Redecorating tips and techniques: How to take down a heavy wall mirror without damaging your paint or wallpaper, including list of materials needed and saftey precautions.
Some mirrors are even harder to remove, since many very heavy mirrors are actually glued to the wall, using various types of mastic. When mirrors are glued to dry wall, it'll probably be easiest to remove the entire section of the wall, and then replace the section of dry wall. If this seems like more trouble than it's worth, try using crowbars to remove the mirror. Do not use one crowbar, which will probably cause the mirror to just crack or break. Instead, use several crowbars, or other long, flat, metal objects to push on the mirror at the same time. Have one person stand at each corner of the mirror and everyone pull at the same time. This can be a dangerous job, so wear goggles, gloves and safety shoes. If the mirror falls and breaks, it could cause damage to persons, shoes, carpet or anything else that could be accidentally sliced. Rarely does the mirror just pop off the wall, even with the crowbar method. More likely, it will break and come off in pieces. If you're fortunate enough to get the mirror off in one piece, have a helper or two waiting to receive the mirror. In all probability, the mirror will leave damage to the wall. Adhesives which were originally used will remain stuck to the wall, presenting you with the problem of what to now do with the wall itself.
If your wall can easily accept liquids, your local home improvement store should sell solvents to somewhat dissolve the glue, but you'll need to know exactly what type of adhesive to use. It's important to choose the proper solvent and to read all instructions regarding how the solvent might affect the wall. Some solvents can actually eat into the wall itself, causing considerable damage. In addition, solvents take time, so there's no guaranteed way of knowing how long it will be before the mirror begins to rip away from the wall. If using the solvent method, you might need to temporarily put mirror clips, or brackets up to hold the mirror in place until the solvent has done its job. There should be a recommended time allowance listed on the package. Allow this much time before checking to see if the mirror is loose. If not, it might be necessary to re-apply the solvent. After the solvent has loosened the mastic, remove the clips or brackets and take down the mirror. The solvents will, in all likelihood, do some damage to the paint or wallpaper behind the mirror. Any time you are removing a large mirror, plan on doing some work to the supporting wall. Plaster walls will likely lose chunks of plaster, wallpaper will be damaged beyond repair, and painted walls will have to be redone.
