Mirror fell off wall

Closed Thread
Thread Tools
  #16  
Old 04-24-2016, 11:25 PM
Barefoot's Avatar
Barefoot Barefoot is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Winters in TV, Summers in Canada.
Posts: 17,669
Thanks: 1,694
Thanked 243 Times in 184 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzz Bowman View Post
My mother-in-law had a mirror come crashing down from her master bathroom wall yesterday. She was fortunately in another room when it happened.
Thanks for sharing this story. Glad to hear your M-I-L is OK.

Quote:
Originally Posted by villagetinker View Post
I think I am going to add 2 or 3 of the mirror hooks from ACE hardware.
Could you please explain what mirror hooks are, and how they would hold the mirror if the adhesive fails.
__________________
Barefoot At Last
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever.
  #17  
Old 04-25-2016, 05:25 AM
DangeloInspections's Avatar
DangeloInspections DangeloInspections is offline
TOTV SPONSOR
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 723
Thanks: 14
Thanked 282 Times in 95 Posts
Default

These are mirror hooks.....
Topzone® 1/4" inch Heavy Duty 25 Pound Crystal Clear Plastic Mirror Holder Clips, Pack of 12 Pieces - - Amazon.com

I recommend these as a safety back up, as there is really no way of checking/inspecting how well the mirror adhesive was installed without risking breakage of the mirror. Mirrors are glued on to the drywall with special mirror adhesive. It usually works well. On rare occasions a mirror can fall, and of course that can be very dangerous.

Adding these mirror holders is cheap insurance, provided they are installed properly into studs with good screws.

Understand that everything has a failure rate. Most failure rates are very small. I have no way of knowing the failure rate here on mirror adhesive, but if there are around 75,000 homes here, each with at least 2 bathroom mirrors, that is over 150,000 mirrors. If one percent fail, that would be 1,500 mirrors......001% would be 15 mirrors.

The failure rate of me driving through a roundabout is much higher.

I have also seen some nice retrofit framing put around these mirrors. It really gives a different look and would also hold the mirror...

Frank
__________________
Florida licensed Home Inspector #HI688. (352) 250-7818
  #18  
Old 04-25-2016, 05:31 AM
RickeyD's Avatar
RickeyD RickeyD is offline
Soaring Eagle member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,410
Thanks: 0
Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by DangeloInspections View Post
These are mirror hooks.....

TopzoneÂ[emoji768] 1/4" inch Heavy Duty 25 Pound Crystal Clear Plastic Mirror Holder Clips, Pack of 12 Pieces - - Amazon.com



I recommend these as a safety back up, as there is really no way of checking/inspecting how well the mirror adhesive was installed without risking breakage of the mirror. Mirrors are glued on to the drywall with special mirror adhesive. It usually works well. On rare occasions a mirror can fall, and of course that can be very dangerous.



Adding these mirror holders is cheap insurance, provided they are installed properly into studs with good screws.



Understand that everything has a failure rate. Most failure rates are very small. I have no way of knowing the failure rate here on mirror adhesive, but if there are around 75,000 homes here, each with at least 2 bathroom mirrors, that is over 150,000 mirrors. If one percent fail, that would be 1,500 mirrors......001% would be 15 mirrors.



The failure rate of me driving through a roundabout is much higher.



I have also seen some nice retrofit framing put around these mirrors. It really gives a different look and would also hold the mirror...



Frank


Already in my cart, thanks Frank !
  #19  
Old 04-25-2016, 06:29 AM
Chellybean Chellybean is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 568
Thanks: 271
Thanked 252 Times in 92 Posts
Default

BETTER PRICE Same PARTS;
11-TMH225
12 Pcs Wall Mirror Holder Clips Kit with Screws Anchors Drywall Mounting Set | eBay
  #20  
Old 04-25-2016, 06:45 AM
ColdNoMore ColdNoMore is offline
Sage
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Between 466 & 466A
Posts: 10,509
Thanks: 82
Thanked 1,507 Times in 677 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chellybean View Post
I long ago quit using these type of drywall or hollow wall mountings, as I have found them to be inadequate for anything less than something very light.

Instead, I suggest using these.

60 Pcs Heavy Duty 1 8" x 3 4" Hollow Wall Drive Anchors w Truss Head Screw New | eBay

I put them in the drilled hole first (drill a hole slightly smaller than diameter of anchor then lightly hammer them in), use the screw to tighten/expand the anchor first, then back out the screw before final installation.

The secret is when 'sucking them up/installing' is to not go too fast with the electric screwdriver/drill, as they can get hot and the screw will break off inside. In addition, set your drill on the lowest setting possible so that you don't over-tighten and then use a screwdriver for the final pressure being applied.

Since I started using this method, I have never had anything (large mirrors/clothes racks/medicine cabinets/etc.) ever come out or loosen.

Good luck.

Last edited by ColdNoMore; 04-25-2016 at 06:53 AM.
  #21  
Old 04-25-2016, 07:13 AM
Chellybean Chellybean is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 568
Thanks: 271
Thanked 252 Times in 92 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ColdNoMore View Post
I long ago quit using these type of drywall or hollow wall mountings, as I have found them to be inadequate for anything less than something very light.

