Tips for Hanging Mirrors
For added visual interest in a space, use these tips for hanging mirrors. Mirrors can really brighten up your house. They reflect sunlight from windows, increasing the natural light in your living space, and make your entire home seem bigger. The bigger the mirror you hang, the more light and space you seem to have. Huge mirrors can be very heavy, however. You need to be careful when you hang them because you don't want them to fall from your wall and shatter or tear a piece of your wall out with it. After all, that's seven years bad luck.
If you only need to hang a small, lightweight frame, you can affix it to the drywall. Your wall framing is probably covered by drywall that is about half an inch thick. Pick the spot where you want to hang your little mirror. Stick a piece of scotch tape over the spot. This will keep you from damaging the drywall and causing it to crumble. Place a picture hanger flat against the tape and drive a nail through the picture hanger, the tape and the wall. You can buy picture hangers in home improvement stores. They will leverage the weight of your mirror against the wall. This is good because over time, the weight of even a small, lightweight mirror, can pull a plain nail down until the mirror slides off and you have a hole in your wall. Hang the mirror on the hook on your picture hanger.
If you have a medium sized mirror, buy plastic or nylon wall anchors. Get the size you need for the screws you already have. Examine your wall anchors and figure out what size drill bit will make a hole that the anchors fit in. Drill a hole in the wall exactly where you want to hang your mirror. Make sure that you drill straight rather than at an angle. Insert the tip of the anchor into the hole and gently push it in as far as it will go. Carefully tap the front of the anchor with a hammer until the anchor is inserted into the wall. Do not tap quickly or pound on the anchor because you could bend it. Insert the screw through a picture hanger and turn it into the anchor. The screw will cause the anchor to expand and grip the insides of the hole. Hang your mirror on the picture hanger.
If you are hanging a very heavy mirror with an ornate frame, you need an expansion anchor or expansion bolt. You can pick these up at home improvement stores. Find the stud in your wall that you want to hang the mirror to. You must hang heavy mirrors to studs or they will pull the drywall out. Check the expansion bolt's packaging for what size drill bit you need and drill a hole in the wall and the stud. Tap your fastener into place with a hammer. Turn your slotted bolt clockwise. When it won't turn anymore, pull it back out. The fastener is now secure against the inside of the wall. Insert the bolt through your picture hanger and back into the expansion anchor. You are now ready to hang your mirror.
Whether you choose to use a mirror as an accent or a focal point, you are sure to add the feeling of light and space to your home.
