How to weatherproof a garden mirror

Mirror, mirror on the garden wall

Hello friends, I love that the temperature around here is slowly starting to creep up and the daylight is lasting longer. This means I can finally come out of hibernation and enjoy the outdoors, haha. I am already starting to plan out the rest of our backyard patio projects. You can see where we left off here. I have a quick and easy project I did last year I want to share with you how to weatherproof a mirror for your garden.

I wanted to see how the mirror held up with the outside elements before I shared this project.

Even though I brought it indoors for the winter, I must say that the mirror held up quite well through summer and fall. It survived the heat from the sun, and some harsh wind and rain we’ve had.

Benefit of having a mirror in your garden…

A mirror hung in a garden is a great way to add a whimsical touch to the space.

Their beautiful reflective quality can double the beauty of your garden.

Another benefit to adding a mirror in the garden is that it can help to reflect light to brighten up dark areas of the landscape. Shady dim-lit areas are instantly brightened.

You can use any type or size of the mirror that will suit your space from large grid mirrors to smaller round mirrors. They can be ornate or simple, it all depends on the feeling and look you want to invoke in your space.

Place them around to create a sense of expansion in your garden especially if the garden is not very large this will help to create the illusion of space.

Mindful placement of garden mirrors

However, there are a few things to consider when using mirrors in your garden.

Make sure the mirror is sealed properly to protect it from the outside elements and prolong its life.

You should also be aware of where you position the mirrors. It’s best to position the mirror in an area where the sun’s reflection will not bounce off and cause any damage by heating up your plants.

Supplies needed to weatherproof the garden mirror

– Mirror of your choice.

– Flexseal spray

– Black waterproof caulking

I purchased a round mirror at my favorite place, Homegoods. But, you can find mirrors at thrift stores, garage sales, Facebook marketplace, etc. for a lot less. Of course, the mirror was intended to be used indoors, so I needed to waterproof it.

Off to Home Depot, I go… I found waterproof polyurethane, but I did not think it was going to be able to withstand the weather outside. Then I came across flexseal products which I have seen on TV that looked promising. I also bought black caulking for around the edges and the seams.

Process of sealing the mirror

Make sure to protect your eyes and use the spray in a well-ventilated area.

Clean any dirt and oils from the surface before applying the seal.

I covered the mirror with paper and tape only exposing the area that needs to be sealed.

Then, I caulked all around the seams and the edges with the black caulking. I did this extra step just to ensure water doesn’t seep in through the edges.

Shake the Flexseal well and spray 8 to 12 inches from the surface using sweeping motion back and forth. I applied the Flexseal on the entire back of the mirror and the front. It works and covers easily.

It sprays a rubberized coating that sprays out as a liquid and seeps into the surface to create a watertight flexible coating.

The idea is to keep the water, air, and moisture out to prevent the mirror from damage and corrosion. Allow 24 hours before spraying another coat, I applied 3 coats to the mirror to ensure longevity.

A whimsical touch of a mirror hung on a garden fence or wall is a great way to add character to your outdoor space.

Have fun with this project, you can place a large mirror at the end of your garden to make it appear that there is more to see beyond. Or have few smaller mirrors bouncing light throughout your garden.

Here is a little sneak peek at my outdoor console table we built to ground the mirror. I’ll show you the “outside of the box” materials we used to create this piece of outdoor furniture. I love using materials that were intended for something else to create one-of-a-kind pieces. Such as the vanity in my powder room.

Thank you so much for stopping by!