I used Liquid Nails brand mirror adhesive to mount a 42×48 1/4″ thick beveled mirror on a 3/4″ plywood backer set back 2″ on all sides so the mirror would look like it was “floating” a little out from the wall.
Followed label directions about size and spacing of adhesive blobs. Label said substantial cure after 48 hours. HO pulled the support blocks after 54 hours (a few minutes before their Christmas party guests arrived) and two minutes later it fell off the bathroom wall and broke into a thousand pieces.
So, who can recommend a better adhesive?
BruceT
Replies
Bruce,
I've had good success with Gunther Mirror Mastic.
I think it's 7HR4, or something like that.
Comes in gallon cans or 10 oz. tubes.
Good Luck!
Mclaren
Holy #### man - I feel for you. I had that happen with a project I managed. It got into acrylic repair for the bathtub, and all that. Was anything else damaged?
I've installed a couple mirrors myself. For the life of me, I can't remember what brand we normally used. I always asked the mirror people for a tube of it along with the mirror.
Did you use mirror sticky tape or putty? It should prevent catastrophic failure while the glue dries. If you use the putty, the mirror might slide down the wall, worst-case scenario.
Like I said, I feel for you. It was nervous as hell the first time I installed one myself.
Oh yeah - on that job with the broken mirror, I measured for a counter that ended up being 2" short, because the office faxed in the wrong dimensions (I thought I was safe because I'd submitted it in writing). And a cabinet got deleted from the entire contract, so as far as I knew, the order was complete. The client had been willing to pay for it, but I didn't find out about the omission until I delivered everything.
These clients - their daughter is my wife's best friend. I've known them since I was in high school. I really wanted to provide them with awesome service, and we looked like IDIOTS.
Edited 12/23/2007 10:18 pm ET by Biff_Loman
Next time have a look at 3m vhb tape............
OOps forgot to say it is only as good as the paint bond.........
If the surface bond is suspicious then the only way is a mechanical fastening.
On a hill by the harbour
Edited 12/23/2007 11:15 pm by Novy
I once watched a fellow install a mirror and he used this black sticky stuff that I think is used to install auto windsheilds . It stuck right now and he was on his way.I was amazed. Don't know the name but a glass shop would have it.good luck Susan
Several years ago I did a custom series of mirrors designed to imitate transom windows inside a large home. I used PL Premium without concern about the acidic element of polyurethane. AFTER the 9 units were all up, someone on BT mentioned that the acid would eat its way through the mirror backing and I was up the proverbial creek.
After my heart started again, I called the chemist at the company and he said it was a virtually neutral compound and should not be a problem. Indeed, it has never been a problem and the clients love to show off their custom made mirrors. I would not hesitate to use PL Premium again in the same situation, unless I found something BETTER.
"The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
thanks for the tip.
BruceT
First thing to do is to look at the remainds and see what is left. Look for where the bond broke.
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
HO says the adhesive remaining on the wall was still gooey.
BruceT
HO says the adhesive remaining on the wall was still gooey
What caught my attention in your initial post was the "floating away from the wall".
If you used huge dollops of glue to enhance this effect it is likely the source of your problem. The same floating effect could be achieved by adding a layer of ply and using smaller beads of glue or another adhesive.
Years ago I installed stair skirts on an extremely crooked wall. I pumped a good portion of a tube of PL-Premium into one of the larger voids to help the support. I left the job while the painters finished and returned 5 sdays later to cap the skirts. I was suprised to find the glue still oozing when I put pressure on the skirt . There wasn't anything wrong with the adhesive, I had simply used too much of it.
The problem with using large puddles of tube adhesive is the center takes forever or never to cure. The same reason the glue doesn't dry in the tube. Most of the tube glues need to off gas the mineral spirits or whatever chemical it uses to keep soft. Poyurethane adhesives like PL-Premium and Gorrilla Glue use water as a catylist to cure.
Glass installers have many options but mostly use whatever the company provides for them.
The sticky tape someone mentioned I call glazing tape. It is normally used around frames to secure and weather seal window glass. You can buy a roll froma glass comanies for about the price of 3 or 4 small tubes of adhesive.
Silicone works well to hold glass to a surface but it make it very difficult to remove should the glass need to be replaced in the future.
Whatever the adhesive, it may not hold the weight of an extremely large piece of glass and you might want to consider mirror clips as cheap insurance.
Or maybe order the next piece of glass, "installed".
Gord
Thanks for the thoughtful response."What caught my attention in your initial post was the "floating away from the wall". If you used huge dollops of glue to enhance this effect it is likely the source of your problem."I did not intend for glue to stand the mirror further out from the wall. I applied it according to the label instructions that called for 2"-3" blobs in each square foot of mirror.Your point makes sense, though. Applying the adhesive thinner would probably have resulted in quicker dry time and better shear resistance."...you might want to consider mirror clips as cheap insurance."Do they come long enough for a 2 1/2" overlap below the plywood support?BruceT
in the picture I posted, the mirror is "floating" if you will. The mullions are glued on...they are not holding anything. PL Premium did the trick. The mirror in the photo is 7' long."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
I've never seen mirror clips longer than 1 1/2".
Check with your local glass supply.
Gord