Hi all, I am renovating a bathroom with a large mirror. I am used to the sliding clips but I believe this has been glued to the wall. It is about 3X3 ft right angle triangle.
Anyone have any suggestions how to remove the mirror that does not involve a hammer? I have thought about trying to pull a guitar string behind it to cut through the glue…haven’t tried it though…
Thoughts?
David
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Replies
That would help. I ussually just pull them off,
slow and carefully
While sliding a serrated kithen knife in to separate the glue blobs I can reach. I've taken off 8-10 that way with no breakage
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What Piffin said. Wear goggles, long sleeves and gloves. Duct tape a tarp or sheet onto the mirror for safety. I have always just gone behind it with a pry bar and very slowly started pulling, you can hear the fibers starting to give and tear, that's when you know you've got it. Slow and steady pressure.
50 to 80Lb Spectra fishing line, saw back and forth.
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My preferred method is to tape the mirror heavily then cut a bunch of long shims and drive them behind the mirror slowly alternating back and forth. I would also suggest in investing in a set of glass suction cups to help pull on and carry after removal.
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I'll second a wire behind the mirror.
I used to work in a glass shop and we used what we called "the piano wire". Don't know if it really was. Both ends had a 1" x 3" dowel attached. Start at the top and pull it down thru the mastic.
Taping the face of the mirror is always a good idea, just in case.
buic
Edited 11/7/2007 12:02 pm ET by BUIC
long sleeves, gloves, suction cup, Georgia chrome (duct tape), the fishing line or wire trick, long pants, leather shoes, CLOSE fitting eye protection and gently pull, pry, shim. No pets or kids around. Protect the counter top. Don't grab it if it starts to fall.
That's not that large of a mirror. You'd also be surprised how much glass flexes before it breaks.
I use the tapered shims method, though the piano wire sounds really good, too. A warm room or a hot day will help, as it will soften the mastic, letting it flow faster as the mirror is removed. Definitely suit up just in case it breaks.
Bill
Just took a 3'x5' mirror down this week. Took some 40 pound rated picture hanger wire, it's sort of a coarse braid, used it as a saw to get the mirror off the wall. Made a couple of handles out of a piece of broom handle and got it down in about 20 minutes by myself. Would have gone faster if I'd had someone to pull the other end of the wire. My hands were too far appart to get a good stroke going.
Using shims is a good idea since the wire sort of melts is way through the adhesive and the shims keep it from sticking back together
If you can access the top edge, sqirt laquer thinner or acetone behind it a couple, three times over the course of 30 minutes.
It may fall off so be careful.
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Piano wire, fishing line... I am on the right. Here's hoping for no extended runs of bad luck :)
Cheers and thanks everyone!
David
I've removed mirrors with the shim and pry method.
Once, I had dozens of mirrors to remove from posts in a bar. It was going slow so I warmed the mirror with a propane plumbers torch it worked great if the mirror was installed with glazing tape or Pro-Glaze caulk the mirror almost fell off. If however it was installed with silicone a hammer was about the only thing that worked.
Sure wish I had known about the wire trick.
Gord