Mirror again...glue them to what?

C.J.

Grumbler in Training
Joined
Jul 28, 2006
Posts
11
Loc
santa barbara, california
I thank you for the clue about mirror mastic... and the z-bar...problem is: will the glue and backing contact at the same rate to avoid slipage or cracking? In Santa Barbara, the temperature swing and humidity are large and eractic. Art is forced to contract and expand constantly. Customer homes are large and usually with lots of windows...and not necessarily temperature controlled. And these mirror pieces are from the 40's,out of Paris and not replacable!
Yikes!!! Suggestions?
 
Originally posted by C.J.:
And these mirror pieces are from the 40's,out of Paris and not replaceable!
Oops... I would be afraid of using mastic on them. Even if they are completely valueless, the silvering can pull off the glass and the bond would be broken and down it would fall.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

If you are using NEW mirrors, you can bond them to plywood, Masonite, MDF, or OSB. Never try to bond to Sheetrock or plaster walls. One of my customer tried that. They said it made one heck of a mess and damaged a piece of furniture.
 
Okay, so it sounds as if glueing is out. How about 1/4" plywood, painted with a barrier to block acid run into the back of the mirrors and some kind of thin screw clips?
Then, that begs the questions of:
What kind of clips?
How to deal with the separation between the pieces?
And would the ply have to be cut allitle bigger than the actual mirror pieces?
 
If they are heavy, use a J-bar (any glass supplier will have in stock) and clear mirror clips on top and/or sides. Do not use mastic on old valuable mirrors. As a framer you should not be responsible for hanging unframed mirrors. You customer should rely on a glass/mirror company for such work - they have the experience and the equipment.

Pat :D
 
Thank you Pat,
The reason I have the job is that the mirror companies are unsure how to accomplish the task! The old cut glass mirror panels form a border around a new beveled mirror in the middle. If I can figure this out, you can bet someone else will be hanging it other than me!!!
Thank you for the suggestion of the clear mirror clips around the outside edges... but what to use on the inside edges to minimize the opening between each piece of mirror?
 
Do the mirrors have a sealed back? New mirrors mostly have a grey back. If it does the mirror mastic is still the way to go.

If you are still worried then you could make a "T" shaped mouding and create a multi-pane window like inner-frame. The glass would be fit in each opening and then the whole would be fit into the decrotive frame.
 
CJ,

I just read your other post, with better description of the job . . .

So the pieces to be glued are the NEW centre bevelled mirror, and then the other 4 older pieces are around the edge ?

Check the back of the older mirror/s.
Does the silver and backing paint look / feel stable ?

Not obviously flaking off ?

If so, then the weight of smaller feature perimeter pieces, as well as the main new mirror, should be absolutely fine with silicone . . .
Make sure you get a neutral cure silicone, NOT acid cure (normally marketed as for use on glass), as the acid cure WILL eat and stain the backing paint and silver.

I'm sure there would be an acceptable and safe solution.
If you can elaborate on the job / pieces / ~ size, etc, then more specific advice could be produced.

A picture of the pieces laid out on your bench, or a diagram would be very helpful.

Whatever board you choose to adhere the glass to, ensure it is sealed with a paint, so the silicone will adhere the glass to the board properly.
Timber not sealed can absorb moisture and the silicone, or any other glue, would be prone to let go. : (
 
Thank you Dave and Les! Will photograph the pieces to give a better idea of the project. Because of the wide swing in temperature and humidity, we are sandwiched between the ocean and the mountains in a small bowl, everthing is forced to contract and expand differently each day. Very hard on art and dicey on gluing, with the differnet rates of contraction, etc. Pictures to come!!!!
Many thanks,
Carla
 
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