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Mirror mirror no longer on the wall

  • 01-02-2025 08:49PM
    #1
    54and56
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,846 ✭✭✭


    So, 18 years after this 166cm X 62cm mirror was adhered to the plasterboard wall in our bedroom it decided to dismount at 3am this morning in a beautiful two step movement where step one was to drop vertically onto the wooden floor and then face palm 90 degrees onto the floor mirror side first.

    Having survived the heart attacks and invasion by our two live at home young adult children to see what part of the roof had collapsed into our bedroom (the two bangs sounded like shot guns going off in the bedroom) my wife and I quickly identified our trusty old mirror as the culprit and by some sort of black magic, despite its best attempt to commit hari kari, it remains in one piece currently having a little time out on the floor and kindly exposing the glue/adhesive/bond pattern side that had previously held it firmly to the wall but sadly passed its grip by date yesterday.

    The mirror weighs a ton so I'm guessing in order to remount it I'm going to have to somehow remove the original glue/adhesive/bond, reapply new (hopefully longer lasting) glue/adhesive/bond and somehow reapply it to the wall.

    Any suggestions as to how I go about doing this? I'm thinking there must be some corner clamps or retainers I could use to mount it to the wall rather than just relying on glue/adhesive/bond or perhaps in addition to glue/adhesive/bond?

    image.png


Comments

  • #2
    whizbang
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,033 ✭✭✭whizbang


    You can see where its pulled the paint from the plaster ?

    Anyway the glue did a fine job until something gave up..

    I would try to find something like a wood baseboard or aluminium track bolted to wall to support the weight, then re glue to hold against the wall. A shelf maybe ?



  • #3
    10-10-20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,885 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    Well that's some story. You couldn't have dropped a mirror like that in a million years if you tried.

    Looking at how it came away I'd agree with whizbang that it was mounted to a painted wall and the paint debonded (from the thermal expansion of the mirror over time) and it popped all in one. Not too surprising unfortunately.

    I'd stick it back on with mirror adhesive by first scratching the adhesive splotches to remove the paint and dust and also wipe the wall; then spread new adhesive on the original splotches, then mount the mirror as whizbang suggested. Reason being is that you'll then eliminate what ever weakness caused it to fail and you'll be making a solid connection to the bare wall.

    https://www.lenehans.ie/hardware-diy/diy/glues-adhesives/mirror-adhesive.html



  • #4
    tom1ie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,988 ✭✭✭✭tom1ie


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123125574#Comment_123125574

    This is great info!
    I never realised there was a specific mirror adhesive- just used tec 7 to mount a smallish mirror to a wall before.



  • #5
    10-10-20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,885 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123125584#Comment_123125584

    tec 7 will do it too except that some of those adhesives weaken the mirrored surface and cause marking behind the mirror. You'll then see darker stains in the form of human faces and cloud animals. 😁 But sometimes it's also nice to have the reassurance that you used the pro product.



  • #6
    geographica
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,044 ✭✭✭geographica


    great description of the incident 🤣🤣👍



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  • #7
    tom1ie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,988 ✭✭✭✭tom1ie


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123125615#Comment_123125615

    It is isn’t it!
    I almost felt I was in the bedroom 🙈😂



  • #8
    54and56
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,846 ✭✭✭54and56


    Thanks all, super advice as ever, DIY isn't my strong suit.

    I actually think the mirror was sitting on the skirting board and then glued to the painted wall but as the skirting board has a rounded top edge it didn't really provide much support.

    I think I'll mount some sort of white moulding / beading over the skirting board and then re-bond the mirror using the suggestions of @whizbang & @10-10-20

    image.png


  • #9
    Idbatterim
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,557 ✭✭✭✭Idbatterim


    I had this happen recently. I just put it back up, using mirror brackets.



  • #10
    The Continental Op
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,241 ✭✭✭The Continental Op


    OP if you've not done this yet I'd be very wary of removing the old glue? If it comes of easy great but I'd be worried you might start to pull the silvering off the back of the mirror.

    Wake me up when it's all over.



  • #11
    Idbatterim
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,557 ✭✭✭✭Idbatterim


    i wouldnt remove it, simply remout it safely. Yeah possibly sit it on something with a better lip, but mirror brackets like I said



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  • #12
    The Continental Op
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,241 ✭✭✭The Continental Op


    Forgot to add - good job is wasn't mounted on the ceiling.

    /gets coat

    Wake me up when it's all over.



  • #13
    54and56
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,846 ✭✭✭54and56


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123126571#Comment_123126571

    Thanks @The Continental Op , no haven't touched it yet. Got some Mirror Bond earlier but looking to get some mirror brackets also, perhaps something like this which might actually hold the mirror in place? https://www.screwfix.ie/p/fischer-concealed-mirror-fixing-kit-6mm-x-6mm-silver/46116



  • #14
    The Continental Op
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,241 ✭✭✭The Continental Op


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123127904#Comment_123127904

    Now we face the old how to fix something heavy to a plasterboard wall syndrome ;-)

    Those fixings are probably fine as you are dealing mainly with shear force (movement of the mirror down the wall) if you can firmly support the bottom edge with fixings into something more solid underneath the plasterboard your golden and a couple on the sides will just be belt and braces with the correct glue.

    Wake me up when it's all over.



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