This DIY tutorial was inspired by Katie at Addicted 2 DIY, so all kudos should go to her brilliance for the concept and her execution. Unfortunately, the link on her website to the building plans doesn’t work. Or it didn’t work for me anyways (confirmed again before writing this post) – maybe it’s a Canada thing?
Regardless, once I saw her gorgeous DIY floor mirror with storage, I had to have one – but the mirror I was working with was considerably larger than Katie’s, so I had to create my own building plans anyways.
I found this 24″ by 60″ mirror at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore for $20.
Seriously – $20!
I drew up building plans to turn it from a simple wall mirror into a DIY floor mirror with storage.
DIY Floor Mirror with Storage
- 24″ by 60″ mirror
- 4′ x 8′ sheet of ¾” plywood (have them cut it at the store for you)
- 5 – 1″x4″ boards at 8′ long
- 1 ½” wood screws
- small L-brackets
- 4 – 2″ hinges
- wood glue
- optional: scrap 2″x4″ pieces, trim, DAP trim sealer
- random orbit sander
- mitre saw
- drill
- wood filler
- Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 primer
- Benjamin Moore Advance paint in pearl finish
I used a 4′ x 8′ sheet of ¾” plywood and some 1×4’s for the build. Show this to the guys at your local hardware store and they can cut it down for you on the spot. (Note: if you plan to stain your piece, you’ll want to make sure that the grain of your wood flows in a consistent direction – this cut list might not work for you)
Once I had my pieces cut, I started by framing out the outside of my DIY floor mirror with the 1×4″ boards.
I held them in place with L-brackets, but reinforced them afterwards by drilling through the back with 1 ½” wood screws.
Once the outside is framed up, place your mirror in the centre and trace around it – this will be where you’ll place the next set of 1×4’s and will ensure a nice tight fit.
Attach the 1×4’s on three sides, leaving the top open, with L-brackets and reinforce through the back of the plywood with the 1 ½” wood screws.
This next step is optional; I wanted my mirror inset within the frame itself, but not quite as deep as would be right now. Instead, I inserted some scrap pieces of 2×4″ to set the mirror on top of. It’s not pretty, but you won’t see it once the mirror is inserted. Attach from the back with wood screws.
Now it’s time to insert your mirror and attach the top 1×4″ piece of wood to hold it in place. Again, I used L-brackets, but didn’t reinforce from the back. Do your best to make a nice, tight fit so that the mirror won’t slip out when, and if, you move your mirror.
The side and base panels were made with the other cuts of your¾” plywood. This should have fit together with the ends cut at a 45° angle, but mine ended up being 48° and 42° – so perhaps you are best to fit the base and top and then trace out the angle for the sides? Alternatively, you could use straight boards for the sides and bottom to make life easier (but not quite as pretty).
The base and top boards are held in place by screwing into the 1×4″ boards on the long AND short sides – these sections won’t open; they are to give the floor mirror more strength and stability.
As I was building this I was laughing to myself – the upper and lower sections are closed on the front, but you can totally tuck things in behind if you want… you KNOW this is going to be the secret hiding spot of teenagers everywhere. My poor girls, even if they manage to sneak weed into the house (when they are much, much older), I’m going to know exactly where to look to bust them! lol
Use a couple of 2″ hinges attached on the inside for a smooth front finish.
Add 1×4″ scraps for storage shelves to suit your needs. I found that sanding the shelves before gluing and screwing them into place was much easier than attempting to sand later on.
You can stop your build here if you like, or if you have scrap trim – like I did – you can continue to trim out the front of your DIY floor mirror with storage.
It adds a nice ‘extra’ touch to the finish piece.
Fill any screw and/or nail holes with wood filler and seal the trim edges with a bit of DAP trim sealer so there are no gaps.
Once dry, sand the entire thing smooth, cover the mirror with newspaper and painter’s tape, and prime. (I forgot to photograph this step). Once dry, sand with 320 grit and vacuüm before painting.
Two coats of Benjamin Moore’s Advance paint and she’s a beauty!
What do you think?
Hang necklaces, store bracelets and rolled scarves, tuck in hairspray or makeup brushes, or hang belts – whatever your needs.
One sheet of plywood and a few 1×4’s and you have a DIY floor mirror (with storage) that you can’t buy anywhere else!
I can’t send enough kudos to Katie over at Addicted 2 DIY for this brilliant idea – please check out her site in case her building plans are accessible in your area (I believe she used a smaller mirror, so her plans may better suit your needs).
Pin it for later!
Have a great one!
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wow! super cool concept.
b
I loved Katie’s over at Addicted 2 DIY – but her plans weren’t working on the Behr site so I had to improvise (I did let Katie know). I love my floor mirror, but all the credit for the idea has to go to Katie.