Make A Sunburst Mirror
Handyman stylist Gema Beneitez made a gilded ornament using a mirror, a round frame from an art supply shop, timber moulding and metallic paint.
‘I had a glazier cut a round mirror to fit the frame I bought and attached it using glazing pins pushed into place at the back of the glass,’ says Gema.
The moulding was cut into three lengths and attached to the frame in a sunburst pattern. Gema then applied the finish, using gesso as a primer to achieve the antique gilt effect.
TIP Gesso can be used straight from the pot but it’s easier to dilute it with water and use two or three coats.
Timber moulding
Architectural moulding, also called trim, comes in a wide range of profiles and sizes.
It’s sold in lengths ranging from 1800 to 3600mm with prices starting from about $5, depending on the style and the type of timber.
For this project, curved moulding about 20mm wide was used to make the sunburst pattern on the circular frame.
MARK THE MOULDING to cut the sunburst pieces to length. For this project we used eight each at 100 and 200mm, and 16 at 150mm.
CUT THE MOULDING PIECES to length on a 45° mitre using a mitresaw, sanding the cut ends with 180 grit abrasive paper.
TIP You can use recycled or salvaged moulding, just remove any old paint first.