Home Repair (alt.home.repair) For all homeowners and DIYers with many experienced tradesmen. Solve your toughest home fix-it problems.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
dryearwood(nospamplse)
 
Posts: n/a
Default Removing large mirror glued to wall

Wish to remove a large cracked mirror glued to a bathroom wall.
Thought is to duck tape it and then try to break it but wonder if there
is a dremel tool for cutting glass that would be better to use?

Any suggestions.

Thanks

  #2   Report Post  
Charles Spitzer
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"dryearwood(nospamplse)" wrote in
message ...
Wish to remove a large cracked mirror glued to a bathroom wall.
Thought is to duck tape it and then try to break it but wonder if there is
a dremel tool for cutting glass that would be better to use?

Any suggestions.

Thanks


the problem is that it's glued to the wall. even if you cut it, you'll still
have to get it off the wall. chances are you'll have to just replace the
drywall if you're not replacing the mirror.

using piano wire as a saw usually works. you can scrape off the remaining
glue.


  #3   Report Post  
Joe Bobst
 
Posts: n/a
Default

wonder if there is a dremel tool for cutting glass

Such a cutting system would be way overmatched. Instead, buy a regular glass
cutting (scoring) tool. Using the duct tape technique for safety, start at one
side with a scored line, tap it with the tool as glass pros do (to propagate
the crack) and gently pry the section away from the wall. Repeat as necessary
with some common sense precautions like having a robust container handy,
covering the floor with cardboard to keep glass shards from damaging it, etc.
HTH

Joe

  #4   Report Post  
John Harlow
 
Posts: n/a
Default

dryearwood(nospamplse)" "dryearwood(nospamplse) wrote:
Wish to remove a large cracked mirror glued to a bathroom wall.
Thought is to duck tape it and then try to break it but wonder if
there is a dremel tool for cutting glass that would be better to use?



A glass cutter would probably work; score it into sections then break it
(cover it with a towel or something). Is there anyway to get a thin saw
blade behind it (hacksaw blade or bandsaw blade)?

Man. Glued to the wall. Bummer.


  #5   Report Post  
dryearwood(nospamplse)
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Not possible to get anything behind it.



John Harlow wrote:

dryearwood(nospamplse)" "dryearwood(nospamplse) wrote:


Wish to remove a large cracked mirror glued to a bathroom wall.
Thought is to duck tape it and then try to break it but wonder if
there is a dremel tool for cutting glass that would be better to use?




A glass cutter would probably work; score it into sections then break it
(cover it with a towel or something). Is there anyway to get a thin saw
blade behind it (hacksaw blade or bandsaw blade)?

Man. Glued to the wall. Bummer.







  #6   Report Post  
ameijers
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"dryearwood(nospamplse)" wrote in
message ...
Wish to remove a large cracked mirror glued to a bathroom wall.
Thought is to duck tape it and then try to break it but wonder if there
is a dremel tool for cutting glass that would be better to use?

Any suggestions.

Go to hardware store, and buy a glass cutter with the little hardened wheel
on the end of the handle (carborundum or something hard, can't remember.)
Use that to score the glass into squares of convenient size. Cover mirror
with whatever cheap wide tape the local supply house sells. Also buy a
Stanley wonder bar, the little kind with the very sharp edges on the end,
and a set of cheap leather work gloves and some eye protection. Wear long
sleeves, preferably something you can throw out if it gets full of glass
fragments. Start at one edge, and work the wonder bar behind the glass, and
pry till it pops. Good idea to have a trash barrel sitting right there, and
a good shop vac, because that ground glass will wanna fly everywhere.
Don't let barefoot people in bathroom till you wet mop, and shine a
flashlight at low angle to find all the little sparklies. Plan on spackling
or skim-coating the wall at a minimum, since the adhesive won't come off
clean. Often easier to just cut out and replace that part of the sheetrock,
especially if you need a smooth surface for paint.

aem sends...

