Krylon vs Rustoleum Mirror Spray Paint Comparison

I was not paid by either Krylon or Rustoleum to make this video. This is an experiment I decided to do for myself and film for the benefit of others as well.

The links below are affiliate links. It won't cost you anything extra, but if you decide to click and buy something, you help me make a tiny bit of money from Amazon.

It's also possible to find these paints at your local craft store.

[patrickmackle]

I make real chemically silvered glass mirrors with real silver. I decided to try this KRYLON Looking Glass aerosol spray product. I was very satisfied on how it turns out. It even took me several attempts to get perfect results but it can be done. I think because I make real mirrors and understand the process that it helped me achieve perfect results from this product. A real key is to spray very light even rapid coats from the proper distance, more like 12-13 inches from the glass(especially from a new can when volume/pressure is higher) and let it dry well in between coats. the point being that the paint is very thin and fast drying so that the super fine aluminum metallic paint flakes suck down tight and flat to the glass surface between each thin coat. Doing this gives them their ultimate bright reflectivity and eveness. In her video you can see that she actually FLOODS quite a bit of rippled liquid spray build up("runs") which allows the flakes to pile and wash onto each other and this flooding blocks their smooth and fast drying placement on the glass surface. The ripples and streaks she mentions are due to applying too much paint and as the ripples take longer to dry, the reflection is not going to dry bright and even. This is a fun and time saving product, but you have to clean the glass very well, and spray in light coats with flash drying time in between. When sprayed in proper light coats, shaking the can between each coat, the paint dries in a few seconds, "flashing off" and ready for the next pass. My purpose in posting this information is not to knock her review I enjoyed watching, but instead include my observations so that she and others get some added information to apply in using this product for the best results.

[ShawnsterVideos]

Excellent details. Thanks. Especially good of you to include temperature & humidity & possible lack of perfect cleaning as a factor in the quality of the finished product.
Thanks for your excellent work.

[barthk]

When applied properly, the rustoleum effect is extremely nice! Clean glass properly. Use VERY thin coats. 1st coat should be no more then a good dusting. You also dont need 5 coats. Let it flash off between coats, and check the effect. 3 or 4 coats is usually plenty. And in my experience provides a "brighter" effect. For better adhesion use a bonding agent on the glass 1st. (Like createx bond all.) Then for durability, clear coat with a matte clear when finished.

[shevinsacrey]

The reason you got these effects is because that's not how you use a can of spray paint. You don't just hold the trigger and go over the whole thing without stopping. You use a sweeping motion from one end to the other. Press the trigger on to the side of the piece, travel across to the other and let go. Then from the other end back. All these videos of people doing it like this are driving me nuts like what world did you grow up in where people use spray paint this way. On top of that you didn't do solid coats on every coat. It looks like with every coat you used less paint with the last coat just being a little spritz of the back. Should have been solid even coats each time. The ripples and cracking are purely user error

[mjremy]

This was a good demo, to the point, no unnecessary chatter and no music. Many thanks!
I think glass was not cleaned in a technical way. I think it first needs a vinegar coating, let sit for an hour, then soap off. Dry. Clean with alcohol and lint free cloth. Dust off with compressed air. Glass should be Clean Room clean, no dust or anything.
Spray was too thick, too close. Should be a fine, even spray from a foot away. # of coats is correct.
I think this will resolve the ripple or crackle effect. Both should work fine, but I like the Rustoleum better for clarity and price. The Krylon has a very fine nozzle which is very nice.

I wonder if Montana Gold makes mirror paint. That would be excellent like all their products.
Good demo, much appreciated!

[jdd]

Best structured review/comparison I've seen so far. And I'm like a dozen in

[spriggsyspriggs]

So glad you were intelligent enough to realize it is supposed to be for glass. I've seen people on Amazon reviews before talking about how they sprayed their fireplaces with it and got a dull grey look. If they read the can, they would know it is for glass or other smooth, transparent surfaces.

[newbutt]

That's awesome! I have an old antique, full length mirror that almost all the silver has worn off. To the point of if you didn't know it was a mirror, you wouldn't know it was a mirror. I'm gonna try this one day/weekend when I have time to take it all apart & clean the existing silver off. I think the crackle effect would bring this old mirror back to life. I've kept this thing for over 30 years just because the woodworking is just so beautiful to me. Thanks for the tip.

[buckmerdoc]

Thank you for getting right to it, and not boring us with inconsequential preamble that lasts 2/3 of the video

[pegster]

If you paint the glass with flat black spray paint when you are done it gives you mirror a more opaque look. Just FYI

[agway]

Thanks for doing this. I agree alcohol cleans better and the streaking and hazing may be on the side that wasnt cleaned

[YouMeComedy-VFX]

Wow! You saved my time.. After watching this video, I went to the market and bought a new mirror, thank you!

[STBRetired]

I'm looking for something to touch up an old motorcycle. These two products far exceed anything I could have imagined. Thanks for making the video and bringing them to my attention. I was looking at some other videos and I think where they went wrong was only testing "chrome" spray paint instead of the "mirror" spray paint as you tested.

[maddscientist]

both brands work great for that "aged, antique-look" if you want to fake a mirror :) or if you are trying to fake mercury glass...it does the job quite well

[carolinestevens]

OK...The Can says "mirror effect". It doesn't mean a perfect mirror finish. That's almost impossible from a spray paint.

[AAA-nqbo]

Pretty amazing considering that it’s spray paint. 20 years ago we’d all been amazed!

[mflaig]

Every time you sprayed it was in a different direction and they were all done improperly giving you overspray on every coat. Unless you spray everything in the proper direction and spray in the proper direction each time you're not going to get a good result

[Torelynn]

Thank you for this video! I know its an old post, but its very helpful for a project I'll be attempting soon

[cathyleslie]

Thank you for yhe video!! So glad I already purchased Rustoleum!!😊

[peterrivney]

I tried them both before I did not compare them but was not really satisfied with the results I sprayed 1/16 inch thick plexiglass to make up carnival mirrors short & fat along with tall & thin and trying to put concave curve to see what happens ... Was interesting but just not what I expected...