Is your bathroom vanity mirror broken, outdated, or looking worse for wear? Don’t sweat it! You can replace a bathroom vanity mirror with ease with a little help from Keystone Home Products. With our quality glass and mirror selection, any bathroom outfitted by Keystone is quality that lasts.

Custom Bathroom Vanity Mirror Sizes

Is your bathroom vanity mirror an odd size? If so, you might be wondering how to replace it. Stores that sell sheet mirror often sell them only in standard vanity mirror sizes. However, when you come to Keystone Home Products, we can help you replace a custom-sized, bathroom vanity mirror with ease.

Keystone Home Products sells mirrors and glass as some of our primary products. Therefore, we make a point of cutting them down to custom dimensions when needed. Just give us a call and let us know what you’re looking for and we’ll ensure you receive the mirror size you need.

High Quality Mirrors

Keystone Home Products doesn’t just sell mirrors, we sell high quality mirrors. No matter what size mirror you’re after, you can rest assured that, if you buy it from us, it will be durable, clear, and affordable.

Bedroom Vanity Mirrors

Vanities aren’t always just in the bathroom. Many people also have a vanity setup in their bedroom. This is especially true of people who spend a lot of time on their hair or makeup. A bedroom vanity can be made up of a desk with many storage compartments or, simply, a table. In either case, a mirror is usually stood on the surface of the vanity or mounted on the wall behind it. 

Whether you’re looking for a standing mirror or mounted mirror, we may be able to help you. While our mirrors aren’t framed, this can actually be ideal for those wanting to custom craft a frame for their bedroom vanity. You can also fit a frameless mirror into a picture frame to simplify the framing process. In either case, a frameless mirror from Keystone is exactly what you need.

Furthermore, you might not be interested in a simple, rectangular mirror for use in your bedroom. If you want your bedroom vanity to stand out in a great way, opt for a large, round mirror instead. This will add some dynamic shape to the entire vanity setup. 

Bathroom Vanity Mirror Installation

Buying a bathroom vanity mirror for cheap is the easy part of getting a new mirror. After all, it’s just a trip to Keystone Home Products. However, installing your bathroom vanity mirror is another task entirely.

If you want to install your bathroom vanity mirror with ease, follow our handy bathroom mirror installation guide. This will cover the steps in replacing your bathroom vanity mirror, with or without framing it.

Want your walk-in closet to feel like the Narnia of getting dressed in the morning? There’s more to a walk-in closet than just hanging up your t-shirts. A walk-in closet mirror wall will add a whole new dimension to your morning routine. Check out these great benefits.

Make Your Closet Feel Bigger

Putting a mirror wall into any room creates a size benefit. Mirrors make a space feel bigger. This is especially useful in a small space such as a walk-in closet. A walk-in closet mirror wall makes your closet feel bigger by reflecting the space back on itself. That tricks your visual brain into thinking the space is twice as big as it really is.

Not to mention, mirrors also reflect light. That means your space is also brighter than before. A walk-in closet mirror wall spreads light throughout the entire closet with ease. Finding the clothes you need is easier. So is seeing every pro and con of the outfit you just put together. 

Make Coordinating Your Outfits Easier

Of course, what do mirrors do best but show us our reflections? If you enjoy putting together show-stopping outfits for work or social events, a walk-in closet mirror wall is the perfect solution. A standing mirror is one thing, but a wide mirror that runs the length of the closet is another.

When you can get a good look at your outfit from head to toe, it’s easy to see if something isn’t right, or if something’s missing. Make coordinating the different parts of your outfit easy with ample mirror space.

Catch Every Detail

An additional benefit to having a large mirror is caching details in your outfit that you might otherwise miss. The smaller the mirror, the harder it is to see the big picture of how you look. A full closet mirror wall, however? You’ll spot right away if you left a tag on your shirt or if your pants are tucked awkwardly into your shoe. Leave the house feeling confident of the way you look. After all, you’ve seen it from every angle!

Infinity Mirrors

Do you enjoy the infinity effect of dual mirrors that you can achieve in a clothing store changing room? Achieve the same thing in your own closet by installing mirror walls across from each other. At the end of a long closet is the perfect location for this effect. Simply install mirror panels that face each other and you can see your entire outfit, front and back. Seeing yourself from head to toe isn’t the only way to dress yourself. Even better is checking yourself front and back.

Affordable Wall Mirrors

Keystone Home Products has affordable wall mirrors available to anyone in the GTA. Just stop by our store to see what’s available in person. We provide all of the essential home organization products you’re after. Whether you need custom mirror dimensions or installation help, just let us know and we’ll do what we can to get you whatever you need.

So your vanity mirror has cracked. Now you’re probably desperately searching online for a solution. The good news is, it’s actually not too hard to repair a cracked mirror! Mirrors are one of our most popular products here at Keystone Home Products. Therefore, we know a thing or two about them and want to share that knowledge with you. 

Repair a Cracked Mirror with a Kit

The most common and easiest way to repair a mirror is with a mirror repair kit. These can be bought online or from most hardware stores. You may also find them at auto stores, since this is the same method used to repair windshields and other types of glass.

