My spouse is replacing Formica countertops with granite on four vanities.
Each has a mirror that was set onto the Formica top, glue applied to the
back, then pushed to the wall. The new tops will be thicker and the mirrors
must come off or cut shorter from the bottom. Two glass companies told me
the only way to handle this is to smash the mirrors and pull the pieces off,
and ruin the drywall in the process. Are there any other options? Thanks in
advance.

On 11/30/2008 5:59 PM Jim Sherman spake thus:

My spouse is replacing Formica countertops with granite on four vanities.
Each has a mirror that was set onto the Formica top, glue applied to the
back, then pushed to the wall. The new tops will be thicker and the mirrors
must come off or cut shorter from the bottom. Two glass companies told me
the only way to handle this is to smash the mirrors and pull the pieces off,
and ruin the drywall in the process. Are there any other options? Thanks in
advance.

Short answer: no. But what's the problem? Are the mirrors somehow
valuable to you?

By the way, instead of just smashing them, which is sure to generate
lots of glass splinters and debris, better to score them with a glass
cutter, then pry them off the wall (use a wide-bladed knife or a pry
bar); that way, they'll break on the score lines and leave less of a
mess. The underlying wall (drywall) should survive OK so long as you
don't use the cave-man approach to removing the glass.


--
Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the
powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.

- Paulo Freire

Jim Sherman wrote:
My spouse is replacing Formica countertops with granite on four vanities.
Each has a mirror that was set onto the Formica top, glue applied to the
back, then pushed to the wall. The new tops will be thicker and the mirrors
must come off or cut shorter from the bottom. Two glass companies told me
the only way to handle this is to smash the mirrors and pull the pieces off,
and ruin the drywall in the process. Are there any other options? Thanks in
advance.



Take a piece of piano wire and insert it along the top of the
mirror. I wrap each end around a couple of sticks for handles.
Place a couple of shims behind the mirror at the top and start
sawing back and forth with the piano wire. The shims will help to
hold the mirror away from the wall until you get started.

Be prepared with another person to hold the mirror because they tend
to come off suddenly, due to the fact that the glue is pretty
random. You may be several inches from the bottom of the mirror
when it decides to let go.

Guitar strings work pretty well if the mirror is small.

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

On Nov 30, 8:59*pm, "Jim Sherman" wrote:
My spouse is replacing Formica countertops with granite on four vanities.
Each has a mirror that was set onto the Formica top, glue applied to the
back, then pushed to the wall. The new tops will be thicker and the mirrors
must come off or cut shorter from the bottom. Two glass companies told me
the only way to handle this is to smash the mirrors and pull the pieces off,
and ruin the drywall in the process. Are there any other options? Thanks in
advance.

Put some duct tape on the mirrors so they don't shatter, then try to
pry off with a crowbar at one end. If it breaks, just take off in
pieces. Its not rocket science.

"David Nebenzahl" wrote in message
s.com...
On 11/30/2008 5:59 PM Jim Sherman spake thus:


--
Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the
powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.

- Paulo Freire

As it should be...lest the gnats and ankle biters become truly irritating.

If you're SURE it's glued, proceed as the experts here have suggested. Mine
had a combination of glue and the clips at the top of the mirror - the
bottom of the mirror rested on the top of the backsplash. I didn't wanna
handle the large full-wall mirror on my own, so for remodeling bathroom #1,
I paid a glass company $175 to get the mirror off (it's heavy and awkward) -
they wanted another $125 to put it back up after the countertop was
replaced - I just had them take the mirror away. They offerred no guarantee
that the mirror woudl survive being pulled off the wall.

For bathroom #2, the countertop company is only charging me $130 to pull the
old countertop and backsplash, AND pull and replace the old mirror after
tyey're done installing the new countertop.

Check with your countertop company - they may help you solve the mirror
problem.

