Plate Glass Mirror Mounting

Falcon L

Hi,
I have a large plate glass mirror (2m x 1.5m) I want to mount on a wall. Is there a mounting system available,or has anyone done this kind of job before?

There are no holes in the mirror and I don't want to drill any. The edge is beveled.

jmBuildExt

I've done it before in a bathroom - it wasnt quite as big (maybe 1.5m x 1m).
I was tiling the wall - i.e. tiling around the mirror. I got it made to measure a multiple of the tiles so the tiles fit round it nicely without cutting etc

Anyway, I didn't tile row of tiles underneath where the mirror was to go, and screwed a horizontal baton to the wall directly underneath its final resting place.
Then I simply used mirror adheisive to stick it to the wall - i bought it in the same place i had the mirror made. And it went onto plasterboard.
The baton underneath simply took the weight of the mirror while the adheisive went off.
It must have been instant stuff cos i dont remember having to set anything up to keep the mirror in contact with the wall - im sure I must have just held it in place til i got bored/tired and was sure it was stuck.

Then i took the baton off after a day or 2 and finished the tiling and grouting.


PS: make sure you use proper mirror adheisive as other adheisives may dissolve the backing on the mirror, leaving you with a window.

Falcon L

jmBuildExt wrote: »

I've done it before in a bathroom - it wasnt quite as big (maybe 1.5m x 1m).
I was tiling the wall - i.e. tiling around the mirror. I got it made to measure a multiple of the tiles so the tiles fit round it nicely without cutting etc

Anyway, I didn't tile row of tiles underneath where the mirror was to go, and screwed a horizontal baton to the wall directly underneath its final resting place.
Then I simply used mirror adheisive to stick it to the wall - i bought it in the same place i had the mirror made. And it went onto plasterboard.
The baton underneath simply took the weight of the mirror while the adheisive went off.
It must have been instant stuff cos i dont remember having to set anything up to keep the mirror in contact with the wall - im sure I must have just held it in place til i got bored/tired and was sure it was stuck.

Then i took the baton off after a day or 2 and finished the tiling and grouting.


PS: make sure you use proper mirror adheisive as other adheisives may dissolve the backing on the mirror, leaving you with a window.

Yeah, I did similar with a large ordinary mirror before. But, this one is a beast and will need some kind of mechanical fixings. It is very thick plate glass and weighs around 50 kilos.

antiskeptic

Falcon L wrote: »

Yeah, I did similar with a large ordinary mirror before. But, this one is a beast and will need some kind of mechanical fixings. It is very thick plate glass and weighs around 50 kilos.

You could get some 2mm sheet steel folded up into an L shape - tell the metal fabricator you want a sharp-as-possible fold rather than a rounded corner.

Sheet to be the full width of the mirror and rising up behind the mirror 400mm or so. Countersink holes in the sheet steel, find some studs and use some heavy screws - I wouldn't be relying on fixing to the plasterboard. If the wall isn't block, that is.

The short leg of the L to come under the bottom of the mirror - but not protruding beyond the face of it. Glue the mirror to the wall - the glue now just stopping the mirror tipping forward, the metal holding the weight

Re: cushioning of the bottom of the mirror. Perhaps some self adhesive draughtstrip along the ledge. It'll compress under the weight so won't be all that visible.

swailer

Mirror mastic will have no problem holding it. As above, just secure a baton below to hold it until the mastic/adhesive sets. Any glazier will stock the mastic and confirm it will be fine

Falcon L

I suppose I should have said that it can't be a permanent mount. This mirror is fairly valuable and sticking it to a wall, never to be removed, isn't an option. That's why I was looking for some kind of mechanical fixing solution. It's a family heirloom and is etched behind the glass. Lovely piece of glass, actually. If that floats your boat.

It will be mounted to a block wall, so no problems with plasterboard.

my3cents

Then it sounds like you are going to have to frame it just like a picture and hang it from the frame?

Falcon L

my3cents wrote: »

Then it sounds like you are going to have to frame it just like a picture and hang it from the frame?

It is currently in a frame, but it's quite wormy. I was hoping there was a solution to just mount the glass to the wall. Looks like I'll have to look into getting a new frame made for it.

jmBuildExt

Or use a combination of corner fixings and something like glass clamps that are used to fix glass panels on stairs...

Falcon L

jmBuildExt wrote: »

Or use a combination of corner fixings and something like glass clamps that are used to fix glass panels on stairs...

Yes, the stainless steel bits and pieces? That's what I had in mind, but I can't find them. Any idea where I should be looking? All I can find is the stuff for normal mirror fixing. This needs something more substantial.

jmBuildExt

No experience in it - but you need something LIKE this
http://www.glassparts.ie/glass-balustrading/balustrade-clamps

But I dont think thats exactly what you want - unless you were willing to fix a piece of timber in parallel with the edges of the mirror.

You ideally want the same thing, but to be able to fix it onto the wall (which i gather you know already )

Edit: actually if you hover over the pics it give you a diagram of the screw holes ... I think you can screw them onto a wall

my3cents

jmBuildExt wrote: »

No experience in it - but you need something LIKE this
http://www.glassparts.ie/glass-balustrading/balustrade-clamps

But I dont think thats exactly what you want - unless you were willing to fix a piece of timber in parallel with the edges of the mirror.

You ideally want the same thing, but to be able to fix it onto the wall (which i gather you know already )

Edit: actually if you hover over the pics it give you a diagram of the screw holes ... I think you can screw them onto a wall

The question I'd have is are those clamps suitable for what I guess must be old glass? Our neighbors have a massive balcony with huge sheets of glass that are only held with a couple of bolts but that glass is immensely strong. If the OP's glass is a family heirloom then it may need different treatment?

Falcon L

my3cents wrote: »

The question I'd have is are those clamps suitable for what I guess must be old glass? Our neighbors have a massive balcony with huge sheets of glass that are only held with a couple of bolts but that glass is immensely strong. If the OP's glass is a family heirloom then it may need different treatment?

That's a very good point. The glass normally held by those fixings is laminated and very tough. This very old glass may not be edge mountable without risking breaking off a corner or edge.

Based on all of the above, it looks like a new frame is probably the safest option.

jmBuildExt

Fair point.

If you didnt want to go for the expense of a new frame being made....

You could have combination of both.
Have a feature piece of timber underneath to hold it up. Something nice, none of your white deal...Maybe put an engraved plaque in it.
Then use the fixings to make sure it doesnt come away from the wall.



(Or anti's metal sheet solution)

my3cents

Because its so heavy I'd be thinking about mounting it on a sheet of marine ply (the real stuff not the waterproof bonded plywood that builders merchants pretend is marine ply) and then using framing of some kind to hold the mirror to the plywood.

The down side is that adds another 15mm or so to the thickness but once that is done it can be used free standing or mounted.