The listing on Craigslist gave the impression too good to be true. i was out there for a brace of mirrors to cling over the bifold-bore conceitedness within the visitor bathroom, which I’m remodeling. as a result of significant mirrors with ornamental frames will also be costly, and because my kitchen remodel had tapped my reductions legend like a giant tapeworm, i needed a deal.

I searched Craigslist. boom! There they had been: “Two matching argent mirrors ─ $one hundred fifty,” the record read. They have been the superb size to healthy between the backsplash and light-weight accessories. What are the options? Their condition changed into “Like New,” and they had been most effective afar abroad. I exchanged just a few emails and texts with the vendor, who agreed to accept $one hundred twenty five for the pair. I hopped in my car.

while it’s at all times a little creepy activity to a drifter’s residence, this wouldn’t be the first time I put myself in harm’s means for a home-architecture bargain. The retailers, a person and girl, agreed to fulfill me in their garage. simply as I accustomed, the woman acquired a call and slipped in the condominium.

before: This reflect, bought as a part of a brace on Craigslist, had blemishes all throughout the reduce part of its body.

The mirrors were in two separate containers with cream nook protectors, implying that they’d been handled with affliction. the person, whom I’d bet to be in his late s, apologized and observed that he wasn’t capable of lift the packing containers as he’d simply had hernia surgical procedure.

No issue, I certain him. We slid one partway out of its container. It appeared splendid. I requested if there have been any dings, blemishes or chips. bone. He asked, caliginositycautiously, if i wanted to look the other one. No want, I spoke of, now not looking him to pop a sew or anything else. I surpassed over the cash, loaded the mirrors myself in my automobile, and drove off.

again home, ecstatic about my accord, I pulled the mirrors out to show my husband my thrifty rating. That’s when I noticed the fourth side that in no way made it out of the container. whereas three facets of each mirrors have been in good shape, the silver finish on the fourth facet of each and every mirror, most likely the sides abutting their sinks, changed into riddled with atramentous spots and speckles. Did these individuals ablution their faces with hydrochloric acid?

“but the record talked about, ‘Like new!’” I pointed out, acumen how aged I sounded. mind you, I’m a trained journalist. i used to be accomplished that if your mom tells you she loves you, check it out, so why did I capture this guy’s notice? This turned into on me.

I regarded returning them to the seller, who’d likely fled the country by now. but then my inner DIYer kicked in. I looked closer to see no matter if I may deliver the frames. lamentably, they weren’t wood, which might be less demanding to fix. They were artificial-accomplished to seem like painted wood. How difficult may this be? I requested myself. Will I ever learn?

on the native ability keep, I picked up two small bottles of silver-toned acrylic acrylic to the touch up the marks. I right away fabricated the difficulty a good deal worse, adding an entire new set of spots to the spots.

“JW! i need your assist!” It turned into a weekend, and Jerry White, owner of JW painting in Orlando, become off to the beach with chums. He need to have heard the desperation in my articulation, as a result of he patiently talked me in the course of the accomplish to adjust the mottled frames, beginning with “you can try this.”

footfall . band the mirror off across the body side with nonaggressive painter’s band. cowl the leisure of the replicate with bi-weekly. no longer the section with my column.

footfall . the use of beautiful metal wool, or ultra-magnificent sandpaper, go over the surface. rough it up or “contour it,” White mentioned, but don’t blemish it.

step . clean the body with a moist rag and light bactericide to get rid of any debris, dirt or dust.

footfall . Lay the mirrors collapsed in a neatly-ventilated enviornment, just like the garage with the door initiate, on top of protecting material like a tarp or extra newspaper.

footfall . purchase aerosol paint the colour you want. check the paint can label to be sure it works on the floor you’re painting, plastic in my case.

step . shake the can best than you feel you deserve to, then spray a very light coat of acrylic on the frames. Don’t are trying to achieve full coverage in a single flow.

step . Let it dry completely, like for an hour, then follow a nd light covering. repeat until you get the insurance you desire.

footfall . in case you see spots displaying via afterwards a couple coats sure, sand that enviornment lower back and begin the procedure over.

Marni Jameson is the writer of six home and subculture books. She may also be reached at .marnijamesonm.

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