal-gray paint
Metallic powdered pigment (figure B)
Artist's brush
Silicone sealant - Trace the shape of the frame on the wallpaper, including the opening, and cut the pattern with a craft knife.
- Glue the wallpaper to the frame using a high-tack spray adhesive.
- Paint the wallpaper with a gunmetal-gray acrylic from the craft store. Give it a nice even coat and don't forget the outside and inside edges of the frame.
- Apply some metallic powdered pigment to the frame. Dip some onto a dry brush and blend it over the top of the wet paint. Another way to do it is to put a little bit of clear-drying glue on your brush, load it up with pigment and paint it on to a dry surface.
- Use silicone sealant to glue the mirror on the back.
More questions for Debbie:
Q: I've bought some pressed-tin panels but I don't know how to work with them. Any suggestions?
A: Tin panels are not flimsy: they're sturdy, and you'll need a jigsaw to cut them. If you don't have a jigsaw, I suggest taking the panels to a machine shop and ask them to cut the panels for you.
Q: I have some pressed-tin panels, but I'm tired of the distressed look and I'd rather restore them. What's the best way to do this?
A: Probably your best bet is to buy some stripper from the home center and steel wool and use some elbow grease. It's really not that difficult. I would suggest using some rust inhibitor afterward, though, before you seal it.
Q: I'm restoring a home and want to use tin panels for the ceiling. What's the easiest and best way to restore them?
A: This is a big project which would take a very long time by hand. I would suggest on a project this size that you take the panels to an auto body shop, and see if they can sandblast the paint for you. Web site resources for Tin Mirror: Paint a Tinware Lamp Tin Candle Snuffers from Craftopia.com Tin Can Lanterns at Craftopia.com Piercing Tools from Pierced Tin.com Tin Candle Cup from Craft Central Station.com Books: Metal Craft Book: 50 Easy & Beautiful Projects from Copper, Tin, Brass, Aluminum and More
By Janice Eaton Kilby & Deborah Morgenthal
Lark Books
50 College St.
Asheville, NC 28801
Customer Service Phone: 800-284-3388
E-mail: customerservice@larkbooks.com Tin Craft: A Work Book
By Fern-Rae Abraham
ISBN: 0865340986
Sunstone Press (1994)
P.O. Box 2321
Santa Fe, NM 87504-2321
Fax: 505-988-4418
Web site: ww.sunstonepress.com
Tin Crafts: Over 20 Creative Projects for the Home
By Mary Maguire
ISBN: 1859678866 Lorenz Books (1999)
27 W. 27th St.
New York, NY 10011
Phone: 800-354-9657
Fax: 212-807-6813
Web site: www.lorenzbooks.com
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