A mirror repair kit will come with a syringe, a small tube of epoxy, and a stability film. While each kit will come with its own unique instructions, they usually go something like this:

1. Wash your mirror to remove any dust particles or skin oils.
2. Put down your stability film to cover the crack. This should be put on carefully and smoothed as it’s placed to prevent any air from getting trapped.
3. Next, use your syringe to extract epoxy from the small tube included in the kit.
4. Stick the needle of the syringe very carefully through the film and into the crack.
5. Slowly push the plunger on the syringe down to inject the crack with epoxy. Don’t do this too fast or it may cause bubbling of the film. Give the epoxy enough time to spread so the pressure doesn’t end up on the film.
6. When the crack is filled with epoxy, you’ll need to leave it for 10-20 minutes to set.
7. After the epoxy is set, you can remove the stability film.
8. Then, put a drop of the epoxy cure on the crack and cover it with the curing film.
9. After the epoxy has cured, you can scrape any residue off with the flat edge of a razor blade and wash your mirror off.

Use Epoxy Without a Kit

While a kit makes this easiest, if you have some epoxy lying around and don’t feel like hunting down a kit, you can follow these steps with your own epoxy, syringe, and adhesive film. We recommend getting a kit for most people, since the average person doesn’t have a syringe or adhesive on hand.

Replace Cracked Mirrors

Trying to repair a vanity mirror with a mirror repair kit is honestly only worth it if you’re on quite a tight budget. We can’t wholly recommend it to anyone with some pocket change. Instead, it’s much easier, much faster, and has much better results to just replace your cracked mirror.

If you need to replace a cracked vanity mirror, you can get a new vanity mirror of any size from Keystone Home Products in Toronto. For help installing a new mirror, check out our guide here.

People frequently underestimate how much of an effect a vanity mirror has on their self perception. Every time you shower, you look into that mirror to get ready for the day. You brush your teeth at that mirror. You check your outfit in that mirror. A vanity mirror is often the only place someone ever really sees themself. Let’s talk about why you should upgrade your vanity mirror. There’s a lot more to it than you might think!

Self Perception

Because most people use their vanity mirror as their main mirror – the only place they usually look at their reflection – the type and quality of vanity mirror that we have can have a profound effect on our sense of self perception.

If you only ever see yourself in a scratched, cracked mirror, or one that’s outdated, you can begin to associate those things with your own appearance. If the paint around your mirror is chipping, if there’s mold from the bathroom’s condensation, those will too. That’s because, if you only ever see yourself paired with undesirable qualities, your self worth can fall.

If you don’t feel good looking into your current vanity mirror, you should improve it. Getting a new mirror, and maybe even framing it, can make a huge difference. Looking into your vanity mirror after your shower can become a positive experience.

Environmental Comfort

Vanity mirrors don’t just affect our comfort with ourselves, they’re also an important part of our environmental comfort. If areas of your home are lacking and don’t look how you want them to, it has a negative impact on your environmental comfort. While many parts of a home are too expensive to update to many of us, a vanity mirror usually isn’t. Take control of this part of your everyday life and give it the boost it deserves. Small updates can make a huge difference in our quality of life.

Clearer Reflection

Old mirrors that have been washed and used for years can develop tiny scratches that aren’t really noticeable. The weekly – or even daily – wear and tear makes the mirror have a less clear reflection. When you upgrade your vanity mirror, you get a sharper reflection that looks great. Every reflection will look neater, clearer, and more positive.

Home Resale Value Boost

Any kind of improvement in your home can lend itself to a home resale value boost. The same goes for when you upgrade your vanity mirror. If your mirror already looks fine, it may not make much of a difference. However, if your current mirror is old, outdated, or worn out, a new vanity mirror will bring your resale value back up to where it should be in regards to your mirror.

If you don’t add a fancy frame, it may not do anything really special for resale value, but it can undo the huge loss in value caused by a dingy old mirror. After all, if a prospective buyer comes to see the house and steps into the bathroom to see a worn out mirror, it can have a surprisingly negative impact on the entire bathroom space. 

If you want to upgrade your vanity mirror, come visit us at Keystone Home Products. We offer custom mirror sizes and will help you get exactly what you need.

Trying to build yourself a home gym? So are a lot of people! COVID-19 has really put a dent in people’s workout routines. Getting back into the habit when most gyms are closed is impossible without a home gym. Plus, when you work out from home, you don’t have to worry about wearing a mask and interrupting your flow with a sweaty mask that’s hard to breathe through. Here’s how Keystone Home Products can help you with your new setup by adding home gym mirror walls.