"Mikepier" wrote in message
...
On Nov 30, 8:59 pm, "Jim Sherman" wrote:
My spouse is replacing Formica countertops with granite on four vanities.
Each has a mirror that was set onto the Formica top, glue applied to the
back, then pushed to the wall. The new tops will be thicker and the
mirrors
must come off or cut shorter from the bottom. Two glass companies told me
the only way to handle this is to smash the mirrors and pull the pieces
off,
and ruin the drywall in the process. Are there any other options? Thanks
in
advance.

Put some duct tape on the mirrors so they don't shatter, then try to
pry off with a crowbar at one end. If it breaks, just take off in
pieces. Its not rocket science.

On Nov 30, 8:59*pm, "Jim Sherman" wrote:
My spouse is replacing Formica countertops with granite on four vanities.
Each has a mirror that was set onto the Formica top, glue applied to the
back, then pushed to the wall. The new tops will be thicker and the mirrors
must come off or cut shorter from the bottom. Two glass companies told me
the only way to handle this is to smash the mirrors and pull the pieces off,
and ruin the drywall in the process. Are there any other options? Thanks in
advance.

I gave you the answer the first time you posted the question.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Those 2 glass companies must have a bunch of morons working there.

The mirrors can be removed and saved with piano wire and 2 pairs of
vice grips.

Cut a piece of piano wire about 3 ft wider than the mirror, then slip
the wire between the mirror and the drywall (preferably from top edge
of the mirror). Now, clap the vise grips onto the ends of the piano
wire. Have someone help you work the piano wire back and forth in a
sawing motion, at the same time pulling downward. (if you start from
the top)

This will cut through the mirror mastic and allow you to remove the
mirror. Depending on the situation, you might need another person to
help hold the mirror so it doesn't hit the floor.

I recommend using Equalizer brand braided wire that you can get at
most autoglass shops. http://tinyurl.com/5zulxt If you talk
directly to an autogalss installer they will probably just give you
about a 20 ft piece - just slide the guy 2 or 3 bucks. Do NOT use
regular piano wire, it gets hot and you have to stop every 2 seconds
to let it cool or it will break in half.. A REAL pain in the ass!

BTW, I've removed MANY mirrors using professional suction cups only,
because the drywall paper will come off with the mastic before the
mirror will break. Sounds like they were just trying to sell you some
new mirrors and didn't want just a labor job or like I said, they are
morons.

On Nov 30, 10:15*pm, Mikepier wrote:
On Nov 30, 8:59*pm, "Jim Sherman" wrote:

My spouse is replacing Formica countertops with granite on four vanities.
Each has a mirror that was set onto the Formica top, glue applied to the
back, then pushed to the wall. The new tops will be thicker and the mirrors
must come off or cut shorter from the bottom. Two glass companies told me
the only way to handle this is to smash the mirrors and pull the pieces off,
and ruin the drywall in the process. Are there any other options? Thanks in
advance.

Put some duct tape on the mirrors so they don't shatter, then try to
pry off with a crowbar at one end. If it breaks, just take off in
pieces. Its not rocket science.

Yeah, just use a crowbar....(rolling eyes)

Ron wrote:
On Nov 30, 8:59 pm, "Jim Sherman" wrote:
My spouse is replacing Formica countertops with granite on four vanities.
Each has a mirror that was set onto the Formica top, glue applied to the
back, then pushed to the wall. The new tops will be thicker and the mirrors
must come off or cut shorter from the bottom. Two glass companies told me
the only way to handle this is to smash the mirrors and pull the pieces off,
and ruin the drywall in the process. Are there any other options? Thanks in
advance.

I gave you the answer the first time you posted the question.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Those 2 glass companies must have a bunch of morons working there.

The mirrors can be removed and saved with piano wire and 2 pairs of
vice grips.