  #7   Report Post  
William Brown
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I don't think a glass cutter would help you, as you would be scoring the
wrong side of the glass, and all a cutter does is insure that the break
is where you want it, and there is no reason for you to care.

I think you are right about taping it, but then get something under an
edge and try to pry it off, understanding that it will break and you
will have to deal with the mess. If you're lucky, they only glued
around the edges, but wherever they glued you will probably damage the
underlying wall, so be prepared to fix that. You might want to have a
helper standing by in case the thing is not well glued and falls after
you have broken some of it.

dryearwood(nospamplse) wrote:

Wish to remove a large cracked mirror glued to a bathroom wall.
Thought is to duck tape it and then try to break it but wonder if there
is a dremel tool for cutting glass that would be better to use?

Any suggestions.

Thanks


--
SPAMBLOCK NOTICE! To reply to me, delete the h from apkh.net, if it is
there.
  #8   Report Post  
Joe Fabeitz
 
Posts: n/a
Default

This has been discussed before.
Insert wood shims between mirror and wall, all around. This applies outward
pressure. Pour solvent (like "Goof Off") down back side of mirror to soften
adhesive. Wait. More shims as mirror separates from wall. etc. etc.
You can thank me later.

"dryearwood(nospamplse)" wrote in
message ...
Wish to remove a large cracked mirror glued to a bathroom wall.
Thought is to duck tape it and then try to break it but wonder if there
is a dremel tool for cutting glass that would be better to use?

Any suggestions.

Thanks



  #9   Report Post  
Art Todesco
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I've used a large commercial kitchen spatula with pretty good success.
It did minimum damage to the wall and mirror; I even reused the mirrors
in a different apartment. Depending on the glue used, a solvent might
not work well. It may also do damage to drywall. Either way, get ready
to touch up the drywall with joint compound. BTW, the ones I removed
were on a concrete block wall that had a layer of plaster for the
finished surface. I did have to feather a few makes with drywall
compound and repaint.

Joe Fabeitz wrote:

This has been discussed before.
Insert wood shims between mirror and wall, all around. This applies outward
pressure. Pour solvent (like "Goof Off") down back side of mirror to soften
adhesive. Wait. More shims as mirror separates from wall. etc. etc.
You can thank me later.

"dryearwood(nospamplse)" wrote in
message ...

Wish to remove a large cracked mirror glued to a bathroom wall.
Thought is to duck tape it and then try to break it but wonder if there
is a dremel tool for cutting glass that would be better to use?

Any suggestions.

Thanks




  #10   Report Post  
Mike Rocket J. Squirrel Elliott
 
Posts: n/a
Default



Wish to remove a large cracked mirror glued to a bathroom wall.
Thought is to duck tape it and then try to break it but wonder if there
is a dremel tool for cutting glass that would be better to use?


Your approach is the technique I tried here. I taped this 3' x 4'
"floating" mirror in the bathroom with clear 2'' wide packing tape,
then, wearing eye, face, head, and body protection (I looked like a
Bedouin), I prepared to bust it into flinders with a rubber mallet. One
blow, nothing happened. Two blows, still nothing. Hm. I took a mighty
swing at the mirror and it shuddered then fell toward me. I caught it
before it fell against anything and carted it out of the room in one
piece. Behind it were blobs of construction adhesive which pulled off
the top layer of paint -- a latex gloss, I reckon. The layer under the
top coat appeared to be an oil gloss, in an unattractive pink. Now as I
proceed to prep the room for remodeling I find that the top coat peels
off the second coat like peeling sunburned skin. I lucked out -- the
mirror was easy to remove, and it never fell on its own accord and
killed anyone.

--

Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
84 Westphalia: "Mellow Yellow (The Electrical Banana)"
KG6RCR
Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
insulating a wall Rick Dipper UK diy 10 August 6th 04 09:33 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:14 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 DIYbanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about DIY & home improvement"