Benefits of Home Gym Mirror Walls

Many people don’t consider home gym mirror walls when beginning to build their home gym. However, there’s more to home gym mirror walls than just aesthetics. Here are some of the benefits you can look forward to after installation:

• Mirror walls make a space feel bigger. Not only does the mirror wall reflect a space back onto itself, it also reflects light. This combination will allow your gym space to feel more spacious.
• When lifting weights, form is incredibly important. Making sure you’re keeping your arms straight when lifting is important for preventing injury. With home gym mirror walls, you can watch your form while lifting and prevent injuries like pulled muscles.
• If you set up a stationary bike, elliptical, or other workout machine so that it faces the wall, you can continue to keep an eye on the rest of the room without turning around. This is especially useful for parents who want to work out without losing sight of their smaller children.
• Home gym mirror walls are also great for those who dance as a form of exercise. Ballet, and many other forms of dance, require constant awareness of pose and form. Mirrors make that easy.

Ease of Installation

Keystone Home Products doesn’t just hand you the mirrors and tell you “Good luck!” We install them ourselves. We’ve been installing mirror walls in Toronto homes since 1994. That’s almost 30 years! Because of our decades of experience, you can rest assured that your mirror walls will be installed quickly and look great when we’re finished.

Custom Fit for Any Home

Every home has different needs. Appearance, size, and shape vary  greatly depending on who’s ordering. Because everyone likes different things, we offer custom fit mirror walls for any home. Whether your walls are taller than average or a bit on the short side, we have mirror walls just for you.

Add a Barre

Mirror walls are great by themselves, but if you love dance or stretching exercised, you should consider adding a barre. A barre is a horizontal, metal bar that is installed at about hip-height along a mirror wall. You see these most frequently in ballet studios. However, you don’t have to do ballet to benefit from having a barre. They’re great for stabilizing grips, stretching, and more.

Give us a call if you have questions about how to order home gym mirror walls for your home. We look forward to answering your questions and helping you achieve the home gym you’ve been imagining.

Want your kitchen to really stand out from the crowd? Finding creative ways to improve interior design is such a fun thing to do. That’s why Keystone Home Products wants to clue you in on mirror backsplash for your kitchen. What is a mirror backsplash? Well, a backsplash is what you cover the wall with above your counters. So, in this case, we’re talking about covering that space with mirrors. Let’s check out some of the benefits of a mirror backsplash.

Looks More Spacious

Having a mirror backsplash for your kitchen means making your kitchen feel more spacious. Why is that? There are actually multiple reasons for this. The first is that the mirrors reflect the space back on itself, creating the illusion of more space. You may know, logically, that the space isn’t that much bigger, but your brain will process the size of the space as bigger than it is. That’s a great solution to a cramped kitchen.

Additionally, mirrors reflect light. Therefore, your kitchen will feel brighter as well. More light means more visible space. More visible space means the room feels less cramped. It’s a win win.

Easy to Clean

Tired of trying to scrub splatters of food off of rough grout? Tiles are a huge pain to keep clean, especially in a kitchen. Anywhere you’re stirring, frying, or otherwise preparing food is going to get food all over it. It may take a little while, but your backsplash will eventually be covered in evidence of your cooking.

The purpose of backsplash is actually to protect the wall. If you have no backsplash, scrubbing at the painted wall every time it gets food dried onto it can wear away the paint. However, tiles make cleaning miserable. With a mirror backsplash for your kitchen, you get the best of both worlds. A flat surface is easier to clean than one with dips and seams, but a mirror won’t be harmed by repeated washing.

Not to mention, mirrors are hardy surfaces. You can use virtually any kind of cleaner to clean them. If you want to use window cleaner or soap and water, vinegar or 409, it’s up to you. Any cleaner will get the job done and, so long as it’s not absurdly harsh, it shouldn’t do any damage to the sleek surface of your mirrors.

Sleek Appearance 

If you want your home to have a sleek, contemporary appearance, a mirror backsplash for your kitchen will contribute to that. Not much is sleeker than the metallic sheen of a mirror. Plus, mirror backsplashes are only just entering into popularity, which means you’ll be ahead of the crowd on the newest contemporary trends. Trends aren’t important to everyone, socially, but they do make a difference when it comes to the aging of your house. House resale value will drop less if you stay ahead of trends. If you choose a style that won’t reach its peak popularity for another 5 years, it will take 15 before it comes even close to going out of style.

Shop Keystone

If you’re interested in mirror backsplash, Keystone Home Products has exactly what you need. Mirrors are one of our top sellers. Get high quality for a low price from your local home store. Give us a call if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing from you!

When a bathroom mirror breaks, it can be a huge pain to replace. Not only do you have to clean up that mess of broken glass, you have to figure out where to buy a replacement. While a local hardware store might be most people’s first stop in their search for a mirror, there are better options. So, where do you go to get a broken vanity mirror replacement in Toronto?

Keystone Home Products

If you’re in the market for a broken vanity mirror replacement in Toronto, Keystone Home Products is the place to go. We don’t just have mirrors; we specialize in the home goods that other stores forget to offer. While there are plenty of home goods stores that offer throw pillows and bookshelves, we specialize in built-in products or those that improve the storage of a space.

One of our most popular products is our mirrors. We offer many different things that feature mirrors. For example, mirror closet doors are a popular choice. They’re great for those who would rather do their morning routine in somewhere more spacious than the bathroom. However, we also offer wall mirrors and vanity mirrors.

