Mirror fixing

[Pford75]

We have just purchased a rather large mirror (122" x 86") which has a very large carved frame...resulting in a very heavy mirror.

I had planned to hang the mirror from the picture rail with picture wire, but the instructions with the mirror expressly advise against hanging on a single hook and instead suggest using two separate hooks on either side of the frame. The problem with this however, is that the wall is l&p and i don't really want to try and fix into it.

Any thoughts? I'm wondering if the instructions are guiding against a single hook on the assumption that this would be in the wall (and that there would be significant weight on a single point). Obviously, the picture rail is better suited than a single hook.

If you really think that I should fix into the l&p....does anyone have any recommendations for fixings (for very heavyweight use)?

 

[Ian Bond]

Is there anything to prevent you hanging the mirror on two or more hooks from the picture rail, providing the rail itself can take the weight?

I suppose the picture rail is fixed into the timber studs of the wall, so should be secure.

How much does this mirror weigh?

 

[Ian Bond]

Some ideas...

http://www.frankscragg.co.uk/brass_rail.html

You could hang me from the picture rail using chain (up to 150 kilos - which is 60 more than me at least)

If you are really concerned, you could also fit support brackets to hold the base of the frame. Should be able to screw them into a stud.

With that size mirror, it's got to be more than 7 years bad luck if you break it.

 

[chuckey]

Long picture rail related tale:- Someone I knew, lets call him Ken was having a meal with his son at a flat belonging to his sons mate. During the meal Ken remarked "Thats a large mirror to be hanging on that picture rail". "Yes", the flat owner said, "funny you should say that, while painting the bedroom, I put my hand on the picture rail and it fell down, and do you know, there were no nails fixing it up!". "well", Ken replied, " I worked on the construction of these flats in 1928 and the boss used to sack the slowest men every week, so we chippies used to cut the picture rails to length and spring them in, between the corners".
Times were hard then, or were the Chippies too greedy getting their bonus?
Beware!
FWIW We had a fastener break off in the back of a mirror that had been hanging unmolested for 5 years. I replaced the fasteners and cheapo chain. Using two hooks on the rail does not protect you from that unless you use chain with some way of catching the chain links on each picture hook, so if either end of the chain breaks, the chain will not run through the picture rail hooks.
Frank

 

[Jon Maine]

4mm glass is roughly around 2.5 lbs a square foot, so you have 70 square feet approx = 175lbs if it is only 4mm thick, at such a size I expect it is thicker. Plus the frame of course.

I would seriously consider a solid ledge for it to stand on either screwed to the studs or into the solid wall behind, possibly even with a couple of legs to transfer some weight to the floor.

I seriously would not try hanging this from the picture rail.

 

[Pford75]

Thanks for the replies so far.

Any suggestions on stockists of suitable chain?

 

[Flyfisher]

Some ideas here: http://www.frankscragg.co.uk/brass_rail.html
In particular, the 'picture support brackets' at the bottom of the page, designed for heavy items.

Personally, for mounting something so big and heavy, I would aim to fix it directly to the wall. I have an oak book shelf unit smaller than your mirror but possibly heavier when loaded with books. I've fixed it to the wall using four brass mounting plates screwed into the rear of the unit and then one screw (each) into the wall. The plates only protrude about 20mm from the edges of the unit and are not really noticeable. You should be able to position them along the width of the mirror frame (top and bottom) to align with your wall studs.

 

[Pford75]

Thanks for the link....just have to hope now that the studs are where I want them to be :|

For those interested....a good website http://www.oldfrenchmirrors.com

 

[Nemesis]

There was a time you could hardly give looking glasses like those away - every ballet studio had several!

I would certainly use several small brackets and screw them to the wall - disguise with a spot of paint.

 

[Flyfisher]

just have to hope now that the studs are where I want them to be

With a 10 feet wide mirror, there must surely be at least two decent studs behind it wherever you wish to position it. Good luck though.

 

[Penners]

You could hang me from the picture rail using chain.

Sounds to me as though you've been to a few of Max Mosley's parties, Ian. :shock:

Pford75 - Just echoing what others have said, that's certainly much more weight than I would want to trust to a picture rail. I would definitely set about finding two studs, and ensure that good steel hooks were secured directly to them. Then, after Ian has finished with it, I'd use stout chain to hang the mirror on the hooks.

 

[shelli]

Some ideas...
You could hang me from the picture rail using chain (up to 150 kilos - which is 60 more than me at least)

If you are really concerned, you could also fit support brackets. Should be able to screw them into a stud.

??What is happening to this site!!

 

[Nigel Watts]

I can vouch for the brass rail system on flyfisher's link, having installed it in my living room. On the stud walls the brackets are screwed into the studs with long woodscrews an inch or two below cornice level, but I think it would look odd if the room also had picture rails. There is also the cost to consider as it isnt cheap. I chose it because I didnt want to spoil my hand printed wallpaper by banging in nails for picture hooks. It has the added advantage that the pictures also hang clear of the wall so reducing the risk of marking the paper.

 

[Ian Bond]

Shelli - I hadn't read it that - way :!:

How naughty you are

 

[michael]

I remember seeing some very old and very large framed mirrors perhaps each 15ft high x 10ft wide hanging around the walls in what seemed like a large ballroom or function room in an historic villa just outside Florence in Italy. What’s more, due to their height, the top of each mirror was leaning out from the wall so that people below them could view their reflection. These mirrors must have each weighed several tons and I’m pretty sure they had a piece of appropriately designed furniture against the wall below them to support the bulk of the weight and then some kind of chain fixing from the wall to support the lean. Know doubt similar examples could probably be found in some stately homes here in the UK some of which are probably open to the public. If this sounds like a suitable method of supporting and fixing for your mirror then perhaps this could be one avenue worth researching whilst having a good day out at the same time.

 

[Pford75]

Thanks for all the advice.

In the end, I decided to go with a combination of the suggestions. Rather than have the brackets wall mounted underneath, we have moved a piece of furniture under the mirror and fixed an upstand to the furniture (to stop the mirror sliding forwards).

We've also gone with some discrete fixings into the stud, plus a chain from the picture rail (which I confess is more for aesthetics than actual support)

Will post some photos when I'm back in UK