How to Make Mirrored Side Tables

I love the glamorous touch that mirrored tables can add to an interior! For a while, Leanne Ford had me convinced that I needed one for a coffee table. Grubby kiddo hands quickly changed my mind about that, but side tables? Mirrored side tables I can do.

Making this custom pair of mirrored side tables was a pretty quick and easy job! The hardest part was waiting on the mirrors I ordered from a local glass company. The cost of high-quality custom mirrors for two pairs of tables ended up being pleasantly affordable without a beveled edge (about $70 per table), but when I decided to do a beveled edge, it raised the price by almost double. So keep that in mind when choosing the mirrors for your table! If you have any old mirrors around your house from renovation projects or whatnot, you can bring those into a local glass company to have them cut into the sizes you need for your tables.

Supplies for Two Tables:
-One sheet of 1/2″ plywood* (I used about 2/3 of the sheet)
-Mirror pieces (two 14″ x 14″ pieces and eight 14″ x 18″ pieces)
–Wood glue
-Four clamps (long enough to span 14″)
-Power drill with countersink bit
-Four dozen 1″ #6 screws
-Construction adhesive
–Hammer
–Furniture glides

*Plywood Finish Sizes:

I had my plywood cut into 14″ strips at the lumberyard, and then cut them down to smaller sizes at home. You could actually have each of your cuts made for you at the lumberyard if you prefer! Precise cuts won’t be as much of an issue since you’re covering the plywood with mirrors. The pieces you need are as followed, though I had to add an X and Y in place of actual measurements, since the thickness of plywood varies. See notes below.

-two 14″ x 14″ pieces
-four 14″ x 17.X”
-four 13.Y” x 17.X”

X= 1″ minus the actual thickness of your plywood.
Y= 1″ minus the actual thickness of your plywood, then multiplied by two.

Step One: Place a line of wood glue along the edges of the face of two 14″ wide plywood pieces, as shown above.

Step Two: Clamp the 14″ wide pieces of plywood to the slightly narrower plywood pieces as shown above. I use duct tape to help hold the pieces together as I’m arranging the clamps. Make sure the pieces are square and even as you tighten the clamps.Step Three: As the clamps do their job, drill four pilot holes at the edges of your 14″ wide plywood pieces as shown above. Make sure you are drilling close enough to the edge that the screws will connect with the perpendicular 1/2″ plywood. If your screws are too far from the edge, they’ll miss connecting with the plywood and that would just be a waste. Be sure you’re using a bit slightly smaller than the #6 screws you plan to use. And before driving in the screws, make sure to use a countersink bit which will allow your screws to sit flush into the wood without sticking up.Step Four: After the screws are in place, flip the box upside-down and hammer in furniture glides at each corner.

Step Five: With your box right-side-up again, apply construction adhesive to the top of the table. Use enough glue for a strong hold, but not so much that it pushes the mirror up off the box. You don’t want a gap between the plywood and mirror.

Step Six: Press the mirror down onto the plywood with firm, even pressure. Allow the glue to dry a bit before turning the table on its side and gluing each additional mirror. If you do all sides at once, you risk the mirror slipping a bit as the glue dries. You can tape them into place, but it’s still a bit risky! I advise taking your time and waiting 10 minutes between gluing each mirror piece. Even then, I added masking tape to the mirrors because I was concerned about slippage.

Once the glue has cured according to the instructions on the label, you can remove the tape and put your tables in their place! This is the exciting part. I use a microfiber cloth to wipe prints off the tables, but glass cleaner would work as well.

I love the touch of sophistication these mirrored cube tables add to my rather rustic living room! They really add the perfect balance to the space. Would you ever use mirrored furniture in your home? –Mandi

Credits//Author and Photography: Mandi Johnson. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.