# Hanging large 50lb mirror in dining room



## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

Does the mirror have a frame, or is it just the mirror itself?


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## marcus118 (Dec 5, 2012)

r0ckstarr said:


> Does the mirror have a frame, or is it just the mirror itself?


has a frame


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Suspended by string/wire on the back?

There are a myriad of drywall anchors but I would go for something that is rated for 1.5X your weight.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

Duplicate threads. 

http://www.diychatroom.com/f2/hanging-large-50lb-mirror-dining-room-207910/


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## SC Tiger (Oct 10, 2014)

What about a 'ferring strip'? 

Basically you replace a section of drywall with a wooden strip that will connect to the studs. Mud over it, paint to match and hang from it.


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## RobertCurry (Oct 20, 2014)

I thing metal strip is good as compare to plastic one. Don't trust too much on your wall as they are 55 years old. First of all check strength of your drywall. Putin strips on drywall are the toughest task.


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## mtnwalton (Jul 20, 2014)

SC Tiger said:


> What about a 'ferring strip'?
> 
> Basically you replace a section of drywall with a wooden strip that will connect to the studs. Mud over it, paint to match and hang from it.


This works; But another way: I hung a 100 lb mirror framed - 6' tall for my mother. I added 3/4" spacers on the side and a french cleat at the top. The spacers fill in the opening caused by the french cleat. I was lucky and had a closet on the other side so I could through- bolt into another 3/4" 1 x 4. However the french cleat itself would be sufficient assuming it is lagged into 2 or 3 studs.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

A French Cleat is my thought also. 


ED


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## miamicuse (Nov 13, 2011)

I would also recommend a french cleat secured to the studs.

You could also make two french cleats one at top one at bottom, to distribute the load and provide support on both ends so the mirror would be level vertically.


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## carlsimmons1969 (Oct 10, 2014)

Go to a glass mirror place and have them put a j channel on the lenght of the back of the mirror . The piece it rests on is the same lenght but screwed to the studs in the wall. It wont come down.....

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## wkearney99 (Apr 8, 2009)

I've got a 6' wide, 100# mirror hung in my dining room. It's on three hanging nails, each rated at 150# each. They're into the studs. The nails aren't spaced 'evenly', the stud positions don't readily correspond to the mirror's dimensions. Thus the wire on the back is running across all three of them. It was no small challenge figuring out the correct height for the nails. The wire was attached to the mirror frame from the factory, but you should be able to install something similar. 

Going with a cleat is certainly worth considering though. Really not that hard to make one if you've got a table saw. Just slice a piece of wood on a 45 and you've got the matching cleats. Downside to the cleat though might be how much it causes the mirror to stand off from the walls. With wire it's a much smaller profile.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

Hangman makes a number of french cleat products, rated at up to 300 lbs in the longer units. 
Some come as kits with wall dogs.
A lot of hardware stores and the big boxes carry them.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

OK I gotta ask how did you fasten the cleat to the back of the mirror ?


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

P L Construction Adhesive. spread thin, and aligned squarely.


ED


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## wkearney99 (Apr 8, 2009)

Fwiw, I'd think it'd be best to use an adhesive actually intended for mirrors, not just a general purpose one. That as a way to avoid wrecking the paint and mirroring finish on the back of the glass. Not sure if PL is or isn't rated for that, but I have seen (and used) similarly applied adhesives that are specifically intended for mirrors.

That and what's the back of the mirror & frame look like? Post a picture, that might help come up with the most effective plan for that particular mirror.

My point about the studs is that you DO NOT have to center the nails. Mine aren't centered. The wire is angled up on one side a bit more than the other. Think about it, if you have a string hanging from something... you can move your hands left or right and adjust the level of the object. Same thing with a framed mirror or picture. I think the one on the left is about 6" farther inward than the one on the right. The mirror is hung with D-rings screwed into the left & right sides of the frame. Then there's picture hanging cable (wire) running between them. This wire allows adjusting the mirror a bit to find level. That and the combined weight of the mirror and the cable texture keeps it from shifting around.

Yes, with only one nail you wouldn't be able to center it. But since that mirror's wide enough to span across several studs then you can mount into them and still be able to level it. 

For heavier items I prefer to use nails rated for MUCH more capacity than required. They're more expensive, sure, but that's usually a drop-in-the-bucket compared to the cost of the item being hung. 

I was looking around on amazon and happened to come across this cleat:
http://www.amazon.com/Hangman-Inch-Mirror-Picture-Hanger/dp/B00BOX1TXY
The idea is it's attached to the frame, not the mirror directly. I've not used that specific one, so I'm not advocating it, just citing the picture as an example.

My concern about the cleat at the top is that it'd depend quite a lot on the strength of the joints of the top section of the frame. I'd be inclined to consider have two cleats, with one at the bottom, this to spread the load. 

But then i'm happy with the D-rings, wire and nails. It's held that mirror in two places now, for well over a decade.


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## d189379 (Oct 20, 2011)

At the risk of being unpopular, what's wrong with just using a plain old drywall picture hook? Buy a single (or 2) 100lb hook(s) with some wire and call it a day?


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## carlsimmons1969 (Oct 10, 2014)

J channel and be done with it [emoji4] 

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