how to remove a wall mirror

How to Remove a Wall Mirror.

Many rooms feature large mirrors that are simply glued directly to the wall without a frame or nails. These wall mirrors are great because they are cheap, easy to install, and pose little risk of falling and breaking. Unfortunately, removing a glued-on mirror can be a challenging task. There are two basic methods for removing the mirror, both of which will leave the mirror intact for later use. For larger mirrors, use a wire saw to cut the adhesive behind the mirror. Smaller mirrors can simply be heated with a blow dryer or heat gun, which will melt the adhesive on the back and make them easy to remove. Keep in mind, if you remove a wall mirror, you’ll have to patch the drywall behind it.

Method 1 Using a Wire Saw for Larger Mirrors.

1. Set a drop cloth out and get a wire saw. Lay down a drop cloth under the mirror that you want to remove, just in case it shatters or cracks when you’re removing it. To cut through the adhesive on the back, get a wire saw, which is a length of sharp wire with two handles on the ends. You can purchase a wire saw at your local construction or auto parts store.

Wire saws are sometimes referred to as cutout wire or razor wire. They’re used to cut through tough angles and rely on friction to slice through thicker materials.

This method is preferable for mirrors larger than 2 by 2 ft (0.61 by 0.61 m).

The wire saw must be at least 1 ft (30 cm) longer than the width of the mirror.

Warning: Removing a glass mirror is dangerous. If the glass cracks, you run the risk of cutting yourself. The cleanup process will also be a nightmare, since glass shards are going to get everywhere. Remove a wall mirror at your own discretion.

2. Put on your protective gear and place packing tape over the glass. Put on long sleeves, thick gloves, and protective eyewear to protect yourself from cuts in the event that the glass breaks. Take a roll of packing tape and apply lengths of tape to the glass of your mirror. Place two strips running from opposite corner to opposite corner, then place another strip horizontally in the middle, parallel to the floor. Place vertical strips of tape spaced 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm) apart over the other tape on your mirror to be safe.

If your glass cracks, the packing tape will hold it in place, at least for a little bit. This will keep the glass from shattering on the floor and give you a little time to remove the glass.

3. Enlist a friend to help steady the mirror. When you start cutting through the adhesive, it may be hard to tell when the mirror is ready to be removed. To keep it from randomly falling to the floor and shattering, enlist the help of a friend or family member. Have them wear the same protective gear that you’re wearing. Ask them to place one hand on the bottom of the mirror and one hand against the face to catch the glass if it pops off.

It’s highly recommended that you have someone help you when doing this. If you don’t, the mirror may fall to the floor and shatter. You can put a set of pillows or cloths down under the pillow to catch it if it falls, but it’ll still be risky.

4. Slide the wire saw behind the top of the mirror at the corner. It doesn’t matter if you start on the upper-right or upper-left. Take your wire saw and hold it by both handles. Hold the wire against the wall and slide it between the mirror and the drywall. You may need to slide the wire back and forth a little to cut into the corner.

Getting between the wall and the mirror kind be kind of tough. Take your time to carefully cut into the corner.

You’re going to have to patch the drywall under the mirror anyway, so it’s not worth being delicate.

Depending on how much adhesive was used to install the mirror, all of the adhesive may need to be pried off. If there wasn’t that much adhesive used, it may pop off once you’ve got most of it off, though.

5. Work the wire saw back and forth to cut through the adhesive. With your wire fit snuggly between the wall and the mirror, move your handles back and forth rapidly while pulling the wire down. As you move the wire back and forth, the friction will cut through the adhesive and allow you to pull the wire down even further.

Don’t pull down too hard or you’ll end up cracking the glass in the mirror. Depending on the type of mirror you have, if the mirror’s glass starts bending more than 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) in the center, it may shatter. Ease off and work a little slower.

If you get tired, you can always take a break. You can let go of the handles and the mirror will keep your wire saw in place.

6. Leave the bottom of the mirror attached so it doesn't fall and break. Use your wire saw to slice almost all the way through the adhesive, leaving a length of adhesive once you get near the bottom. For a mirror smaller that 3–4 ft (0.91–1.22 m) on both sides, leave the bottom 1 ft (0.30 m) uncut. For mirrors larger than that, leave at least 1.5–2 ft (0.46–0.61 m) of adhesive on the bottom. Once you’ve cut through most of the adhesive, grip the mirror lightly by the sides and try to move it back and forth to pull it off of the wall. If it doesn’t move, continue sawing through the adhesive.

