Non-motoring > Hanging a new mirror	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: smokie	Replies: 24

New Wed 31 Jan 24 13:17   Hanging a new mirror - smokie

New bathroom, new tiles which I don't want to drill. She's found this fancy, more decorative than functional, mirror in Dunelm that she wants - weighs a bit (I guess less than 2kg). This is, but we're going portrait not landscape... www.dunelm.com/product/multi-circles-wall-mirror-1000211636?defaultSkuId=30777790 Dunelm sold me these Command strips to hang it with www.dunelm.com/product/command-medium-large-value-pack-1000158825?defaultSkuId=30677976 Are they the best option or does anyone have a better suggestion? Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 31 Jan 24 13:22   Hanging a new mirror - Zero

Command strips? good but personal experience says they will fail somewhere in the future. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 31 Jan 24 13:27   Hanging a new mirror - smokie

They do seem well recommended but do you know of anything better (other than screwing it up)? Cost isn't really important but I found packs much cheaper on Amazon which have 4 pairs which hold 7.2kg for £3.50 so two packs of those scattered all over the back of the mirror should do the trick? I really don't ever want it crashing down onto the ridiculously priced basin surround she was persuaded into!! Last edited by: smokie on Wed 31 Jan 24 at 13:28 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 31 Jan 24 13:50   Hanging a new mirror - Zero

I can only comment on command strips (genuine 3m ones) based on my experience in the caravan, so thats composite laminate surfaces. They are designed to come off cleanly (without solvent) when you have finished with them, and that simple fact in my book and experience makes them not 100% reliable. I change mine once a year. If the back of the mirror is flat then there are stronger fixing pads about*, should be ok if you use plenty of them. *ie not designed to come off cleanly without solvent, and if its tiles you dont care about the use of solvents later down the line. Last edited by: Zero on Wed 31 Jan 24 at 13:51 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 31 Jan 24 13:53   Hanging a new mirror - sooty123

Cost isn't really important but I found packs much cheaper on Amazon which have 4 >> pairs which hold 7.2kg for £3.50 so two packs of those scattered all over the >> back of the mirror should do the trick? >> You can try costco if there's one near you. They sell them cheaply I think. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 31 Jan 24 14:53   Hanging a new mirror - smokie

I surrendered my Costco membership a couple of years back as "just popping in for a few bits" regularly cost us over £200, mostly on stuff we really didn't need!!!!! :-) Good call to change the tabs every year or so. I quite like the idea that we can easily take it down if we want without collateral damage. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 31 Jan 24 15:27   Hanging a new mirror - Bobby

Run the potential of condensation on bathroom tiles which might not help Command Strips? Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 31 Jan 24 15:46   Hanging a new mirror - Zero

>> Good call to change the tabs every year or so. I quite like the idea >> that we can easily take it down if we want without collateral damage. having looked at the dunelm link for it, i'd like the idea of taking it down too ;) Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 31 Jan 24 16:09   Hanging a new mirror - smokie

Ha! There is a useless corner in the room, not wide enough for anything sensible, and she thinks it's look nice there... Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 31 Jan 24 16:28   Hanging a new mirror - Dog

Stick 'em up with something like: www.toolstation.com/gripfill-xtra/p98918 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 31 Jan 24 16:37   Hanging a new mirror - smokie

That's probably better than drilling but I think I'll stick with (haha) the 3M product as it seems to come off without damage, hopefully not too readily!! Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 31 Jan 24 20:10   Hanging a new mirror - Dog

Way back in the 1970s, I stuck a load of 14" x 8" mirror tiles on our lounge wall with sticky fixers. They were there for years and not one became unstuck. I also used an adhesive similar to Gripfill, to stick a large heavy unframed wall mirror on the hall wall of one of the 7 owses we've owned in godforsaken Cornwall :) Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 31 Jan 24 20:22   Hanging a new mirror - Dog

Erm, I've got a 96" x 21" framed print of London (the 1647 job with only one bridge) on my lounge wall - I used the large size Command adhesive strips on that and all's well so far. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 31 Jan 24 22:25   Hanging a new mirror - bathtub tom

I had that problem when our bathrooms were re-fitted with new tiles. I opted to drill the tiles to get a secure fixing, using a ceramic tile drill bit. I found a you tube clip that advised using a hammer (yes really) to tap the point of the drill into the glaze of the tile. That breaks the glaze and stops the bit from wandering. I practised on bits of old tile first, found it worked and became quite proficient. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 1 Feb 24 10:46   Hanging a new mirror - Terry

A very light tap only - you want to break the glaze not the tile. Incidentally I put a mirror up in the utility using instant grab adhesive and seems fine. If ever it needs to be removed the adhesive could be scraped from the tiles. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 1 Feb 24 12:00   Hanging a new mirror - James Loveless

I have never tapped a tile to get the drill to start in the right place. I always use a stamp-size piece of masking tape (on which it's easy to mark the position for the hole) or sellotape. Never had a problem with drilling accurately and have never broken a tile. Using a ceramic drill bit, not a masonry drill, is essential. And never use the hammer setting on the drill. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 1 Feb 24 12:03   Hanging a new mirror - smokie

The installer told me of the hammer trick to just break the surface. I've drilled into tiles before using the masking tape method without problem (and, I think, without a special drill bit!) but given this is all new I don't want to damage them at all - as discussed above, it'd be good to keep flexibility over where the mirror goes. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 3 Feb 24 00:28   Hanging a new mirror - smokie

I've used the Commando things, liberally applied over the back of the mirror. Didn't think it was going to work at first but now it seems well and truly stuck. I will check them as time goes on... Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 1 Feb 24 13:15   Hanging a new mirror - VxFan

>> Using a ceramic drill bit, not a masonry drill, Never had a problem using masonry bits in the past. I was taught to turn the bit by hand in the chuck to break through the glaze, and then apply minimal pressure when drilling. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 1 Feb 24 13:46   Hanging a new mirror - Zero

Always used the masking tape routine, where possible I also drill in grouted joins, easy to hide if you remove the hung item Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 2 Feb 24 15:07   Hanging a new mirror - Mapmaker

I've always used masking tape; no need for a special 'tile' bit. Just go slowly. I'd never drill in a grouted join as I don't know what imperfections lurk on the edges of a tile that could cause a tile to crack. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 2 Feb 24 22:21   Hanging a new mirror - bathtub tom

>>Never had a problem using masonry bits in the past. Neither had I until I had the kitchen and bathrooms done in this place. It seems as if some new sort of glaze has been invented that masonry drills can't cope with. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 1 Feb 24 13:05   Hanging a new mirror - Manatee

There are some very cheap carbide tipped tile drills on ebay etc that look like spears, with a flat triangular point, not twist drills. They work brilliantly well on ceramic tiles without skidding about. I haven't tried them on porcelain tiles. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 1 Feb 24 10:42   Hanging a new mirror - VxFan

>> Stick 'em up with something like: www.toolstation.com/gripfill-xtra/p98918 Loads of "interesting" names for adhesives these days :) www.toolstation.com/sticks-like-sht/p98810 www.amazon.co.uk/EVO-STIK-Adhesive-Strength-Multi-purpose-Waterproof/dp/B07CH9YSPC Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 1 Feb 24 12:10   Hanging a new mirror - Dog

:) Reply to this message | Report message