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If I can take it down in one piece…..it’ll fit perfect….and I can have it either way…….in one piece….or in many. I’d prefer one…..but don’t think it’ll happen. Too big to get behind and work/scrape thru the mastic.
Just your basic wall mirror…….stuck to drywall……..with what I’m guessing to be your standard mirror mastic.
Any tricks of the mirror trade for getting these things off w/o mirror chards all over the living room? Heat maybe?
At this point, I’d settle for a semi-neat demo job so it can be dumpstered and out of the way quick.
Thought about cutting out the drywall……but it’s on an exterior wall, and is over 5 ft wide, so I think it would break into just as many pieces as just prying it off would make. Jeff
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4 glass cups & 2 guys. i just watched the glass guys do it. Hook it on & pull it off. Slick. This is also providing it was put up with spot mastic. Most are.
*One method I saw used many years ago (and may not work with modern mastics) was to fog the mirror with a CO2 fire extinguisher. The cold made the mastic brittle and it practically fell off.
*Get a helper to hold the mirror. Take a piece of wire long enough to make a loop on each end for holding, and still leave enough wire to go behind the mirror. Now, holding each loop (one above the mirror, and one below) pull the wire from one end of the mirror to the other, with the wire behind the mirror, and against the wall. This will literally cut the mastic, and leave the mirror intact.I watched a glass installer remove one like this, and it was quick and simple. Helper held the mirror and kept it from falling when the mastic was cut. The helper then walked the mirror outside, and put it in the truck. Just a thought...James DuHamel
*Maybe use contact paper or similar adhesive covering to keep pieces from flying all over the place.
*Jim.....I think I'll try that method! No harm done if it doesn't work, and the cost is cheap. There may be just enough room at the top to sneak it down. I may do the contact paper as a back up, though. Jeff
*Remember to use piano wire. Romex ain't gunna do it. LOLb : )Oh, and forget the contact paper, just duct tape the hell out of the thing. Cover every square inch. Ain't nothing going to stick better, and what did all that safety cost ya ?
*Got this from a mirror guy in Atlanta. Get some shims. Start driving under edge VERRRRRRY slowly. Wear gloves, eye protection, etc. Use a copious qty of shims. Take your time, like hours, rather than minutes. The spots of mastic just pop apart. I did a bathroom mirror, took about 45 minutes. I measured the amount i was able to bend the glass just before the spots started breaking - it was 5/8 inch on a 2 ft wide mirror. When last spot gave way, there was a loud BANG!Wire might work - but problem is that there is a coating over silver reflective surface. Scratch it at all and silver fails from humidity caused corrosion/tarnish. You don't know it for several months after mirror is reinstalled. If wall is not flat, there are areas where space for wire is too small. leading to scratches.I laughed till I tried it, but it works!Good luck, whichever method you try.Don
*WELL?? What happened? Got mirror? Got pieces? Curious Joe H.
*I might find out tomorrow.......or not for a few more weeks......gotta get more done before I play. Jeff
*I had heard of using fishing line instead of wire. Might prevent damaging the mirror coating.