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#1
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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
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"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
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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
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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
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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
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"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
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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
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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
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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
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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 |
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