Cut a piece of piano wire about 3 ft wider than the mirror, then slip
the wire between the mirror and the drywall (preferably from top edge
of the mirror). Now, clap the vise grips onto the ends of the piano
wire. Have someone help you work the piano wire back and forth in a
sawing motion, at the same time pulling downward. (if you start from
the top)

This will cut through the mirror mastic and allow you to remove the
mirror. Depending on the situation, you might need another person to
help hold the mirror so it doesn't hit the floor.

I recommend using Equalizer brand braided wire that you can get at
most autoglass shops. http://tinyurl.com/5zulxt If you talk
directly to an autogalss installer they will probably just give you
about a 20 ft piece - just slide the guy 2 or 3 bucks. Do NOT use
regular piano wire, it gets hot and you have to stop every 2 seconds
to let it cool or it will break in half.. A REAL pain in the ass!

BTW, I've removed MANY mirrors using professional suction cups only,
because the drywall paper will come off with the mastic before the
mirror will break. Sounds like they were just trying to sell you some
new mirrors and didn't want just a labor job or like I said, they are
morons.

What do you do if the mirror runs all the way to the corner? Or all the
way to ceiling?

--
aem sends...

On Dec 1, 6:32*pm, aemeijers wrote:
Ron wrote:
On Nov 30, 8:59 pm, "Jim Sherman" wrote:
My spouse is replacing Formica countertops with granite on four vanities.
Each has a mirror that was set onto the Formica top, glue applied to the
back, then pushed to the wall. The new tops will be thicker and the mirrors
must come off or cut shorter from the bottom. Two glass companies told me
the only way to handle this is to smash the mirrors and pull the pieces off,
and ruin the drywall in the process. Are there any other options? Thanks in
advance.

I gave you the answer the first time you posted the question.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Those 2 glass companies must have a bunch of morons working there.

The mirrors can be removed and saved with piano wire and 2 pairs of
vice grips.

Cut a piece of piano wire about 3 ft wider than the mirror, then slip
the wire between the mirror and the drywall (preferably from top edge
of the mirror). Now, clap the vise grips onto the ends of the piano
wire. Have someone help you work the piano wire back and forth in a
sawing motion, at the same time pulling downward. (if you start from
the top)

This will cut through the mirror mastic and allow you to remove the
mirror. Depending on the situation, you might need another person to
help hold the mirror so it doesn't hit the floor.

I recommend using Equalizer brand braided wire that you can get at
most autoglass shops.http://tinyurl.com/5zulxtIf you talk
directly to an autogalss installer they will probably just give you
about a 20 ft piece - just slide the guy 2 or 3 bucks. Do NOT use
regular piano wire, it gets hot and you have to stop every 2 seconds
to let it cool or it will break in half.. A REAL pain in the ass!

BTW, I've removed MANY mirrors using professional suction cups only,
because the drywall paper will come off with the mastic before the
mirror will break. Sounds like they were just trying to sell you some
new mirrors and didn't want just a labor job or like I said, they are
morons.

What do you do if the mirror runs all the way to the corner? Or all the
way to ceiling?

--
aem sends...

For the ceiling the same thing. You always have to have at least an
1/8 (I prefer 3/16) of an inch clearance to get the mirror in.

If a mirror is in the corner, than you cut from the side if possible.
If not, then you call a glass company that KNOWS what they are doing
and they will remove it with suction cups, or a combination of wire
and suction cups.

Put painters tape on the entire mirror. If it breaks, the tape will
keep glass from getting everywhere. And painters tape comes off
leaving nothing behind.

wrote in message
...
Put painters tape on the entire mirror. If it breaks, the tape will
keep glass from getting everywhere. And painters tape comes off
leaving nothing behind.

After taping you have to use a putty knife, pushing it in gently between the
wall and the mirror edge and then slightly twist the putty knife. You do
they around the perimeter of the mirror and at one point the mirror will
pull away from the wall. I just finished do a 50 by 30 in my bathroom and
the only casualty is the sheetrock behind the mirror where the adhesive was.