Most people will throw away a broken mirror without realizing that a minor crack can be repaired. To repair a glass you need items like resin, adhesive film, and stabilizers. A DIY glass repair kit comes with all these items as well as a syringe to inject resin into the cracks. The procedure to fix a cracked mirror is quite simple. Here is a step-by-step guide to fix any broken mirrors.
Clean the Mirror
Most glass repair kits require you to clean the mirror first. Add few drops of dish soap in warm water. Dip a sponge or microfiber cloth in warm water. Use this sponge to clean the cracked area of the mirror to remove any dirt and stains from the surface. Any remains of dirt can affect the resin filling, so you need to ensure that you have a clean surface before you start repairs. Don’t forget to remove loose and tiny fragments of damaged glass from the crack.
Peel off Adhesive Film Backing
Get a clear stabilizing strip and locate the edge of the adhesive backing. Peel this off to expose the adhesive. You can use your fingertips to peel it off. Once it is ready, apply the stabilizing strip to the surface of the mirror.
Put Resin in cracks
In the next step fill the syringe with resin and inject it through the stabilizer into the crack. Squeeze the plunger to force the resin into the crack until it is filled. The resin will set and dry as per the manufacturer’s guidelines. Wait for it according to the instructions.
Even out the bubbles
You should ensure there are no air bubbles in the film. You can do this by running your fingers from one end of the stabilizer film to the other. If you find any small bubbles just work them out of the edge of the film.
Peel the Stabilizer Film
Touch the resin, if it has dried and hardened enough, then you peel off the stabilizing film. In case of any difficulty in its removal, use a knife to lift it off and peel it away in one quick motion.
Scrape off Resin
Now the resin has dried. You should remove its uneven surface to bring it even with the mirror’s surface. You may use a razor or knife to scrape off excess resin.
Final cleaning
In the last step use a glass spray cleaning solution over the entire surface of the mirror. Clean the mirror in a low, soft circular motion using a microfiber cloth. This is will mimic the process of buffing
Get Mirror Replacements & Repair in Merrimack Valley
While it is possible to handle small cracks and issues with your mirror, it is not always ideal. If you have a broken mirror, window, or glass paneling, we would be happy to replace it with our custom glass and mirror services. Contact us for more information.