Hi all,

A mate has roped me into helping him hang a 1400 x 900 mirror on the
wall in his freshly re-furbished bathroom. It has been re-tiled and
from a knuckle_knock, sounds hollow so I don't really know (pre any
further tests) what's behind there (studwork, dot_n_dab plasterboard
etc).

The mirror is to be mounted landscape and has a wood backing, into
which the supplier of the mirror has attached 3 small hanging 'loops'
at the back near the top (but still behind the mirror) and a couple of
little brass retaining plates that are exposed underneath. The idea
being that you hang the mirror from the top and retain it there (so it
can't be lifted up and off) at the bottom.

There are several issues:

I'm not sure I like the idea of trying to provide *three* hanging
points? They only have to be slightly out of line and the whole thing
could rock about on two and if and / or the middle wall mount was
lower it would not do anything at all?

I'm not sure I like the idea of trying to 'hang' something so big and
heavy on loops that can swing about. They might be ok once you have
them hooked over whatever? but as you won't be able to see them
while you are doing it ... ?

I really don't want to be party to either me dropping or it falling
down onto his new basins and unit (or any of us)!

So, assuming we have checked the wall behind the tiles for services
etc ... can anyone recommend hardware that would make this job easier
or more predictable please? Are there any brackets, clips, mounts /
whatever that would give us a better chance of a getting a good
anchorage on(?) / though the tiles and would also attach to the wooden
rear of the mirror (looked like 12mm chipboard to me at a quick
glance) and give the whole thing a more positive (and ideally,
adjustable to some degree) location?

I have wall hung heavy plasma TV's and the like but never on tiles and
where you couldn't get to the back of the thing as you were mounting
it.

Cheers, T i m

On 03/09/2015 08:09, T i m wrote:
Hi all,

A mate has roped me into helping him hang a 1400 x 900 mirror on the
wall in his freshly re-furbished bathroom. It has been re-tiled and
from a knuckle_knock, sounds hollow so I don't really know (pre any
further tests) what's behind there (studwork, dot_n_dab plasterboard
etc).

The mirror is to be mounted landscape and has a wood backing, into
which the supplier of the mirror has attached 3 small hanging 'loops'
at the back near the top (but still behind the mirror) and a couple of
little brass retaining plates that are exposed underneath. The idea
being that you hang the mirror from the top and retain it there (so it
can't be lifted up and off) at the bottom.

There are several issues:

I'm not sure I like the idea of trying to provide *three* hanging
points? They only have to be slightly out of line and the whole thing
could rock about on two and if and / or the middle wall mount was
lower it would not do anything at all?

It's common for mirrors etc to have three hanging points so they can be
hung landscape or portrait. Only 2 are used depending on the orientation.

I'm not sure I like the idea of trying to 'hang' something so big and
heavy on loops that can swing about. They might be ok once you have
them hooked over whatever? but as you won't be able to see them
while you are doing it ... ?

That's always a bugger, you can't see the screw. Best done by
feel/trial & error. Two man job.

I really don't want to be party to either me dropping or it falling
down onto his new basins and unit (or any of us)!

Once hung the load is only downwards. As long as the fixings are decent
even very heavy mirrors will be fine.

So, assuming we have checked the wall behind the tiles for services
etc ... can anyone recommend hardware that would make this job easier
or more predictable please? Are there any brackets, clips, mounts /
whatever that would give us a better chance of a getting a good
anchorage on(?) / though the tiles and would also attach to the wooden
rear of the mirror (looked like 12mm chipboard to me at a quick
glance) and give the whole thing a more positive (and ideally,
adjustable to some degree) location?

I have wall hung heavy plasma TV's and the like but never on tiles and
where you couldn't get to the back of the thing as you were mounting
it.

Cheers, T i m

On 03/09/2015 08:36, David Lang wrote:
On 03/09/2015 08:09, T i m wrote:
Hi all,

A mate has roped me into helping him hang a 1400 x 900 mirror on the
wall in his freshly re-furbished bathroom. It has been re-tiled and
from a knuckle_knock, sounds hollow so I don't really know (pre any
further tests) what's behind there (studwork, dot_n_dab plasterboard
etc).

