How to make a seashell mirror
Shellman style

The easy way: our DIY kit

Our DIY shell mirror kit has everything for a 40 × 50 cm mirror: about 40 kinds of shells sorted in numbered bags, a pre-cut and pre-painted wooden frame with mirror glass, a back piece, screws, glue, sealant and hanging hardware. Plus written instructions and this video. No prep, no paint: you go straight to the fun part.

Get the kit

What you need if you start from scratch

• A wooden frame and mirror glass. Paint the frame roughly the color of most of your shells, so small gaps disappear. White, gray or black is usually enough.
• Lots of shells in many sizes. Clean beach shells thoroughly, boil them if needed, and let them dry.
• Glue made for shells. We use our own Shellman Sea Shell Glue on almost every piece. It dries transparent, has no toxic fumes and washes off easily while you work. For indoor use.
• Sand and a few tools: tweezers, something long and pointy, a small brush, a spoon and a jar of water.

The steps in short

1. 1

   Set up

   Choose a work table that's kind to your back, with good light. Sort the shells by size: big, medium, small, tiny.

2. 2

   Edges first

   Stand the frame on its edge and glue shells along the outer and inner edges, one side at a time. Dry-fit them first, so they fill the edge and the sides meet nicely at the corners. That goes for rectangular, round and oval frames alike. Nothing may stick out over the back or over the inner ledge where the mirror rests. Spoon sand into the gaps to hide the frame.

3. 3

   Sketch it dry

   Lay the frame flat and lay out the big shells without glue: corners first, then the upper and lower center. Think mix, balance and flow, not exact symmetry. Take a photo: it shows the balance better than the real frame.

4. 4

   Big shells

   Glue them with a generous bead of glue around the rim, the top of the frame (the head piece) first. Let it dry overnight.

5. 5

   Medium and small shells

   Layer them on and between the big ones, on top or half-hidden. Dip the small ones in a jar of glue so they get glue on all sides. Try clusters of one kind, a few abalone for shine, and cones and strombus for the head piece.

6. 6

   Tiny shells and sand

   The tiny "fillers" hide the frame from every angle. Glue a small area, pour tiny shells over it, let it dry, then fill the gaps one by one. Sand last. This is where your patience is put to the test: expect a few hours.

7. 7

   Shake, check, fill

   Shake off anything loose and fill the gaps it leaves.

8. 8

   Mirror and hanging

   Turn the frame front side down on something soft. Put the mirror in with an equal gap all around, apply sealant in the gaps and let it dry for at least 30 minutes. Then the back piece and the hangers. For the wall, use the plug and screw that suit yours.

Our best tips

• Broken is beautiful

  A damaged shell? Show its other side, or hide the flaw under another shell.

• Step back often

  Or climb a chair and look down at the frame, as if it were already on the wall.

• Be generous with glue early, careful late

  Early glue gets covered. At the end, none should show.

• Let some shells show their opening

  Many look even better upside down.

• Placed one wrong?

  Once dry the glue sits hard, but you can pry a shell off and glue it again.

FAQ