Mirror/Lighting for bathroom

[Traveller]

Hi All.

Planning on hanging a 7ft x 2ft (approx) mirror (4mm) on a tiled wall in the bathroom. Would 4 holes be enough or would I need 6, assuming that no adhesive is used?

The wall isn't 100% perfectly flat. I'm thinking of having a floating mirror effect by placing a solid cylindrical piece of wood at each of the corners between the mirror and the wall and drive the screws through the mirror holes, the wood and into the tiled wall to have the mirror stick out from the wall. Is this feasible and is there a better method of achieving this? Do these pieces of wood need to be made or is something for that purpose already available to buy?

What size/length/type of screws would be recommended?

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Lynda, moderator

Sorry, but I have removed your other question as its an electrical one. Can I ask you to post that one again in UK electrics

 

[Jasonb]

Supported in that way you will probably be better off with 6mm glass and 6 fixings, have safety backing film added, this will also work like foil backing and protect the silvering from moisture. but talk to your glass supplier.

The fittings are refered to as "stand-offs" and mostly come in metal, a good glass supplier will be able to get them but have a look at the following site under shopfitting and point fix

http://www.preedyglass.com/serv.html

Jason

 

[Traveller]

Thanks Jasonb.

Would it be too much of a problem to use 4mm? I'm really watching the cost. I'll have to find out just how much more 6mm would work out to. Some of the glass suppliers suggested safety backing too; thanks for the tip on silvering, they didn't mention that! As for six holes, is using adhesive the only alternative if I wanted 4 holes only? I also thought of brackets to stick onto the back of the mirror and the wall and then simply hooking the mirror up, but I'm not sure with the wall not being perfectly straight.

Thanks for the info on 'stand-offs'. Great to learn that they exist and now I know what I need to ask for! It's quite a coincidence really, because just today I was looking at a picture hung in a waiting room and it had the 4 silver stand-offs in each corner, so I got to see what they look like as well! Theirs were near the edges and could be seen; I am thinking more inwards so that they're not visible. They even had little ones for the ceiling spotlights.

I couldn't find the shopfitting or pointfix links.

Thanks.

(Sorry Lynda, I'll do that right now.)

 

[Jasonb]

Having read your reply it seems that you do not want to see any fixings if possible. This can be done with glass and specialist fixings but due to the coatings on the back of the mirror is not easy as specific glues that are hardened mechanically are used.

The easiest way will be to cut a piece of MDF (preferably Moisture Resistant)approx 100mm smaller in all directions so 400x1900 in your case. Paint the edges with matt black paint then screw to the wall with whatever fixings you want. Unless someone puts their head right up against th ewall they will not see the MDF behind the mirror

The MDF will then give you a large surface area to stick the mirror to using normal mirror adhesive that you can get from the mirror supplier or screwfix etc. As it will be well supported 4mm will be OK but still get safety backing, and polished edges. No holes needed

Jason

 

[Traveller]

Thanks Jasonb; good idea! So normal mirror adhesive won't affect the coating on the back of the mirror?

 

[Jasonb]

I still said to use a safety film as the unsupported corners will be vonerable(sp?) to damage.

Mirror adhesive will not affect th esilvering but in a bathroom the silvering should be protected by a foil backing, the safety film will do the same job as the foil so you don't need both.

JAson

 

[Traveller]

OK, thanks.

 

[Traveller]

Hi me again!

Need some advice on some contradicting advice I've been given.

The people who sell the stand-offs say that six 6mm diameter mirror screws will not support a mirror which is 6ft x 2ft.

However, a professional DIY person informs me that it should do the job.

Who is correct?

The above refers to standard mirror screws. Would using six 6mm stand-offs/sign supports instead of the standard screws make a difference in terms of supporting the mirror? I am guessing that the screws would be more supportive than the stand-offs because the screws would press the mirror directly on the wall whereas the stand-offs are holding the mirror at a distance away from the wall. Is my assumption correct or would the stand-offs be equally secure?

Finally, an easy one; if the holes on the mirror are 6mm (dia), do I need 6mm screws or do the screws have to be slightly smaller than the size of the hole, i.e. 5mm?

Thanks.