Mirrors of All Sizes

Because so many of our products feature mirrors, we have mirrors of all sizes. That makes buying a custom mirror from us the easiest way to get a broken vanity mirror replacement in Toronto. Hardware stores may have mirrors to buy, but they aren’t likely to help you with custom sizing. 

Hardware stores focus employee energy more on things like blinds-cutting, paint-mixing, and construction materials. At Keystone Home Products, however, we focus our time on making sure the less-popular, functional elements of a home are working their best. So, whether your vanity mirror was small and framed or a counter-to-ceiling behemoth, we’ve got you covered.

Quality Products

Lots of stores have mirrors available – that’s a fact. The difference is, mirrors that are sold at other types of home goods stores are usually made in bulk alongside other home fixtures sold in stores. They’re not made by specialists who are focused only on mirrors. At Keystone, mirrors are one of our main focuses, so quality matters. 

Get an Upgrade

When life gives you lemons – or a broken mirror – make lemonade! Or, at least consider an upgrade. Your old mirror may have been functional, but was it the best it could be? Maybe it’s time to get a bigger mirror – one that lets you see your whole ensemble. Counter-to-ceiling mirrors offer a better view of everything you put in front of it.

If you have limited space above your counter, or would rather avoid a complicated installation process, circumventing light fixtures, consider another mirror. Perhaps one of our mirror walls or mirror closet doors would improve your outfit picking experience. Whether you just need a simple replacement, or a full upgrade, you can get everything you need when you call Keystone. We look forward to serving you!

If you love to dance, whether for the art or for the exercise, having access to dance studio mirrors helps immensely. The ability to see your form clearly in order to make corrections or work on choreography is a must. The question is, why head to a public gym when you can do your dance practice routine at home? Especially while COVID-19 is present, staying at home is more convenient than ever. Check out how you can get dance studio mirrors for your home.

Create Your Own Dance Space

If dancing is something you do often, make practice time even easier by creating your own personal dance studio. It’s not as hard as it sounds. If you have spare space in your home, you’re already on your way to a private dance space.

Having a spare room or basement to make a dedicated studio is one way to do things. However, many people don’t have a whole room free. That’s okay too! Any part of your home with a stretch of empty wall space is enough. By simply adding mirrors and a barre, you can do your dance practice routine right from home. 

Floor to Ceiling Dance Studio Mirrors

So, you’re considering creating a personal dance space at home. The question now is: where are you supposed to get floor to ceiling mirrors? Those aren’t something you can find at any old store. And you’re right! However, while most stores may not have mirrors large enough to cover a wall, Keystone does. Right here at Keystone Home Products in Toronto, you can get exactly the size of mirror you need.

With a wall of mirrors, you can finally get the full dance experience right from home. Using these large mirrors is vital for learning dance such as ballet. Ballet requires a strict adherence to certain forms in order to remain safe and avoid injuring the body. Practicing ballet without being able to see yourself can lead to incorrect form and later injury.

Buying a Barre

Of course, your dance studio isn’t complete without a barre. While there are professional barres that you can buy, you can also make do with any kind of metal railing. So long as it’s a comfortable width for you to hold on to or rest a foot on, it will do. Makeshift barres made from standard railings are a great way to create a studio space on a budget.

However, if you’re going for something more flashy, like a full basement gym or studio, you may want to opt for a more ‘real deal’ kind of barre. There are professional barre stores online and all over the world that sell dance-specific barres of high quality and with unique designs. 

Buy Quality From Keystone

When you’re ready to buy dance studio mirrors for your home, call us at Keystone Home Products. We professionally install mirror walls all over Toronto and look forward to helping you with yours.

In our last two installments of our mirror series, we talked about installing clipped mirrors and frameless mirrors. Today, we want to cover framed mirrors. While many elements are the same between these different mirror types and their installations, there’s enough difference to each that we feel we should pay them due attention. Let’s check out how you can add a customized frame to a frameless mirror.

Acquire Your Mirror

The first thing you need to do is get yourself a frameless mirror. We need a blank canvas for our new, customized frame to, well, frame! Keystone Home Products has mirrors of all sizes available in Toronto. Let us know you’re in the market, and we’ll let you know how we can help.

Ready Your Frame

When you have your frameless mirror handy, it’s time to begin framing it. There are many ways to acquire a frame for your mirror.

1. Make One From Scratch
   If you’re a woodworker and want the most personalized frame available, you’ll certainly want to try your hand at making one. This is a simple project. After getting your mirror dimensions, all that’s left is using a router bit to shape the edges of a long strip of wood, then cutting and connecting them into a frame.
2. Buy One
   There are lots of frames available from hardware stores, crafting stores, and more. Buying them ready-made is great for anyone who wants to customize their frame from a blank.
3. Recycle One
   If you want a frame that’s already made, painted, and ready to go, recycling one from a large picture frame is a great idea. Simply go to your local thrift store and find a large piece of art in a frame. These are very easy to find and are usually only a few dollars.

Attaching Your Mirror

There are two ways to add a customized frame to your mirror, depending on your preference.

