Savvy upcycler makes stunning hallway mirror from a cable reel for just £30
- Nick Craddock, 32, made a stunning circular mirror for just £30
- He bought a cable reel on Facebook Marketplace and sourced a free mirror from a friend
- Nick provides tips to do the same
If your hallway is looking bare and needs some attention, you might have longed for a stylish mirror to jazz it up.
Nick Craddock, 32, a carpenter from Cornwall, decided his hallway would look good with a statement mirror - but instead of splashing out for a new one, made his own unique creation for just £30.
Nick told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: “I'm a carpenter by trade so being able to construct things isn’t too hard as I have the tools to do so.
“Being in the trade, I see the full extent of how the industry wastes so many used materials, and I hate that.
"I see things going to the skip and think 'I can make something good out of that'. The cable wheels are one of my favourites as there is so much you can construct with them.
"With the mirror I had to come up with something as I originally wanted it for an outside table but it was way too big for what I needed.
"The mirror was free as it was given to me by my neighbour, and the cable reel cost £30 from Facebook Marketplace.
“I thought it would be awesome if I just cut the middle out and made a mirror with it for my hallway.
“Making it wasn’t too difficult. I simply cut the centre out where the slats of the cable reel go into.
“Source a mirror oversized to the hole you cut out, and on the back of the cable spool, mark around the mirror and make sure it’s central.
"Then I routed out the depth of the mirror and backing board so it was flush to the back of the cable spool.
"I then set the mirror and backing board in, then using pins, held them in place.
"Me and my wife fell in love with it straight away - it looked perfect.
"As for tips, any materials such as old pallets and scaffold boards can be turned into awesome products.
“You don’t really need fancy joinery standards as you don’t really want it to look perfect!
“Sometimes you have just got to let the natural beauty of the wood do all the talking, not how it was constructed.
"I’ve done a lot of upcycling and most of the inside of my house is full of things I’ve made.”
Nick’s inventive mirror is a beautiful addition to his home, and the project has been a great distraction during the lockdown.
"Lockdown is a perfect time to take on a project of any size to keep yourself busy and it’s extremely rewarding when it's finished, especially an upcycle project, as after all, we live in a throwaway world,” he adds.
“Giving something another lease of life is very satisfying, hence why most of my furniture at home is made from re-used materials!”
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, comments: “While Nick’s skills as a carpenter will obviously come in handy for his DIY projects, don’t let a lack of experience put you off making your own home creations!
“Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram are the perfect places to search for free step-by-step tutorials, whether you want to build a table, a cupboard or a gorgeous hallway mirror!
“Search local shopping sites such as Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and Shpock to see if you can pick up supplies at rock bottom prices."
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