How to Unclip Mirrors From the Bathroom Wall
In a bathroom makeover or renovation, everything comes out, even that large, old frameless bathroom mirror. Large mirrors, because of their heavy weight, are usually installed with wide clips that fold over the edges of the mirror to lock it in place when installed on the wall. Since the screws and hardware for these mirror clips are hidden behind the mirror itself, it may be difficult to figure out how to unclip the mirror from the bathroom wall. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Flat-head screwdriver
- Phillips screwdriver
- Small piece of cardboard
- Picture-hanging wire
- Towels
- Joint compound
- Feathering knives
Instructions
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Lay folded towels across the countertop to cushion the mirror once it is removed. At the slightest stress to the glass, the mirror can break, so it is important to prepare the area before you remove the mirror from the wall.
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2
Push the mirror inward gently to check if it shakes a little bit or is tightly affixed to the wall. A little shake indicates that no adhesive was used in the mirror's installation process. If it doesn't move, free the mirror from its adhesive backing by passing a strand of thin wire across the back of the mirror. Hold the wire at both ends, and work it around the clips to release the mirror from the wall.
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3
Lift the top clips upward. Check if they are loose enough to lift with your hands, and if not, wedge a piece of cardboard between the clip and the front of the mirror, and use a flat-head screwdriver to pry each clip upward. The clips have an oval screw hole that allows the clip to slide up and down--this is how the top clips were locked into place over the top edge of the mirror.
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4
Tilt the top of the mirror away from the wall, and gently lift it off the bottom clips. This method will work if the top clips stay in the up position. Do not tilt the glass too much because that may cause the bottom edge of the mirror to crack.
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5
Lift the mirror upward, at both ends, if the top clips do not remain in the up position. The mirror will push and hold the upper clips in place, while its bottom edge is freed from the bottom clips. Once the mirror clears the bottom clips, swing its bottom outward, and lower the mirror to release it from the wall.
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6
Rest the mirror onto the towels before preparing to take it out of the bathroom. This will give everyone a chance to grip the mirror firmly and strategize how to move the mirror out.
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7
Unscrew the clips from the wall, and fill in any screw holes or wall damage with joint compound and feathering knives.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Goodshoot/Goodshoot/Getty Images
