instructables

How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror

by WickedMakers

A "Smart Mirror" is a two-way mirror with a display behind it that is typically used to display useful information like
the time and date, the weather, your calendar, and all sorts of other things! People use them for all kinds of
purposes. You'll see them placed in the bathroom, in the kitchen, as a vanity, all over the place!

W e ha v e pla ns w it h e v e n m o re de t a il, a v a ila ble o n o ur w e bs it e :

https://thewickedmakers.com/product/diy-smart-mirr...

In this tutorial, we demystify the process of building a DIY Smart Mirror and walk you step-by-step how to make
one using materials you can get online or at your local stores. Our goal is to show you that building a DIY Smart
Mirror is not as hard as you might think, and to inspire you to try it!

We re c o mme n d wa t c h in g t h e vid e o a b o ve a n d fo llo win g a lo n g wit h t h e writ t e n st e ps!

Supplies:

Pa rt s & M a t e ria ls :

18" x 24" Picture Frame - https://amzn.to/3hJ7Xa0

Acer 1080p Monitor - https://amzn.to/3108Wwr
Raspberry Pi Kit - https://amzn.to/3hHUQG0
18" x 24" Two-Way Glass Mirror - https://amzn.to/2NcOccU
(OPTIONAL) Acrylic Mirror - https://amzn.to/30UF2JV
90deg. HDMI Adapter - https://amzn.to/3egLPld
1.25" Wood Screws - https://amzn.to/2zn8tZj
Wood Glue - https://amzn.to/2wDkXLt
Super Glue - https://amzn.to/2YcS184
Black Acrylic Paint - https://amzn.to/2BhwPF0
3/4" Plywood
Keyboard and Mouse (Any will do!)

To o ls :

How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror: Page 1

 Pocket Hole Jig - https://amzn.to/2WbyFQ6
Drill - https://amzn.to/2SvF6tQ
Tape Measure - https://amzn.to/2C00Jv7
Hot Glue Gun - https://amzn.to/31blLnW
Saw (For Ripping Plywood Strips and Cutting to Size)
(OPTIONAL) Impact Driver - https://amzn.to/2SvF6tQ
(OPTIONAL) Clamps

https://youtu.be/DjPGoGmO5VY

Step 1: Cut the Wood for the Back Frame

The gist of our design is we're going to use a regular
picture frame and extend the back of it to create more
space for the parts like the monitor and Raspberry Pi.
To do this, we're going to use 3/4 " plywood and cut
some strips.
You'll need (4) strips that are 1. 75" wide and then
two more that are 1. 5" wide. We left a 1/4 " reveal
around the edges, so for our 18 " x 24 " frame, the (2)
long strips are 25. 75 " and the (2) shorter ones are
18 . 25" .
T ip: Do n' t ha v e a s a w ? T he nice f o lks a t t he
big box stores like Home Depot will usually cut them
for you if you bring in a list of measurements and ask
nicely. :)
The other (2) 1. 5" wide strips will get cut to nal
length later on, but for now, they should be a
minimum of about 25" long to be safe.
We're going to assemble the frame using pocket
holes, so we'll set up our pocket hole jig for a 3/4 " cut
and then drill two holes in the ends of the two shorter
sides.

How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror: Page 2

Step 2: Paint and Assemble the Back Frame

After some tests with di erent paint types, we found important to ensure the depth of your pocket holes is
that simple black acrylic paint on the birch plywood accurate. These are going in from the back so if they're
gave us the most similar color to the black frame, so too deep, the screws will poke through the front of
we painted all of our pieces with it so they matched. the picture frame!

Once dry, we then added vertical pocket holes on Next, we assembled the frame together using the
each of the pieces which will be used to attach it to pocket screws, ensuring each corner is square as we
the back of the picture frame. No t e : Yo u ca n do go so we have a perfectly square frame when we're
t his be f o re pa int ing , w e jus t f o rg o t ! : ) done.

We placed the holes 3" in from each end. It's

How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror: Page 3

Step 3: Attaching the Frame to The...Frame

We ipped the picture frame so it was face down and frame.

then placed the back frame on top of it. We used a bit
of super glue on the back of the plywood to help it
stay put while we attach the pocket screws.
It's important to ensure the position of the back
frame is perfectly centered on the back of the picture
If you have clamps, they really come in handy here to
make sure you have a good tight t when you attach
the pocket screws. We attach the two screws into each
side for a secure t.

