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Tips & Techniques

Removing a Mirror Glued to the Wall

Issue 174

A glass mirror had been glued to a wall with a special type of mastic. The mastic had several days to cure, and the mirror wasn’t going anywhere. Unfortunately, the 1/4-in.-thick mirror, which was 27 in. wide by 90 in. tall, was in the wrong place. I had to move it 8 in. to the left.

I considered several approaches to the problem, including using a metal scraper or a saw. But those solutions likely would damage the mirror. Then I had a brainstorm. I tied a 4-ft. length of 70-lb. fishing line to a pair of wood blocks, which served as handles. Now I had a kind of saw a little over 3 ft. long.

I slid the fishing line behind the mirror and began sawing it back and forth, keeping the line as flat against the wall as possible. In this manner, I sliced the mirror off the wall with no damage.

David Hoover, Federal Way, WA

Edited and Illustrated by Charles Miller

From Fine Homebuilding #174

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  1. user-3976312 | Dec 26, 2017 06:53pm | #1

    Great idea. I probably would have tried picture-hanging wire, but if fishing line works, so much the better!

  2. JLTertel | Dec 27, 2017 09:45am | #2

    Excellent tip!
    I could have used it a week ago when I ripped off the bathroom mirror and much drywall doing my Christmas honey-do project.
    Hopefully it saves others the patching work that I had to do.

  3. AnnsKitchenAndBath | Aug 17, 2020 04:27pm | #3

    Great idea! Yes, fishing line would work much better than wire. I've used nylon string to cut pvc pipe as well - works great in tight places!

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