The mirror is to be mounted landscape and has a wood backing, into
which the supplier of the mirror has attached 3 small hanging 'loops'
at the back near the top (but still behind the mirror) and a couple of
little brass retaining plates that are exposed underneath. The idea
being that you hang the mirror from the top and retain it there (so it
can't be lifted up and off) at the bottom.

There are several issues:

I'm not sure I like the idea of trying to provide *three* hanging
points? They only have to be slightly out of line and the whole thing
could rock about on two and if and / or the middle wall mount was
lower it would not do anything at all?

It's common for mirrors etc to have three hanging points so they can be
hung landscape or portrait. Only 2 are used depending on the orientation.

I'm not sure I like the idea of trying to 'hang' something so big and
heavy on loops that can swing about. They might be ok once you have
them hooked over whatever? but as you won't be able to see them
while you are doing it ... ?

That's always a bugger, you can't see the screw. Best done by
feel/trial & error. Two man job.

I really don't want to be party to either me dropping or it falling
down onto his new basins and unit (or any of us)!

Once hung the load is only downwards. As long as the fixings are decent
even very heavy mirrors will be fine.

So, assuming we have checked the wall behind the tiles for services
etc ... can anyone recommend hardware that would make this job easier
or more predictable please? Are there any brackets, clips, mounts /
whatever that would give us a better chance of a getting a good
anchorage on(?) / though the tiles and would also attach to the wooden
rear of the mirror (looked like 12mm chipboard to me at a quick
glance) and give the whole thing a more positive (and ideally,
adjustable to some degree) location?

I have wall hung heavy plasma TV's and the like but never on tiles and
where you couldn't get to the back of the thing as you were mounting
it.

Cheers, T i m


Should have added; Bit of masking tape on front showing positions of the
fixing points at the back helps and get one hoked on first, then the
other, don't try to do both at once.

On Thu, 03 Sep 2015 08:36:40 +0100, David Lang
wrote:

snip

I'm not sure I like the idea of trying to provide *three* hanging
points? They only have to be slightly out of line and the whole thing
could rock about on two and if and / or the middle wall mount was
lower it would not do anything at all?

It's common for mirrors etc to have three hanging points so they can be
hung landscape or portrait. Only 2 are used depending on the orientation.

Understood. FWIW, this one has 3 direction-orientated hanging points
(each bracket has 3 screws into the wooden back of the mirror) along
one edge, like these:

http://www.ukpictureframingsupplies....ted-1621-p.asp

I think the intention was to use all 3 simultaneously?


I'm not sure I like the idea of trying to 'hang' something so big and
heavy on loops that can swing about. They might be ok once you have
them hooked over whatever? but as you won't be able to see them
while you are doing it ... ?

That's always a bugger, you can't see the screw. Best done by
feel/trial & error. Two man job.

Hmmm, I was hoping there was something 'lass random' David. I have
since found there could be:

http://www.ukpictureframingsupplies....ates-211-p.asp
http://www.ukpictureframingsupplies....late-200-p.asp

4 of those might be more definitive?

Or something like these:

http://www.diy.com/departments/bq-zi.../243334_BQ.prd

I'm thinking something more 'positive' than trying to snag 3 floppy
'D' loops over 3 single screw heads? At least with a wall mounted
fitting that uses more than one screw you have the chance of tweaking
the positions slightly? Like, if there three holes you can start with
one central one and ensure the mirror is plumb etc and once it is, use
the other holes.

I really don't want to be party to either me dropping or it falling
down onto his new basins and unit (or any of us)!

Once hung the load is only downwards.

Yup, mostly 'in shear' (re the screw in the wall).

As long as the fixings are decent
even very heavy mirrors will be fine.

Ah, and that (in this case) could be a bit of an unknown. Like, would
it be considered sufficient to rely on just getting a good anchorage
on (just the) the (large) tile, by using an adhesive for example or to
try not rely on the tile and picking up on whatever may be behind (and
the latter being my preference, assuming you can etc)?

