Old Window Revival

A few weeks ago I came across an old paned window. It had a broken window but the frame was in great condition. I bargained for it and got it for $2! Yes that's right $2! I was very excited for my find. I packed my new treasure in my car and headed home.

I pondered over what to do with it for a few days. I search Pinterest for awesome ideas and how to's but didn't come across anything that spoke to me. Don't get me wrong there are a lot of awesome ideas for projects for old windows out there...but this one was different.

The wood frame was in great condition. It was dirty but there was barely and water damage on it and it wasn't painted....it was bare and ready for it's new life. 

I thought and thought about what I would do. I wasn't really wanting to paint the frame and ruin the beautiful wood. If it was previously paint in it's first life I would have stripped it and painted it...but like I said...this was different. Even my Dad told me not to paint it. 

I thought about staining it but wasn't sure what stain color to use. Then the idea hit me....BEESWAX! Bees wax is an awesome thing to use on wood. It's a natural element so when you use it you don't have to worry about stains and chemicals. For those who don't know what Beeswax does it naturally brings out the true color of the wood. It also helps already stained wood come back to life. 

So I knew what I was going to do with the frame but what was it going to be come? After much brainstorming I came up with a Mirror/Accessory holder. 

So with the help of a crafty handy dandy Dad he showed me how to get the glass out with out hurting the frame.

This is a lot of work. Since I had no need for the glass we discovered it was easier to break the glass first before going at the putty seal on the back that holds the glass in place and keeps it weather proof. 

And let me tell you...that stuff may be brittle but wow is it hard as a rock! I used a putty knife to get it all off. I would advise to where safety glasses and gloves when doing this. Keep a box near by for the broken glass if you are not using or keeping the glass. You will also need needle nose pliers. There are little metal pieces holding the glass in under the putty. They come out easy with this tool. 

You will make a mess so do this out in the garage or something and have a shop vac handy. 

Once the frame is free of the glass and putty you will want to wipe the frame down with a clean cloth to get any dirt and dust off the frame. Then take some steel wool and wipe the frame down to get any excess dirt and grime off. 

Next you are ready for the Beeswax. I got mine from Menards. It didn't cost more than $5! They keep it back with the all the cans of Stains back in the paint section. If yo can't find it ask for help. It comes in a bottle and looks like beeswax. Follow the instructions on the bottle. And soon you will have your old frame looking amazing! Who knew my old dirty frame had such rich red tones in it!

After the frame is dry from the beeswax you will want to drill your holes for your knobs and adjust the length of the knobs to fit your frame...you don't want it to scratch the wall do you? Once that is all set you will want to have your mirrors ready.

I got my mirrors from a local glass company. They had my mirrors cut and ready to go in under 30 minutes. I'm sure they would have installed your mirrors to your frame if you ask them but I didn't want the extra expense. 

Carefully place your mirrors into place. Now you can secure your mirrors in any way you see fit. My dad thought it would be best to calk them into place. We used your basic white calk nothing special. Let it dry before you flip it over. You don't want the mirrors to come out!

Once that's done add what you need to hang it on the wall! And presto it's done!

By the time it was all said and done I spent roughly $32 on the frame, beeswax, knobs, and mirrors. I am loving my new piece..but I am trying hard to let it go and sell it for a nice pretty penny. I hope you got a new idea and try something new....maybe use some beeswax with your next wood project and not paint or stain.

Happy Pinning and Happy Crafting! 

Jenny