What's the best way to remove a mirror...?
Question:you know the large kind that can be found in a bathroom that looks like it has small metal clips at the top and bottom that hold it on. I need to preserve the mirror and it is really big about 3' x 8'. It has to be moved a few inches up the wall. We have never installed one and want to move it without damage and then rehang it.
Answers:
Measure the EXACT distance between the top and bottom clips to insure the same fit when you move it
You`ll probably want to buy new clips and have the top ones already set where you plan to move the mirror.
Hopefully you have room on the sides to get a Good grip on it.
Know any where you can beg/borrow/steal a suction cup or two?
They are simple to use and you can do the whole thing by yourself if need be.
Just wet the center of the cup(s?) lightly before placing it/them on the mirror and activating the suction.
If none of the above, place two or three short pieces of 2 x 4 or folded up towels or similar (just make sure you will be able to get a Good hold on it again! As it will sink into the towels etc) on the countertop directly under the mirror just a bit away from the wall.
Use rubber gloves (Not the beaded kind) to handle it to prevent it slipping.
Place your rubber gloved hands flat against the mirror as wide as is comfortable push in and up at the same time while a helper places their fingertips under the bottom edge and lifts up.
When the bottom edge clears the clips, have the helper GENTLY tilt the bottom edge away from the clips.
Important! Have the helper scrape the thin piece of lead or whatever they used from the inside of the bottom clip.
If you have some thin pieces of lead, don`t worry about it.
Then you can both slide it down towards the 2 x 4 etc.
Make SURE the bottom clips don`t scratch the back as you slide but Also make Sure it`s not tilted out too much as the top clips will chip or even Break the mirror
keep Careful watch on the faucet and anything else close to the edges.
The mirror is Very easily chipped and mirror Magnifies EVERYthing.
If you`re Sure of the measurement of the EXACT distance between the top and bottom clips, you can go ahead and set the bottom ones.
Please Don`t forget to put lead or rubber in the bottom clips or you WILL chip it.
Then reverse the process, except hold the Top of the mirror out from the wall as you go up and GENTLY place under the top clips Then Slowly lower down into the bottom clips. And Your Done.
I WOULD recommend buying the decorative Plastic clips that you can screw in, in front of the mirror however. They are a Lot easier to work with, not as much danger of chipping the mirror, and you don`t have to have lead.
Just set the bottoms where you need them, place the mirror in them, lean the top aganst the wall and set the tops.
Or use the metal ones on the bottom and the plastic ones on top.
P.S. If when you go Straight up from the other clip to set the top metal clip (measure distance from the side wall) and there is no stud, use plastic masonry plugs or molly bolts to screw the clip to the wall.
Goes for Any of the clip screws also.
Good Luck with it!
RT
Get a couple of frinds to hold mirror in place. Unscrew top and side hangars and set aside. Loosen but DO NOT REMOVE bottom hangars. gently lift mirror out of hangars. To rehang simply move bottom hangers to where you need them but do not tighten. Replace mirror, tighten down bottom hangars, and put others around mirror to hold mirror.
ask help from 3 big guys from your neighbor
The clips that hold most mirrors screw in, so what I would do is take the side clips off first, slide them to the point that they will be in the same location (except higher up when you move the mirror) and then screw them in.
Unscrew the top clips and put them where you need them to go and screw them back into the wall.
With someone holding the mirror in place, unscrew the bottom clips, have the person slide the mirror up and unscrew one of the clips and screw it back into the new position. Do the same with the other screws and it should be fine.
I don't know if you can rent them, but any glass shop would have suction cups that will let you grip the mirror instead of trying to lift it from the corners
The other answers are all good, but I'd like to add that you need to be careful to screw into the studs, which are probably 16" on center. If you move the screws horizontally, you may miss the studs, and the screws will only be held by the drywall. A mirror 3' by 8' will weigh quite a bit, and would pull the screws out of drywall in no time. A stud finder is a great tool to have.
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