Metal Clips

The first method involves using metal clips. These can look similarly to the clips used to fasten frameless mirrors to the wall, but are smaller and flatter. You can also use the kind of clips used to fasten the back on a picture frame. Just ensure you have enough clips to hold the mirror in – you don’t want it falling out.

Adhesive

If you’re more in the mood for a quick project and you aren’t committed to using the frame somewhere else later, adhesive works well. Buy a tube of adhesive, like the kind available from Liquid Nails, and apply it along the inside of the frame where the mirror will rest. Note that you should not apply this too liberally. Any excess adhesive will squeeze out from behind the frame and end up visible along the front edges of your mirror.

Hanging Your Framed Mirror

Finally, you can hang up your mirror. With your mirror sitting in a frame, hanging it is much easier. You can screw a toothed hanger on the back, like you find on some picture frames. Two are recommended for larger mirrors. 

Or, you can put some screws into opposite sides of the back of the frame and string a wire between them. This will allow the framed mirror to hang from a nail or screw in your wall. Though, keep in mind that this method may have your mirror tilted slightly forward from the wall. This can vary based on where you screw into the frame and how long your wire is.

Don’t Miss Part 1

Applying Adhesive

The next step to install a clipless, frameless mirror requires some thoughtfulness. Adhesive is not easy to clean up once it’s been applied – especially not the kind strong enough to hold up a mirror. So, read the following carefully before you start.

Mark Your Intervals

To apply the adhesive, you’re going to create vertical lines of it. To ensure the weight of the mirror is evenly distributed, you’ll want to make those about the same distance apart. For a large mirror that’s more than about 3 feet wide, you’ll want your lines to be close to 4 inches apart. Smaller mirrors will get enough support from lines 5 or 6 inches apart. 

You can make these exact by measuring the width of your mirror and doing some math, but exactness isn’t entirely necessary here. However, what is necessary is marking your intervals. Even if you’re only eyeing the adhesive intervals, having a guide for when you’re actually applying the hard-to-undo adhesive, is a great idea.

You can mark your intervals by marking a Point A and Point B at the top and bottom of the mirror zone, by making a few dashes, or by marking a solid line with a straight edge. They each work for differing levels of steady-handedness, so use what works best for you.

Important Note: Take into account, before making your marks, that you should leave a buffer. Make sure the marks on either side of your mirror zone are at least a couple inches from the edge. Otherwise, you may be able to see the adhesive when you’re done. The top and bottom are less likely to show. However, starting and ending your line an inch from the top and bottom of the mirror zone is smart, as it leaves room for spreading.

Apply Your Adhesive

When you’re done marking your intervals, it’s time to apply the adhesive. This part is straightforward. Make a solid, continuous, vertical line along each interval marking. If it doesn’t look super pretty, that’s fine. It’s all going to be hidden behind the mirror anyway.

Important Note: Something you absolutely need to know when applying your adhesive is that it’s vertical for a reason. Creating vertical lines that are left disconnected from each other allows air flow behind. Therefore, moisture will be unable to get behind it and create mold. For that reason, do not seal the edges with adhesive, connect the vertical lines, or create any horizontal lines.

Installing Your Mirror

Finally, we’ve reached the last step. This one is straightforward, but a tiny slipup could make a huge mess. Therefore, this step is the most simple in its explanation, and the most scary in its execution.

Have your friend pick up that Keystone mirror again and hold it up in front of the mirror zone markers. Get it pretty close – about 1-2 inches away. While your friend is holding the mirror up, take a moment to check if it’s lined up. Then, have them press the mirror to the adhesive. The adhesive is still malleable, if not sticky. Therefore, if it’s not perfectly lined up, you will have a few seconds to gently adjust it. Just be careful not to overcorrect in your haste, or it could make an adhesive mess.

Once the mirror is in place, put gentle pressure across all areas of the surface, securing it more effectively. Don’t aim to get it perfectly flush with the wall, as we do want there to be some airflow behind it. That was the last step to install a clipless, frameless mirror! Now, you wait. Give it 48 hours before doing more work around it, like installing lighting or erasing marking lines.

Installing a mirror can be a fun DIY project. It’s just slightly challenging, but easy enough that most could do it. That is, supposing they’re not accident prone. If you’re looking to install a clipless, frameless mirror in your bathroom, we’ve got the guide you need. Frameless, clipless mirrors have a fantastic, sleek appearance. They work really well with contemporary interiors, which are very common in bathrooms in recent times.

If you’re here to learn about bathroom mirror installation, but need help with a different type, we’ve got you covered. Check out our guides on framed mirror installation and bathroom mirror replacement, which covers using clips. Please note that our guide on bathroom mirror replacement has a lot of great tips for mirror installation in general. Therefore, it may be referenced throughout this guide. We recommend reading part 1 of that guide if you plan on replacing, rather than installing on a new wall.

