How to hang a mirror above fireplace

[andrewaaa299]

Hello

I have bought a mirror - 67 x 97 cms. I have bought a thick strong nylon rope / string and threaded it to hang from.

I just need to drill some holes into my chimney breast. Can someone offer advice on the best way to do this?

In particular how long should the screws be? I will have to penetrate the skim and the plaster to reach the brickwork to offer some kind of support i assume?

Any advice greatly appreciated. Thank you and happy new year!

Andrew

 

[Burnerman]

It could be best to use 2 screws rather than one - this will give better support, and you'll need a spirit level to mark the drill holes horizontal.
You'll need to choose a plastic plug that is man enough for the job - if the mirror is particularly heavy I'd use an 8mm plug - although a 6mm one would be fine really.
So, using a hammer drill and a quality masonry bit, drill a pilot hole smaller than the one you intend to use. Doing this will let you see how firm the wall structure is, and either way you need to get through the plaster and into the brick work. A plug length of about 50mm would be good.
So, drill the holes you need. If the wall is very crumbly, drill a hole slightly smaller than the recommended one, and tap the plug in down to the plaster surface. Use a heavy gauge screw (for a 8mm x 50mm plug, use a 4.5 or 5 gauge screw, 45 or 50mm long. Using a washer to help hold the hanging cord well, screw them into about 6mm clear of the wall and hang the mirror up.
John