03 March 2019

DIY: Creating a TV Mirror in Fast and Easy Steps

TV mirror is the current fad in the world of interior design right now. A TV mirror presents a smart way for designers to lessen the impact of bulky and wide television sets so it does not become the focal point of the living room. If you are interested in getting one, the best bet is to probably buy one or to ask professional services to convert your current television set into one. But if you are a DIY kind of guy or simply out to cut some costs, here are the steps on how you can do it by yourself.


The project is fairly simple but it can get be quite educational especially if you are not yet as handy with tools as you would like. You do not have to worry as it is difficult for you to mess this up given how straightforward the steps are. In the end, you should be able to create a fine high-tech centerpiece that is truly stunning and you can show off to your friends. It is functional as well which makes it a perfect guise to a contraption that could somewhat clutter your space. So without much further ado, here are the steps to creating your very own TV mirror where you would be “Netflix and chilling” like never before.

Gather the Materials You Will Need--


First things first, you need to gather the main materials you will need to start creating your TV mirror. You will obviously need a display. To support the TV mirror, you need to buy a frame to fit it in. And finally, you will need a semi-transparent mirror.

How to Choose the Best Television for Your TV Mirror--


The most important factor to consider when choosing a TV for your TV mirror is the thickness and brightness of the TV. You should opt for much thinner television sets as they are much easier to frame rather than thick television sets which would require special frames for them to house in. You can still use any other television sets however as long as they are not CRT, obviously. As mentioned, another factor you should consider is the brightness. Putting a television set behind a working mirror may distort the brightness of the display. This can cause poor quality but can be negated if your television set has the brightness to make it work. A Samsung television set usually ticks all the necessary boxes and you should consider buying one for a TV mirror if it fits your budget. If you intend to buy one or prefer to hire professional services to create your TV mirror for you, you should insist on using Samsung if your intention is to have the best possible outcome.

How to Choose the Right Mirror for Your TV Mirror--


Now that the TV part of TV mirror is settled, it is not time to turn our attention to the other half of the word -- the mirror. Certainly, picking the right mirror is a crucial step in creating a TV mirror, its functionality is, after all, the main selling point of having a TV mirror in the first place. Fair warning, you should definitely not choose just any kind of mirror because not all mirrors can work if used in a TV mirror. You will need a special kind of mirror that is called a dielectric mirror. A dielectric is a material that can be polarized if electric field is applied to it. Its other important quality is that it is an electrical insulator. Being dielectric allows TV mirror screens to have a vanishing effect whenever the TV mirror is turned on where you can then see through the mirror. If the television set is turned off, however, with an applied electric field to affect the screen, what you will see is a reflection projected by the mirror. Basically, the dielectric mirror is the reason why the TV mirror can have that magical effect. Dielectric mirrors are relatively inexpensive especially if compared to the television itself. It is thus, a good idea to invest money in the dielectric mirror as it can either enhance or diminish the experience when watching a TV mirror.

Alternatively, you can also choose other types of mirrors, albeit the transparency will not be as good as a dielectric mirror. You can choose to instead buy Glass Smart Mirror, Acrylic Two Way Mirror, or Glass Two Way Mirror as the screen for your TV mirror. You should however never use a two-way mirror film. It might seem tempting as it does provide the same functionality as the dielectric mirrors and such. But the resulting display will be extremely nontransparent and will render your TV mirror as completely useless. And worst of all, the film will sooner or later dissolve and bulge leaving an annoying permanent blot on your TV mirror especially if the room you are putting the TV mirror is normally filled with moisture such as kitchens or bathrooms. Though the two-way mirror film is so much cheaper, it might not be worth it to save those few dollars as the long term output will not be lasting for so long. As a TV mirror is both an artistic, functional, long term ornament, you should splurge a little bit on the little things that makes it better as it is.

Should you however still use two-way mirror in spite of all attempts to reason with you, you should at the very least use clear glass and not use acrylic. Do not apply it directly to the glass either.

Should You Choose to Buy One Instead--

If you choose to skip the DIY part and go straight to chilling, you may want to consider a few things before buying one. First of all, you should decide whether to directly buy one off the shelf or to hire professional help. There are pros and cons to both approaches. If you buy one off the shelf, it could cost less but you are not going to be assured of the quality of the TV mirror. Should you choose to hire help, you could decide which parts you want to ensure quality but it should cost you more money.

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