Mirror Hanging and Fitting

The fixing depends on the mirror, its weight and the wall:

Hanging a heavy mirror on a single picture hook or a length of wire is how most mirrors fall. We use two or more fixings, or a rail, so the load is shared.

We find the studs behind the board with a detector and fix the cleat or hanging rail across at least two of them. Where the studs are not where the mirror needs to go, we use heavy-duty metal cavity fixings, such as spring toggles, rated for the load and spread across several points. For very heavy mirrors, timber supports can be added behind the board. Tell us the mirror's weight before we visit so we bring the right fixings.

A common guide is to hang a wall mirror so its centre is at roughly eye level, typically around 150 to 160 cm from the floor. Over a basin, the mirror is set so the users can see their faces comfortably, clear of the taps and splashback. Above a fireplace, console table or chest of drawers, the bottom of the mirror sits typically 15 to 25 cm above the top. We mark the position with you before we drill.

Ordinary glues and some silicones can attack the silver backing and leave dark marks, so frameless mirrors are bonded with a mirror adhesive made for the purpose. The wall must be sound, clean and flat; adhesive on wallpaper only holds as well as the paper. A bonded mirror is very hard to remove without breaking it or damaging the wall, so for larger mirrors we usually combine adhesive with clips or a support at the bottom edge.

Full-length mirrors on wardrobe or bedroom doors are fixed with mirror clips, screws or adhesive pads, depending on the door. We check that the hinges can take the extra weight first. Safety-backed mirror glass, which holds the pieces together if it breaks, is a sensible choice on doors and in children's rooms.