How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror: Page 4

Step 4: Putting in the Two-Way Mirror
Smart Mirrors work by using a "two-way mirror" (also
called a one-way mirror, which is...very confusing!).
What's signi cant about a two-way mirror is that one
side allows light to pass through and the other side is
re ective. That allows you to put something like a
display or a monitor on the back and shine light
through.
The mirror we're using is 1/4 " thick and is very high-
quality glass so we'll get a lot of light passing through
while maintaining a clear re ection. However, these
types of mirrors are very expensive . If you're on a
budget, a great option is to use an acrylic mirror.
Here's an example of one: https://amzn.to/30UF2JV
How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror: Page 5
To install the mirror, rst, we removed the clear plastic
and the cardboard backing in the picture frame. But ,
w e s a v e d t he ca rdbo a rd s ince w e ' re g o ing
t o us e it ! We then fold up all the little metal tabs to
make room for the mirror.
Next, we gently place the mirror into the frame, bright
side facing forward (dark side back). It ts perfectly
but it's obviously important to be gentle so we don't
scratch it. Once it's in, we carefully bend down all the
metal tabs to hold the mirror in place.
Step 5: Disassembling the Computer Monitor

How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror: Page 6

Before we start, we turn on the monitor and raise the
brightness to the maximum. Next, we remove the
stand at the bottom, then lay it face down on
something soft so it doesn't get scratched.
There are two small screws near the power/HDMI
ports that come out rst, but w e s a v e t he m s ince
w e ' re g o ing t o us e t he m la t e r!
Next, we used a small athead screwdriver to pop all
the tabs around the outside and take o the back
panel. This reveals a line of small screws around the
edge on the back that we then took out. With those
screws out, we could then carefully remove the front
bezel.
How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror: Page 7
There's a small set of buttons on the bottom that
turns the monitor on/o /etc. so we carefully take
those out so they don't get damaged.
Finally, we take that cardboard piece from the picture
frame and lay it down, removing any metal tabs it has
rst. We then use a ruler to place the monitor face
down on the board exactly in the center. We trace
around it with a pencil and then use a sharp utility
knife to cut out the rectangle, being as careful as we
can to get super close to the line and not leave any
gaps.
Now you can see how we t the monitor perfectly into
the cardboard!
Step 6: Install the Monitor Into the Picture Frame

With everything prepped, we clean the back of the No t e : if y o ur re ct a ng le cut o ut is big g e r

mirror with a micro ber cloth (this is the last chance t ha n y o ur m o nit o r, t he n lig ht ca n e s ca pe
to do that!), and then we place the cardboard back f ro m t he ba ck t hro ug h t he m irro r. Yo u ca n
into the frame. The monitor then ts perfectly into the us e s o m e t a pe o v e r t he e dg e s t o blo ck t he
space we cut out for it, facing the back of the mirror. lig ht if ne e d be .

With a hot glue gun, we trace around the edges to

secure the monitor to the board.

How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror: Page 8

Step 7: Attaching the Back Strips to Secure the Monitor
Remember those other two strips of plywood we cut
in the beginning? We now attach those to the back of
the frame to hold everything tightly in place.
First, we need to cut them to the exact size so they t
into the back frame. You can technically do this at the
start, but for a perfect t, you're better o waiting
until your frame is assembled and then marking and
cutting them to the exact size they need to be.
Once we cut them, we drill a single pocket hole into
the end of each one.
How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror: Page 9
The rst one gets placed at the bottom of the monitor
to support it's weight and gets pushed in as tightly as
it can go and screwed into place. The second is placed
about three-quarters of the way up against the back
of the monitor to hold it up against the mirror tightly.
Each of these is 1/4 " less wide than the outer frame
to account for the cords passing over them in the
back.
Step 8: Assembling the Raspberry Pi

To power our Smart Mirror, we're using a Raspberry Pi
computer. We recommend picking up the entire kit so
you get all the various parts and pieces necessary,
including a perfectly sized case.
We start by inserting the memory card into the Pi and
then placing it into the plastic case. We can then
attach the power cable and the HDMI cable. You
should also plug in a keyboard and mouse into the
USB slots.
Next, we boot up the Pi for the rst time. We're
prompted to "Install" the operating system, so we
simply follow the on-screen instructions until the Pi
boots up. It then asks us for a few basic questions like
Timezone, Wi , etc.
No t e : If y o u do n' t ha v e a n e xt ra m o nit o r a t
ho m e , w e re co m m e nd do ing t his s t e p prio r
t o dis a s s e m bling t he o t he r m o nit o r!

