Hanging a heavy mirror

[BigAlH]

I recently purchased a heavy, solid oak mirror and am a little anxious about putting it up on the wall. The wall is concrete freeze blocks and the mirror weighs 33.5kgs. Does anybody know what length of screw/rawl plug I would need to attach it to the wall?

There are two fixings on the mirror, each is at either side towards the top and each allows for two screws.

If necessary, I can provide more details of the mirror and a badly drawn example of what the fixtures look like if that would help.

Thanks in advance.

 

[xerxes]

If you use brown plugs (37mm long) and No 10, or 5mm screws, the load bearing capacity per screw should be around 15kg, if I've read this table correctly. (The table is at the bottom of page 2 of the .pdf.)

The length of screw should be calculated to penetrate the end of the plug in order to expand it; so perhaps about 40mm long if you have conventional mirror plates (i.e. quite thin metal).

It's always best to spread the load over as wide an area as possible; in your place I'd add another fixing point. For example, make up a slim oak batten to support the bottom edge and provide somewhere to put in two more screws: belt and braces.

Don't forget that if you fail to get a sound fixing (for example because of an oversized hole) the load bearing capacity for that screw will be virtually nothing.

 

[JonB]

What size screws are holding the plates to the mirror??

 

[BigAlH]

Thanks for your responses so far. I will find out the size of the screws when I get home tonight and let you know.

 

[RigidRaider]

We also have a heavy mirror, which has moved house with us several times. (Maybe not 33 kgs though.) It has 4 mirror plates and we screw it to the wall with very large steel screws in big blue plugs. Can't tell you the sizes but you could do with a trip to your local Screwfix or fixing specialist.

 

[BigAlH]

Good morning,

The screws holding the mirror plates to the mirror are 20mm in length, although there is scope to use longer screws if you think this might help.

Again, thanks for all the suggestions/help so far. As you may have realised, I am a bit of a DIY novice and am fearful of a broken mirror - and my girlfriend's wrath...

 

[foxhole]

60-70mm screws as the blockwork can crumble around short screws, push wall plug to rear of drilled hole.