Buying What You Need

The first thing you need when you want to install a clipless, frameless bathroom mirror is to buy everything you need. There are 5 things you’ll need for this:

1. A Mirror
   Keystone Home Products has a wide selection of frameless mirrors available to buy in Toronto. These mirrors are great for bathroom vanities, bedrooms, and more.
2. A Level
   If you’ve got a bubble level lying around, it will be really useful in ensuring your mirror isn’t tilted weirdly. If you don’t have a level, you can probably do without. If you don’t have a keen eye, try using math and a straight edge to make a pencil line above your vanity.
3. A Pencil
   You’ll need a pencil for marking your wall. If you have dark paint, you can also substitute with chalk. You probably have one of these lying around at home.
4. Adhesive
   This adhesive is incredibly important, as it’s going to be what holds your mirror up. Do some research to find one you like, or use Liquid Nails, which is well known and easy to recommend. Don’t choose an off-brand if you haven’t used it before and are sure it works well. A weak adhesive can create quite a mess for you later.
5. A Friend
   While we don’t recommend that you buy a friend, we do think texting one to ask for help is a good idea. 

Picking a Spot

This first part is incredibly easy if you have the recommended level, pencil, and friend. You can use a ruler to do this by yourself, which we outlined in detail in our bathroom mirror replacement guide. However, if you have someone who can put pressure on your mirror, holding it in place on the wall, there’s an easier method.

First, take note of how wide your mirror is compared to your vanity. Most people will want their mirror perfectly centered over the sink. Therefore, if it’s wider, you need to know how much wider, and if it’s narrower, how much narrower. Once you know the difference in width, divide that length in half and make a wall mark that distance from the edge of the vanity. This is where the sides of your mirror should sit.

Next up is the part where we take some shortcuts from one-person replacement steps. Because you have a friend who can hold your mirror up, you have the free hands needed to just trace it. Center your mirror over the sink and then use the level to ensure it’s not tilted. Next, use your pencil to draw an L shape around each corner, or trace the mirror entirely. It’s entirely up to you. However, before you rule out tracing the entire mirror, just make sure you’ve read the next section. The full trace may come in handy.

Important Note: Make sure, when tracing, to tilt your pencil so that the marking is as close as possible to the actual edge. The 1/8 inch difference that the wood of the pencil can make is massive, by construction standards.

When you’ve finished marking where the mirror will go, your friend can give their arms a break. Set the mirror back where you had it sitting.

Continue Reading in Part 2

Looking for a guide on how to replace a bathroom mirror? You’ve come to the right place. Check out How to Replace a Bathroom Mirror: Part 1 to get the very first steps, Then, continue reading here to finish installation!

Getting the Width

Next up, it’s time to mark where the clips go along the length of the mirror bottom. This is largely up to personal preference.

To start, get out a measuring tape. Or, if you were using a measuring stick previously, you can use that too. Measure the width and height of your new mirror, if you don’t already have the dimensions. While you’ve got your measuring tape lined up along the width of the mirror, the first thing you’ll want to do is get the center point. So, if your mirror is 18 inches wide, 9 inches is your center point. 

Next, estimate about where you want the clips and check where that falls on the measuring tape. We’ll be measuring from the middle to make these markings on the wall. So, if you want your clips 2 inches from the edge of the same, 18-inch, example mirror, your clips will be 7 inches from the center. We’ll call that your clip distance.

The next step is measuring the width of your vanity. If your vanity is up against a wall, be sure to measure all the way from the wall, including any countertop trim in your measurement. Find the center point of the vanity. For a 36-inch vanity, that will be 18 inches. If you’re working with a double vanity, you can do this step with just the bowl of the sink. Line up your straight-edge, vertically, with the halfway mark on your vanity and make a vertical line up the wall, intersecting your horizontal mark.

Clip Markings

This part is fairly simple. Now that you’ve got the center point for your vanity, indicating also where the center point for your mirror will be, it’s time to mark where the clips will go. Simply use your measuring tape to measure your clip distance from the center line, making a mark of that distance along the line indicating where the mirror bottom goes. The intersection of that marking and the mirror line is where your bottom clips will go. 

To give yourself markings for the top clips, simply line up your straight-edge, vertically, with the new clip marking. Ensure your straight edge is perfectly vertical with your level. Then, make a vertical marking along the straight-edge that will poke out from under the top of the mirror when it’s in place.

Install Your Mirror

Now that all of your markings to replace a bathroom mirror have been completed, it’s time for the installation. The first step of installation is installing the bottom clips. Simply place the end of the clip screw against your bottom clip marking and use a drill to secure it to the wall. Ensure the clip part is facing upward before the screw presses it so firmly against the wall that it can’t be adjusted.

When your bottom clips are in place, pick up your mirror and, very gently, press it flush against the wall, above the clips, and slide it downward into their grasp. With a small mirror, these two clips may hold it in place adequately to let go. For a larger mirror, it’s best to have a helper hold it in place while installing the top clips.

For the top clips, simply line them up with the exposed pencil markings above the mirror – you know, the vertical lines you made from the bottom clip markings. Ensure the edge of the clip that will be flush with the wall does not overlap with the mirror when lining up the screw. Ensure the clip side is facing downward and screw it into place.

The only thing left to do is erase away pencil markings or wipe off chalk markings and wipe down your new mirror. It looks great!