Step 9: Installing and Customizing the Magic Mirror Software

To run the smart mirror, we're using a free piece of software called "Magic Mirror". It's designed speci cally for this,
it's very fun to use, and it works GREAT!

The next step involves installing this software on our Raspberry Pi, which you can get at this link:
https://magicmirror.builders/

If you're not familiar with programming, this can seem very intimidating but we show in the video the simplest way
to do it if you're not into coding at all.

The full documentation, including the "Installation" page that we use in the video, can be found here:
How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror: Page 10
https://docs.magicmirror.builders/

We're looking for the 'Manual Installation' section (as shown in the images above) and we're going to simply
copy/paste one line at a time into the 'Terminal' app on the Pi.

Essentially, it's:

1. Copy the line

2. Paste into Terminal
3. Press 'Enter'
4. When complete, repeat with the next line until the end.

When it's nished, the app will run for the rst time and we'll see it open on our Pi!

Cus t o m iz ing y o ur M a g ic M irro r

The best part about the Magic Mirror software is that it allows you to customize it. The default setup has basic
things like a calendar, clock, weather, etc. but that is just the beginning. The documentation shows you how to add
'modules' so you can explore a whole world of customization.

For example, here are some of the modules we added:

Play YouTube videos

Control it with Alexa
Show what's playing on Spotify
Connect to our Nest thermostat
Show our Google Calendar

How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror: Page 11

Step 10: Installing the Electronics Into the Frame
Now that the software is ready to go, we can nally
put everything into the frame. We start by attaching
the 90-degree HDMI adapter on the back of the
monitor, and connect the HDMI cable to it. Next, we'll
attach the power cable for the monitor and tuck that
to the side.
We'll then remove the Raspberry Pi from the plastic
case, revealing two mounting holes on the bottom.
Remember those two screws from the back of the
monitor in the beginning? We're going to use one of
them to secure the Pi to the monitor. The ideal place
How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror: Page 12
to put it is on the side, as shown, but there's a tiny
little metal tab in the way of an otherwise perfect t.
We took a metal le and simply ground out a little
piece of the plastic case to t perfectly. (You can see
this better in the video, link in step one.)
We can then screw the Pi case onto the back of the
monitor with the single screw and then reassemble
the Pi. This is also a good opportunity to install the
heat sinks and fan that come with the Pi kit, to keep it
cool while it runs our Smart Mirror.
Step 11: Final Assembly and Cable Routing
Finally, the last step is to properly route all of the
cables so that it's nice and clean in the back. We use a
combination of a hot glue gun and velcro cable ties to
secure all of the cables tightly to the back of the
frame.
Don't have velcro? Zip-ties work great, or even some
string or scotch tape will work ne.
We also hot glue the button pad to the back of the
monitor for easy access.
O pt io na l - Air Ve nt ila t io n
How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror: Page 13
If you're going to be running videos on the Pi, it can
get quite hot! We recommend carefully drilling some
vents in the sides of the back frame to promote
air ow through the back. If you're simply running the
Mirror with text only, you don't need to do this.
O pt io na l - Ca ble No t ch
We ran our cables through the wall directly behind
the mirror, but if you're going to plug them in below
the mirror you can cut a small notch in the bottom for
the cables to pass through.
Step 12: The Results!

Smart Mirrors are SUPER FUN! We love combining technology like this with hands-on making, it's like the best of
both worlds. We spent a lot of time having fun customizing the mirror with di erent modules to really dial it in for
our use case, and we couldn't be happier with the result. :)

W a nt t o s e e m o re o f o ur w o rk?

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How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror: Page 14

Very well done.
I have made a few dozen SmartMirrors for family and friends of varying sizes and shapes.
Your method, which I am going to try is so very simple.
Thanks for posting.

How to Make a DIY Smart Mirror: Page 15