Mirror, Mirror on the Wall - Please come down

[dd716ted]

I live in a mfg home that has a large mirror attached to the wall above the bathroom vanity... I have inspected it and there are no clips or brackets holding it up... I is mounted flush on the wall.. DO YOU THINK IT WAS GLUED to the wall? How can I get it down without destroying the wall.. Is it common practice to glue a mirror to the wall? I need help to avoid having to re-do a wall...

[Greg]

It is either glued, or ours had double sided sticky foam tape. If you have the side moldings off, try sliding a putty knife under it. I was able to get 3 sides loose from the wall and VERY GENTLY lift the mirror to break the 4th side. WEAR GLOVES, if you lift too fast the mirror will shatter in your hands. Greg

[mp183]

If it's a big mirror it can get scary.
I would tape the mirror up with clear packing tape or duct tape so it breaks it won't fall into pieces that can seriously hurt you.
You can use a heat gun or hair drier to see if it will
loosen the glue.
No matter what be very careful with it.

[Yanita]

Hi,

Also if your vanity is still in place cover it with an old blanket, it will help prevent damaging it.
Wear gloves and safety glasses to protect yourself.

Yanita

[Silver Bullet 00]

What does the job is a piece of steel wire as long as the mirror is wide and two wood dowels to wrap the wire around. Place the wire behing the mirror and pull back and forth on the dowels and you will cut thru the glue or tape. Extra pair of hands will also help.

[Koiflowers]

We had 2 huge garden tub mirrors and 2 vanity mirrors to remove. We tried putty knife (no luck), heat gun (no luck), wire (no luck) and wire with heat gut assist (no luck).

Ours were excessively taped, exuberantly glued, and for good measure had mirror clips all the way around and a metal track for the bottom of the big ones. There was just too much goop back there to physically saw through it with the wire.

Ironically, it's the only installation I've found so far where they did more than the minimum required.

Good luck, maybe the crew working on your home was running low on tape and glue and you'll squeak by with the wire method.

[dd716ted]

I appreciate the inputs.. The left edge of the mirror is flush against the corner of the room and the bottom of the mirror sits almost on top of the existing tile back splash.. My plan of attack is to remove the back splash and then heat the entire mirror with a heat gun... maybe I can start a wire at the top right hand corner and work the wire vertically to the bottom.. hopefully the glue or tape will soften..

After heating I am going to apply duct tape over the mirror in case it breaks.. protective clothing will be worn... I just hate to remove it piece by piece BUT... if necessary I will... If you come up with any more thoughts or suggestions before Monday.. please post. Thanks again...

[garrett_reukauf]

Sounds like a darn good plan of attack!
One thing I would suggest doing differently is tape the mirror BEFORE heating, that way the mirror doesnt cool completely off while you are taping it up. Just a thought....
Good luck on "D-day"!!!