How to Have a Mirror Resilvered
Mirrors become dull and spotted after the passage of time. This adversely affects the reflective quality of the mirror and you find a need to replace it. However, instead of replacing the mirror, you can replenish the beauty of your mirror by re-silvering its back. You can remove the entire paint and silver from the back of your mirror and then apply a fresh coat of silver to revive the reflection properties of it. It is difficult to perform this task by yourself, as it needs special expertise and technicalities to do so. It is better to contact a professional to do this job.
Instructions
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Dullness in the mirror might also be a result of dirt accumulating on it and you need to clean it up thoroughly to determine whether it needs to be re-silvered or not. If the mirror becomes perfect after cleaning, you won’t need to perform any further steps.
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Then, look out for any cracks, chips or scratches on the mirror. You should be aware of the fact that re-silvering accentuates the surface damage of the mirror.
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Look out for any local re-silverer nearby your house. You can search the local telephone directory to look out for such professionals in your area. If you don’t find any re-silverer near your location, you should get prepared to transport your mirror to a re-silverer where ever he is located to acquire his services.
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You can also contact any local antique dealer to get the address of some reputable re-silverer. Most of the antique mirrors are re-silvered before are sold to the customers and the antique dealers can recommend good professionals to meet your need.
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Searching for re-silverers online is the other viable option. Just typing ‘re-silvering’ in an online search engine will provide you with the list of businesses that perform this job. You can search online if you haven’t got any professional near your location and the antique dealer has also failed to provide you with any help.
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You should discuss your concerns with the re-silverer prior delivering your mirror and explain to him/her about your expectations of restoring your piece. He/she will address your concerns and tell you how the actual process will work to meet your expectations.
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Re-silvering might cost you 20 to 100 dollars, depending on the size of your mirror. Polishing and removing stains and scratches will have additional cost.
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You can also find instructions online to re-silver your mirror but considering the complications and hazards involved in using the chemicals, it is better to let a professional do this job.
