Ways to mount a mirror on a wall

The mirror is an essential part of any living space. Archaeologists noted that some kind of glass was already in prehistoric times. And the first real mirrors appeared in France in the 16th century. Since then, every apartment and every house has a mirrored surface.

Where and how to hang a mirror so that it looks appropriate and complements the interior beautifully, will be discussed in this article.

First you need to know why the reflective surface is being hung.

In this case, you need to pay attention to the main points:

• direct sunlight must fall on the canvas;
• the best place for large mirrors is the hallway;
• if the canvas has a frame, then it should be in the same style as the whole room;
• the mirror should hang absolutely straight;
• it is necessary to abandon mirrors where there is not enough light.

There are many types of mirrors. Here are the main ones:

• Functional. Used for their intended purpose. Most often hung in the bathroom, hallway or at the dressing table;
• Decorative. They decorate either the wall or the whole room. They can hang on the wall between paintings, can be hidden like a panel, decorated with paintings. You can also find a variant with the design of a decorative mirror in the form of a window frame with four or five identical glasses;

• As part of interior decoration. Glass can be used as a substitute for tiles or panels. Mirror tiles are becoming fashionable now. Even a partial decoration with such tiles will look prestigious. And whole walls or ceilings will make a tremendous impression;
• With additional function. Any mirrors may have additional devices for convenience. For example, illumination is often built into the canvases. Or, to decorate rooms, a clock mechanism can be mounted in the mirrors.

Mirrors also differ in their characteristic decorative elements:

• Aged. Such mirrors are also called patinated. The antiquity effect is created using special chemical compounds. These canvases will fit perfectly into styles such as French or eclectic. Gray or brown spots will seem to transport you to another era;
• Facet. A feature of these mirrors is the beveled edges. They can be found in all types of interiors. Such canvases are usually extremely heavy, because only thick and massive mirrors are used to perform chamfering work;

• Colored. Most often, tinted glass is used, less often amalgam of different colors is applied. Suitable for all areas of minimalism;
• With patterns. Ornaments or drawings on canvas will decorate any room.

It must also be remembered that mirrors come in different forms:

• Round or oval. Such canvases fit perfectly into any interior;
• Rectangular. Not suitable for all styles and designs. Usually has an impressive size. It is often divided by two and an angular rectangular mirror is obtained;
• Other forms. Now manufacturers make canvases of the most varied and unusual shapes. It can be both silhouettes and abstract substances, various symbols.

You can attach a mirror to any surface.

On a wall already finished with tiles, the canvas can be mounted only with the help of dowel-nails, called holders.

The fastening system itself consists of four components:

• Plastic sleeve. It will be hammered into the wall and expand when the screw is tightened;
• The metal screw itself;
• Pressure piece. It performs two functions - it fixes the glass most tightly to the wall, and also has a thread for fixing the decorative part;
• A plug is a part that covers the screw itself from the effects of moisture. Also has a decoration function.

This mounting option is difficult for self-execution. It requires drilling holes in the canvas itself, which is often extremely difficult to do on your own. Therefore, it is better to contact the specialists, having determined in advance where and what holes are needed so that there are no unexpected difficulties during installation.

This is followed by installation. You need to attach the glass exactly as it will hang. Mark the holes on the wall.

After that, sleeves are inserted into the holes. Then the screws are screwed in with the mirror. Then you will need a clamping mechanism and decorative plugs. After carrying out the work, it is necessary to check whether the screws can withstand the load. To do this, lightly shake the canvas. If the dowels are still in place, then the installation is correct.

This method is used when it is necessary to hang a heavy mirror on drywall. This process requires a metal profile, self-tapping screws and a butterfly dowel.

The most important thing when attaching a mirror to drywall is to find a metal profile under it. After it is found, it is necessary to fix the profile itself with the help of self-tapping screws or "butterflies". Then you can install additional brackets. For added strength, you can determine the location of the profiles along the entire wall, make holes in the mirror and profile, and fix it additionally. Such a system will make it possible to withstand a canvas as tall as a human being.

