Big Mirror Security

cvm

SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Joined
Feb 19, 2008
Posts
10,920
Location
Boulogne, FL
Looking for ideas to secure a large vertical mirror (50x90) that is LEANING against a wall (not hanging).

TIA!
 
I have attached heavy duty D-rings to the top and instructed the customer to use to use the 50-100 pound hangers I give them. Biggest one I ever did was a 24"x86" mirror in a 4" wide frame. On this one I attached a slightly angled piece of wood to the bottom of the frame so it had a sturdier base to sit on.

Maybe Z-bar would also work (depending on the amount of angle in the "lean").
 
With this, it could be flush to the wall (except for a slight lean past a baseboard?).


It's also sold by Lion.
 
Thanks for the ideas. We're going to:

- Hide a thin strip of rug gripping pad underneath the frame
- Attach D-rings to the back on the vertical on each side about 6" from the top of the frame
- Attach corresponding D-rings to the drywall with aluminum screw-in drywall anchors
- Run #8 wire between the rings on the frame and wall on each side
 
From an insurance company viewpoint "we will not insure this mirror or take any responsibility is anyone is injured if it slips" It has to be secured against falling or slipping by mechanical means. The client will be liable for any damages. or injury.
.
 
Slight frankenthread...
Jerome, your post reminded me that a customer once asked me to visit her home and hang a large mirror above the fireplace mantel.

When I arrived, she thanked me for coming right away because she was having a big party in a couple of days. The fireplace mantel was 6 ft. above the floor and the mirror was to hang on the 12-ft. tall sheetrock wall above that, between two windows. The top of it would have been more than 13 ft. above the floor.

Then she showed me the mirror and I realized that it was for floor-standing only, about 40" x 72". It even had a large label on the back saying "DO NOT HANG THIS MIRROR".

She wanted me to hang it anyway. I declined and told her that it would be dangerous to hang that mirror, especially high on a wall without reinforcement. She apparently thought I was making excuses and just wasn't able to do the job. When she asked if I knew anyone else who would hang it for her, I suggested she first call her homeowners insurance agent and ask if her coverage included liability for injury or death from flying glass.

Perhaps she eventually found some handyman to hang that mirror, but only a fool would do it.
 
I once hung a 5' by 7' mirror frame above a fireplace. I had a glass company install the mirror on the wall, they used mastic and a j-bar. I used a small frame as a liner to match my big frame's rabbet to the mirror depth (ripped the bottom rail to allow for the j-bar). I joined the frame on their living room floor using detail biscuits and a strap. I then screwed the frame to studs, top and bottom, and filled the screw countersinks on the bottom rail. Fortunately for me there was a painter's scaffold for me to use.
 
I think the plan is a good one. I would be a little concerned about the holding power of the drywall anchors with that level of weight and so some research on this.

And I would consider something like carriage bolts instead of wire to hold the D-rings together. I have seen wire fail, especially on outside or masonry walls where the humidity may be higher.

And I might consider some hardware attached to the floor, too. Once it is installed, everyone is going to forget about what is holding it up, and homeowners rarely check these kinds of things.

At this size, if the mounting failed, it could be deadly.
 
The very idea of a pier frame scares me.

A couple of dancers came in with a grand idea for a 48" x 96" pier frame in a wide fancy gold for their dance studio.

A dance studio?

Far too dangerous.

(The price scared them off and I was relieved - for once - to lose a job worth a lot of $$$.)
 
Industrial strength Velcro top and bottom. It takes a piano wire to make it release. I've used it to hang framed pictures on black glass walls.
 
Anything large and heavy we use French cleats on both top and bottom rails.
When a cleat is only on the top rail, all the weight and stress is on the two top corner joins, a lot of stress on those joins. When you add the bottom cleat the weight is on the entire length of the bottom rail, no stress on any of the corner joins.
 
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If you skin the back of the frame with 1/4" luan plywood, with screws every 6" or so, the weight is spread out over the whole frame.
I would make that mandatory for a piece of this size and that mirror weight.
 
BUT, since the OP is about a pier frame which SITS ON THE FLOOR - the mechanics of HANGING a large heavy mirror, are moot in regards to this particular thread.

 
Yeah, good point.

Never mind!! :nuts: :faintthud:
 
BUT, since the OP is about a pier frame which SITS ON THE FLOOR - the mechanics of HANGING a large heavy mirror, are moot in regards to this particular thread.



Right, but I would like to reemphasize my earlier point about center of gravity vis a vis the frame shape and rabbet location.

A minor frankenthread never hurt anyone 😁
 
A wood block with the correct angle attached to the floor would make it possible to use a cleat or Z-bar top and bottom.
 
`My post (#15) was for wall hanging, Sorry, I know this post is for floor to wall. I was just talking, I will to contribute to the question.
Most items designed for leaning against the wall come with a cable device to keep it from going forward. If one is not supplied a D-Ring on both wall (with a good wall anchor) and frame with a chain for adjustment will work well. Support on the bottom of frame to keep from slipping would be good, as for forward movement the same chain and D-Ring will work.
 
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