People use bathroom mirrors a lot more than they realize. You may not need your bathroom mirror to do your makeup in the morning or to shave, but you surely see yourself in it frequently. Seeing ourselves provides an extra level of orientation. It’s only when your mirror breaks or cracks that you realize how much you miss that sense of grounding each time you walk into the bathroom. Well, if your bathroom mirror is cracked or broken, it’s time to replace it. How do you replace a bathroom mirror? Let’s take a look at the steps!

Decide How to Hang It

The first step when you want to replace a bathroom mirror is deciding how you want it to be hung. There are many ways to hang a mirror and many mirror styles to choose from. Here are the most popular ones:

• Clipped Mirrors
  These mirrors are frameless. You’ll see, usually, 4 clips holding it to the wall. These clips are usually pretty small and made of metal or clear plastic. Typically, they hold the mirror in place with 2 on top and 2 on bottom.
• Framed Mirrors
  Framed mirrors are more like pictures in the way they’re hung. The pane of mirror is held in a frame like the glass in a picture frame. There is usually a wire or some sawtooth hangers that will grip the heads of nails or screws.
• Frameless and Clipless Mirrors
  These mirrors are frameless, just like those using clips. However, they use no clips to hold them up, having a sleek, frameless appearance when installed.

When you’ve decided which style you like best, it’s time to buy the appropriate mirror. Today we’ll be discussing how to install a clipped mirror. Otherwise, check out our guide on clipless mirror installation, or check back next month for a guide on framed mirrors.

Buy a New Mirror

When you know what kind of mirror you’re looking for, it’s time to buy one! Luckily, for those living in or around Toronto, Keystone Home Products offers quality mirrors for vanities and other locations. Our mirrors are frameless, though they can have a frame added to them very easily. We also offer mirrors of many different sizes, so give us a call if you’d like to order one or check our size limitations.

Prepare the Wall

The first step to hanging a clipped mirror is preparing the wall. If there are old mirror clips that won’t fit the size of the new mirror, remove them with a screwdriver. You’ll also want to fill in any holes in the wall before installing the new mirror. That way, you don’t have to work around the new setup to fill them later. 

If you’re planning on painting your bathroom walls, now is also a great time to get that out of the way. If you weren’t planning to, maybe reconsider. A fresh coat of paint in an accent color can make the vanity wall a great focus wall. 

Picking a Spot

Now that you have your frameless mirror and your wall is prepared, the first step is checking where you want to place the mirror. For mirrors that are larger than 2 feet in either direction, it’s recommended that you get some help. Hold the mirror up to the wall. Move it gently up or down the wall until it’s about where you want it. Then, use a pencil (or chalk, for dark walls) to create a line on the wall where the top and bottom of the mirror are. It’s okay if they’re not exact, as long as you know where the edges were. To replace a bathroom mirror in a way that looks nice, you have a lot of measuring and marking to do, so buckle up!

Height Markings

Next, you’ll want to use a level alongside a ruler, yardstick, or meter stick, depending on what you have and how big the mirror is. Another straight edge will also work. It just needs to be perfectly straight. This will be used to get a more accurate line for where the bottom of the mirror will be.

When you’ve got your straight-edge, hold it up to the wall horizontally. Line up the upper edge with where you marked the bottom of the mirror’s desired location. Place or hold the level on top of the straight edge and adjust it until it’s level. Then, create a line with your pencil along the straight edge, either all the way across or, to minimize later erasing, in lines a few inches long about where the clips will be going.

How to Replace a Bathroom Mirror: Part 2

Many people haven’t considered the possible uses of mirror walls in their homes. The truth is, they have a lot of uses and benefits, both visual and practical. Keystone Home Products wants to inform our readers of the ways they might benefit from these fun interior additions. Primarily, they’re incredibly useful if you want to make your bedroom feel bigger! Let’s see how.

Improving Lighting

In bedrooms with bad lighting, things can get somewhat depressing. However, lamp light and its dull, yellow color doesn’t help much. Wouldn’t it be an improvement if you could get more of that crisp, cool daylight throughout the room? What if we told you you could?

Because mirrors reflect light, having a wall of mirrors can improve the lighting in a room exponentially. You’ll have no more need for dull lamplight with the help of a mirror wall. The light will be reflected around the entire room, giving you better illumination, even if your window or windows are small.

Feeling Cramped

Lighting isn’t the only struggle one can have at home. Bedrooms can also feel cramped and small. This may be because the size of the room is generally inadequate or because the room is just packed with furniture and belongings. Either way, you can make your bedroom feel bigger with a mirror wall.

There are two main ways a mirror wall can improve the perceived size of a room.

• The improved lighting from the mirror’s reflection will illuminate more of the existing space, making dark spots feel bigger. Dark areas tend to make a room look smaller. That’s because our brain’s inability to see into the darkness makes it register as the edge of the space we’re in.
• Another way you make your bedroom feel bigger with a mirror wall is that it reflects existing space. By seeing the size of your room doubled, your brain is tricked into thinking the space is bigger than it is.
  This works especially well in rooms that are kept tidy because the size of the floor space is what’s important to see expanded. If you leave an opening that leads up to the mirror wall, it will look as though the floor continues past the wall. While you may know, logically, that there’s no more room past the mirror, your brain will be appeased by the illusion of it.