There is a huge number of different fittings for mounting mirrors:

• brackets for supporting the canvas from below and from the side;
• making a suspension for glass on hooks using two self-tapping screws and a thread using guides;
• brackets;
• clamps;
• awnings and corners.

The algorithm for performing work for all of the above types of fittings is almost the same. The first step will be marking - it is necessary to determine exactly where the canvas will be and where the fasteners will be located. It is necessary to calculate two fasteners from below, because they will have the maximum load. But there can be three or even more, because the heavier the mirror, the more fasteners there should be. They are also calculated on the sides and corners.

Next, holes are made at the marked points with a drill. The hole diameter must be identical with the holes in the fasteners. The hardware is screwed into these holes, and then the blade is inserted into each holder.

Double-sided tape is often used to attach mirrors to the wall.

There are undeniable advantages:

• easy dismantling;
• the ability to use on porous surfaces;
• cheapness;
• scotch tape is not exposed to mechanical influences at amplitudes of humidity and temperature.

For installation, you must choose only proven and high-quality tape. The cost of special tape for these purposes is higher, but with it the dismantling process will be successful.

Otherwise, when using cheap scotch tape, there may be such developments:

• the scotch tape will not support the weight of the canvas, and it will slide or fall sharply and break;
• problems removing tape from a wall or from the back of a mirror.

However, one of the easiest and fastest methods to fix the mirror to the wall is without drilling - just using glue. Such glue is called liquid nails, and the choice of such glue must be approached responsibly. Only tested glue will withstand the load of a heavy mirror.

The whole process of mounting a mirror with glue can be divided into several main stages:

• you need to prepare a place for installing glass. It must be cleaned and degreased with alcohol;
• when installing on a concrete wall, it is imperative to prime the walls;
• if wallpaper is already glued in place of the mirror, then it is advisable to remove it, otherwise the mirror may fall and tear off the wallpaper. You can also fix a piece of plywood in that place to the wall and glue a mirror on it;
• it is necessary to mark the place where the mirror will hang;

• prepare props, profile and liquid nails. The supports and profile will help keep the mirror level while the glue hardens;
• liquid nails must be applied either pointwise at the same distance from each other, or in vertical stripes at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other;
• when the mirror is leaning against the wall, you will need to press it lightly for a while. Then put the props and remove them after a couple of days;
• after removing the props, see if there is a target between the wall and the mirror. If available, be sure to use a sealant.

Although the process of mounting a mirror on a wall cannot be called complicated, and you can do it yourself, you must take into account some points when working with a mirror:

• when drilling, it is necessary to constantly cool the mirror at the drilling site. Otherwise, it may crack or burst from the high temperature;
• it is necessary to drill only with a diamond-coated drill, ordinary drills will crumble the canvas and the hole will be sloppy;
• finished holes must be cleaned or sanded to process the edges;
• holes are drilled first for the lower fasteners, later - for the side and upper ones;

• it is best to attach a mirror to drywall with hardware with a butterfly device;
• Instead of liquid nails, you can glue the mirror onto a neutral silicone sealant. In terms of cost and setting time, they are about the same, but acidic sealants will damage the canvas. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully study the scope of use of each adhesive and sealant.

It is also necessary to take into account such features as:

• room humidity;
• the presence or absence of a frame at the mirror;
• dimensions, thickness and weight of the canvas;
• wall material in the room;
• permissibility of drilling walls or canvas.

Most often, special mirror adhesives are used to glue mirrors. They will not damage the coating. A wide selection of such formulations is presented in the Leroy Merlin chain of stores. For example:

• Moment Liquid Nails. Suitable for use on most types of surfaces. Made from synthetic rubber, remains elastic and does not harden over time;
• Soudal 47A. Consists of synthetic rubber. The advantages include a short curing period and excellent adhesive ability;

• Tytan. Consists of rubber and various resins. Suitable for mounting on porous and uneven surfaces;
• Penosil Mirror Fix. The foundation - synthetic rubber. Can be used for gluing to a wide variety of surfaces. Has a beige color. Drying time is about 20 minutes.

For information on how to properly install a mirror with your own hands, see the video.