Cheers, T i m

On Thu, 03 Sep 2015 08:55:31 +0100, David Lang
wrote:

snip

Should have added; Bit of masking tape on front showing positions of the
fixing points at the back helps and get one hoked on first, then the
other, don't try to do both at once.

Good thoughts, thanks. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

"T i m" wrote in message ...

On Thu, 03 Sep 2015 08:36:40 +0100, David Lang
wrote:

snip

I'm not sure I like the idea of trying to provide *three* hanging
points? They only have to be slightly out of line and the whole thing
could rock about on two and if and / or the middle wall mount was
lower it would not do anything at all?

It's common for mirrors etc to have three hanging points so they can be
hung landscape or portrait. Only 2 are used depending on the orientation.

Understood. FWIW, this one has 3 direction-orientated hanging points
(each bracket has 3 screws into the wooden back of the mirror) along
one edge, like these:

http://www.ukpictureframingsupplies....ted-1621-p.asp

I think the intention was to use all 3 simultaneously?


I'm not sure I like the idea of trying to 'hang' something so big and
heavy on loops that can swing about. They might be ok once you have
them hooked over whatever? but as you won't be able to see them
while you are doing it ... ?

That's always a bugger, you can't see the screw. Best done by
feel/trial & error. Two man job.

Hmmm, I was hoping there was something 'lass random' David. I have
since found there could be:

http://www.ukpictureframingsupplies....ates-211-p.asp
http://www.ukpictureframingsupplies....late-200-p.asp

4 of those might be more definitive?

Or something like these:

http://www.diy.com/departments/bq-zi.../243334_BQ.prd

I used those for a mirror on a bedroom wall. Did the job nicely.

For one over the bath, I'd be looking at something like this:
http://picturehangers.co.uk/z-bars/z...inch-45cm.html
Obviously, there is the problem of not knowing what lies beneath the tiles.


I'm thinking something more 'positive' than trying to snag 3 floppy
'D' loops over 3 single screw heads? At least with a wall mounted
fitting that uses more than one screw you have the chance of tweaking
the positions slightly? Like, if there three holes you can start with
one central one and ensure the mirror is plumb etc and once it is, use
the other holes.

I really don't want to be party to either me dropping or it falling
down onto his new basins and unit (or any of us)!

Once hung the load is only downwards.

Yup, mostly 'in shear' (re the screw in the wall).

As long as the fixings are decent
even very heavy mirrors will be fine.

Ah, and that (in this case) could be a bit of an unknown. Like, would
it be considered sufficient to rely on just getting a good anchorage
on (just the) the (large) tile, by using an adhesive for example or to
try not rely on the tile and picking up on whatever may be behind (and
the latter being my preference, assuming you can etc)?

Cheers, T i m

On Thu, 3 Sep 2015 09:50:54 +0100, "Richard"
wrote:

snip

Or something like these:

http://www.diy.com/departments/bq-zi.../243334_BQ.prd

I used those for a mirror on a bedroom wall. Did the job nicely.

Cool, thanks. (3 of us were singing 'Mirror in the bathroom' yesterday
but only one of us could remember it was by 'The Beat'.) ;-)

For one over the bath, I'd be looking at something like this:
http://picturehangers.co.uk/z-bars/z...inch-45cm.html

Ah, that looks good so thanks for that. I'd seen similar but not those
at that price. So, I'm guessing for a mirror 1.4m wide I would use two
at the top (one either end)?

Obviously, there is the problem of not knowing what lies beneath the tiles.

Yes, but, with the option of that many holes you stand a chance of
getting a good hold on something. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

I like those brass boss things - it means you can tighten the screws and
thus open any wall plug properly. I hate having to leave a screw loose as
it doesn't cause most plugs to properly deploy.

On Thu, 03 Sep 2015 15:46:19 GMT, DerbyBorn
wrote:


I like those brass boss things - it means you can tighten the screws and
thus open any wall plug properly.

Good point. However, would you still apply the same logic if it was
mounted on a tile stuck with unknown amounts of adhesive to a wall
probably lined with plasterboard but of unknown method (dot-n-dab /
stud etc)?

I hate having to leave a screw loose as
it doesn't cause most plugs to properly deploy.

Agreed.

Cheers, T i m