Instead, I suggest using these.

60 Pcs Heavy Duty 1 8" x 3 4" Hollow Wall Drive Anchors w Truss Head Screw New | eBay

I put them in the drilled hole first (drill a hole slightly smaller than diameter of anchor then lightly hammer them in), use the screw to tighten/expand the anchor first, then back out the screw before final installation.

The secret is when 'sucking them up/installing' is to not go too fast with the electric screwdriver/drill, as they can get hot and the screw will break off inside. In addition, set your drill on the lowest setting possible so that you don't over-tighten and then use a screwdriver for the final pressure being applied.

Since I started using this method, I have never had anything (large mirrors/clothes racks/medicine cabinets/etc.) ever come out or loosen.

Good luck.

yes I agree those are better if you are just going into drywall.
But if you have a wall mirror fastened to the wall with a lower bracket on the back-splash and glued to the wall, and want extra safe i hope people that use the plastic upper clips go into a stud and not just drywall.
These plastic clips are only good for keeping the mirror from tipping forward if the glue lets go so you don't have the same problems as the folks did in this thread.
It is just for piece of minded.
Alot of the installers of mirrors had to go to a VOC glue when the EPA removed all the good glues from the markets.
if you are just going into drywall i would use your anchors for sure, if i installed everyday and worried about looks and placement on the wall.
but if you can hit the studs with the plastic clips you are much better off.
Remember folks the purpose of these plastic clips are to hold the mirror from tipping forward and in my opinion i wouldn't trust them to hold any weight close to what they are rated for, in commercial applications no one in the business would even think of using this type of mounting.
JUST FYI.
Good luck.
  #22  
Old 04-25-2016, 09:14 AM
Dr Winston O Boogie jr's Avatar
Dr Winston O Boogie jr Dr Winston O Boogie jr is offline
Sage
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 7,938
Thanks: 1
Thanked 2,154 Times in 770 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by DangeloInspections View Post
These are mirror hooks.....
Topzone® 1/4" inch Heavy Duty 25 Pound Crystal Clear Plastic Mirror Holder Clips, Pack of 12 Pieces - - Amazon.com

I recommend these as a safety back up, as there is really no way of checking/inspecting how well the mirror adhesive was installed without risking breakage of the mirror. Mirrors are glued on to the drywall with special mirror adhesive. It usually works well. On rare occasions a mirror can fall, and of course that can be very dangerous.

Adding these mirror holders is cheap insurance, provided they are installed properly into studs with good screws.

Understand that everything has a failure rate. Most failure rates are very small. I have no way of knowing the failure rate here on mirror adhesive, but if there are around 75,000 homes here, each with at least 2 bathroom mirrors, that is over 150,000 mirrors. If one percent fail, that would be 1,500 mirrors......001% would be 15 mirrors.

The failure rate of me driving through a roundabout is much higher.

I have also seen some nice retrofit framing put around these mirrors. It really gives a different look and would also hold the mirror...

Frank
Actually those are shown with anchors so installing into studs should not be necessary. Bathroom mirrors re not so heavy that four of these won't hold it even without adhesive.
  #23  
Old 04-25-2016, 01:57 PM
obxgal's Avatar
obxgal obxgal is offline
Gold member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: The Villages
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 314
Thanked 9 Times in 6 Posts
Default

Picked up a set of 4 at Walmart for $1.47 in the hardware section.
__________________
North of Pgh and OBX
  #24  
Old 04-25-2016, 03:30 PM
DangeloInspections's Avatar
DangeloInspections DangeloInspections is offline
TOTV SPONSOR
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 723
Thanks: 14
Thanked 282 Times in 95 Posts
Default

Excellent posts so far on the subject. As some have said already, the purpose here is to have a secondary way of holding the mirror back in case of adhesive failure.

The heavy weight of these mirrors are on the backsplash.
So these little plastic anchors would not be supporting the weight, just holding the top to prevent the mirror from tipping.

Respectfully, Frank
__________________
Florida licensed Home Inspector #HI688. (352) 250-7818
  #25  
Old 04-25-2016, 09:18 PM
Stdole Stdole is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 164
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default Mirror Installations

Mirror adhesives are to hold the mirror only against the back wall... the adhesive WILL NOT CARRY THE ACTUAL WEIGHT OF THE MIRROR.
Even special adhesives such as Locktite for Mirrors (PL For Mirrors) and others are not meant to carry the weight ... the bathroom mirrors must rest on top of the backsplash or as mentioned plastic mirrors hold... also make sure you use the adhesive for mirrors only as the regular caulk type adhesives will ruin the silver in the mirror backing of the mirror..

Note its a good idea even if resting on the back splash or counter... use
mirror holds at the top until the adhesive is dry for 72 or more hours..
Closed Thread

Tags
mirror, wall, curious, happened, room, year, lantana, problem, similar, mother-in-law, folks, fell, crashing, yesterday, bathroom, master, fortunately

Thread Tools

You are viewing a new design of the TOTV site. Click here to revert to the old version.

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:53 AM.