You don’t want to cut all the way through the adhesive if you don’t have to. It’s easier to keep the mirror from cracking if you can remove it by hand without sawing through it completely.

7. Lift the mirror by carefully pulling it off of the wall. Once the mirror is able to be moved back and forth, continue moving it side to side until the last bit of adhesive cracks. With help from your friend, carefully pull the mirror off of the wall and set it aside. If your mirror is smaller than 4 by 4 ft (1.2 by 1.2 m), you may be able to remove it without assistance.

If it still won’t budge, cut through all of the adhesive and have your friend brace it to catch it once it’s off of the wall.

Method 2 Heating the Adhesive on Smaller Mirrors.

1. Put on your protective gear and set out a drop cloth. In the event that the mirror cracks or breaks, you’ll want to ensure that you’re well protected. Wear long sleeves, thick boots, and a pair of thick gloves. Put on protective eyewear and set a drop cloth out under your mirror.

This method is better for wall mirrors that are 2 by 2 ft (0.61 by 0.61 m) or smaller.

The drop cloth will catch any shards of glass that fall if you break your mirror.

Warning: This is a dangerous process. If the mirror breaks or cracks while you’re trying to remove it, you could cut yourself. If it falls to the floor, you will end up with shards of glass everywhere that will be very hard to clean up. Work carefully and slowly to ensure that you don’t break the mirror.

2. Apply packing tape to your mirror to keep it from shattering. When you’re prying your mirror off of the wall, you may accidentally break the glass. To keep it from falling everywhere, lay strips of packing tape from each corner to the opposite corner. Place a horizontal strip bisecting the 2 pieces, and add rows of vertical strips, spaced 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) apart, over the 3 original pieces to provide an additional layer of protection.

If you’re removing tile mirrors, tape each individual tile separately.

3. Use a heat gun or blow dryer to heat the center of the mirror for 15-30 minutes. Plug in a heat gun and set it on the lowest setting. You can use a blow dryer on the highest setting if you don’t have a heat gun. Hold the blow dryer or heat gun 6–12 in (15–30 cm) away from the center of your mirror. Leave it pointed at the mirror for at least 15 minutes to melt the adhesive in the back of the mirror.

If the mirror is bigger than 1 foot (30 cm), you can move your blow dryer or heat gun back and forth to heat the entire mirror, but you should consider using a wire saw if the mirror is big enough that you need to move the heat source.

The blow dryer will take longer to heat the adhesive than the heat gun, so wait at least 30 minutes if you’re using a hair dryer instead.

If you see the mirror move or slide down the wall a little, the glue is already melted. Simply turn the heat off and wait 1 minute for the glue to cool a little. Then, pull the mirror right off of the wall. For these weaker adhesives, you won’t need a putty knife to remove the mirror.

4. Use a putty knife to pry a corner up and pull the mirror off. After at least 15 minutes of heat, take a putty knife and place your nondominant hand under the mirror. Slide the putty knife’s blade in between your mirror and the drywall at one of the corners at the bottom. Once the blade is in between the wall and the mirror, pull the handle lightly towards you to pressure the mirror off of the wall. Catch it from falling with your nondominant hand.

If the mirror isn’t sliding off of the wall, the adhesive is likely pretty strong. You’ll need to use a putty knife to pry these mirrors off.

You shouldn’t need to pull very hard to get the mirror to lift up. If you feel a lot of resistance, put the putty knife away and keep heating the mirror until the adhesive melts. If the mirror doesn’t move when you try prying it, do not apply more force. You’ll just end up cracking the mirror in half. Either grab or a wire saw or heat it for an additional 15 minutes before trying again.

Warnings.

Removing a wall mirror is dangerous. If you’re not comfortable removing it yourself, call a glass repair company to remove it for you.

Some people prefer to simply break the mirror with a hammer and clean up the pieces from the floor. This method is not recommended, since it can be near-impossible to get that many shards of glass off of the floor.

You can try cutting the mirror out of the wall if you want, but you’re highly likely to damage a joist. If there’s a light above the mirror, you may sever the wires in the wall as well. This is extremely dangerous to do.

Things You’ll Need.

Using a Wire Saw for Larger Mirrors.

Drop cloth.

Wire saw.

Protective eyewear.

Gloves.

Packing tape.

Putty knife.

Heating and Pulling Smaller Mirrors.

Drop cloth.

Heat gun or blow dryer.

Protective eyewear.

Gloves.

Packing tape.

Putty knife.