Get a Mirror Wall from Keystone

If you want to make your bedroom feel bigger with a mirror wall, Keystone Home Products has your back. Drop by our store today to check out our selection of mirror walls, mirror closet doors, and more. If you have any questions about mirror walls or any of our other products, give us a call. We’re more than happy to help. Or, if you’d rather talk to someone in person, visit us at our Toronto store and ask an employee for help. In-person assistance can be even more effective when we’re able to show you the product you’re inquiring about.

A number of things can make a bathroom look aged. Broken tiles, wallpaper, and brass fixtures are some things that will add years on to your bathroom. Did you know an old vanity mirror can do it too? Certain vanity mirrors have designs around the edges, come in a frame, or are even broken. If your vanity mirror looks like it’s been there a while, it’s going to age your bathroom. Luckily, Keystone Home Products can help.

Why Does Age Matter?

The age of a bathroom may not seem that important if it still functions alright. However, it is incredibly important if you plan on selling your house. While individuals may be accepting of an outdated bathroom, most people aren’t. If someone walks into a house to buy it and sees that the bathroom looks like it hasn’t been updated since the 60s, they’re not going to be sold. 

Because the bathroom is one of the most valuable rooms in the house, people care what it looks like. You can’t avoid a bathroom like you can avoid a half-finished basement. When selling your house, your bathroom needs to be a room people enjoy the look of.

Broken Mirror

Whether you plan on selling your house or not, if your old vanity mirror is broken, it should be replaced. There are a number of reasons.

• For one thing, it looks bad. Every time you walk into your bathroom, your eye is going to be drawn to the break in your mirror. That’s both unattractive and annoying.
• The second reason is that it’s less functional when it’s broken. Most mirrors won’t just get a corner broken off. It’s going to split the entire thing. Trying to use a mirror with a big crack running through it is distracting and annoying. It’s harder to see the overall reflection.
• And lastly, it’s dangerous. While a cracked mirror isn’t the most dangerous thing in the world, it still poses a hazard. If the crack continues growing, a part of the mirror could fall from its mount. Broken glass falling on someone or ending up in little pieces on the floor isn’t exactly safe.

Pick a Replacement

When you decide it’s time to replace your old vanity mirror, get the job done with Keystone Home Products. We have a selection of vanity mirrors we think you’ll appreciate. Get the size and cut you need for your bathroom. Bring your bathroom into the present with a mirror that looks like it belongs here. 

If you have questions about Keystone’s vanity mirrors or other products, give us a call and we’ll be glad to help. We offer the best selection and service in Toronto. If you don’t believe us, come take a look for yourself. 

There are a lot of really cool design choices available for kitchens these days. With time, people continue thinking of really creative ways to improve their interiors. One of those really cool improvements is the installation of a mirror backsplash.

What is a Backsplash?

A backsplash is a coating of some kind that you can put over the wall behind your counters and stove. Backsplashes come in a variety of styles, though the most common is tiling. Backsplashes are put in place for two reasons. 

• They are functionally useful for protecting your walls. It’s easier to wipe grease off a backsplash than paint, which will wear down and get damaged from excessive cleaning. 
• They look great and can serve a number of purposes in the kitchen’s design, including making the space feel bigger.

Mirrors in Design

Mirrors are incorporated into interior design all the time. Aside from their functional uses, mirrors have a fantastic quality: they make a space feel bigger. Due to their reflecting capabilities, mirrors can make a room feel twice the size just by reflecting it back onto itself. This makes mirrors a frequent choice in design. You can add the illusion of space by putting them on closet doors, on ceilings, and yes, even as a kitchen backsplash. Mirrors lend themselves well to being kitchen backsplashes. They make your counter space feel larger and provide a better view of your ingredients when cooking.

Cleaning

One of the great benefits of using a mirror for a backsplash is that they’re easy to clean and more hygienic than a number of backsplash alternatives. For instance, tile is the most common backsplash used in kitchen design. 

While tile may look great, it’s not very easy to clean. The grooves between each tile are great at catching dripped or stuck-on food from the cooking process. Once this food dries onto the tile surface, it’s hard to get off. You can’t just wipe the surface clean in one go because it isn’t flat. You have to stop at each space between tiles and ensure they’ve been wiped clean. Therefore, these grooves between tiles are not usually cleaned adequately. It’s a great place for bacteria to hide and grow, often leading to discoloration.

Mirrors, on the other hand, are a flat, smooth surface. They’re non-porous as well, meaning no little spaces for bacteria to hang around. Simply spray your mirror backsplash down with some standard, food-safe cleaner, such as one with a vinegar base. Wipe down the surface until all visible spots are removed and your backsplash is bacteria free once more.

If you’d like to inquire about mirror backsplashes or other fantastic additions to your interior, give us a call at Keystone Home Products. We have everything you need to make your house a home.