The Hack You Should Know Before Painting Around Mirrors Or Glass

Mirrors can be beautiful additions to any space. Whether you are looking to cash in on their mere reflective properties in a dressing room or using them to create a sense of openness and light in any room of the home, they are great for manipulating space and dimension. While mirrors can be found and made to fit any aesthetic, painting the frames can sometimes be difficult, particularly with round and organic shapes that make taping off the edges of the mirror itself with masking or painter's tape much more challenging. There is, however, according to TikTokker @refreshliving, a far better solution to flaw-free finish–masking liquid!

Sold in a single quart in most places that sell paint, masking liquid produces a thin removable film. It's often used by professionals when painting glass window frames, but it also works perfectly on mirrors. Unlike painter's tape, the masking liquid gives more even coverage to prevent any bleed-through and does not leave any sticky residue behind when removed.

To paint your mirror using a masking liquid, simply coat the surface you do not wish to be painted. For brush painting, you need only cover the edges that would normally be covered with paint. For spray painting, cover the entire surface of the mirror with the liquid to ensure that it is fully protected from any spray or splashes. When the paint is dry, use a knife to cut away the film created by the masking liquid and peel away to reveal a clean and flawless mirror surface.

Masking Liquid H20 is available from Associated Paint on Amazon, but you can also purchase a similar product, Jasco Mask & Peel from Home Depot. In a pinch, commenters on the TikTok video recommend using craft glue for similar results at a much lower cost. Brush on a coat of Elmer's along the edges. The glue will dry semitransparent and can be easily peeled away when the paint is dry.