How to protect mirrored wall opposite bath demo

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greenlady0

greenlady0
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We are doing a bath remodel down to the studs and I am concerned the shower is on the otherside of the hall that ends with a floor to ceiling mirror. I believe it was installed when the house was built in the eary 50's. There are clips all along the mirror as well as adjacent entry door trim so trim would have to be removed too remove mirror. There is play at the corners not sure if mastic was used as well. Any ideas? One mirror guy took a look and said it could not be taken down and put back up without breaking. Thought of taping and hoping for the best. Would appreciate any other thoughts...another mirror guy?
 
The best you can do is remove the trim and clips and see if the mirror comes off the wall.
I have taken down mirror that were glued to the wall without breakage although if it is glued, it will take some drywall with it when removed.
 
what did you use to seperate mirror where it was glued? not concerned about drywall tearing as much as removing the door trim without splitting and the mirror without breakage
 
I used a putty knife to get the mirror to come away from the wall just enough to get my fingers behind it. The mirror should only be glued with a few dabs of mastic. It's not totally buttered on the entire back surface. Where gloves & safety glasses just in case it should break. It would also help to take precautions in case the mirror breaks and large pieces come towards your lower torso. It should be made of tempered glass so if it does breaks, it will shatter into a million harmless pieces. To get the trim off, score all mating surfaces with a utility knife and get behind it with a flat bar. Go gently and evenly the length of the trim board to prevent splitting.
 
If you are careful in the demo, you can do it without killing the mirror. This will require sawing the wall and prying the tile or whatever off instead of bashing it with hammers. Simple enough to do and you avoid the problem of wrecking a huge mirror. :D
 
thanks so much for the info as long as I let the workmen know these ideas came from their peers and not just me I should be in good shape;)
 
That should be fairly early in the job, so if they give you a bad time, just send them home.
 
I think these latest DIY TV shows do a big disservice to the wanabe DIYers with all this bashing and crashing they do. Every show I have seen they always make a big production out of handing a couple young homeowners a sledge hammer and having them tear into a tile wall or a half way good looking kitchen countertop.

IMO all this type of demo does is make a bigger mess to clean up than needed. I always try and go slow and take stuff out in the biggest pieces I can and with the least amount of stuff hitting the floor. The builder should be careful and not damage the other side of the wall. All the new material can be screwed up and no worries about the mirror.

I just bought a used oak kitchen that the homeowner took the time to remove carefully and he got a nice little payback in cash for his efforts to not destroy it.
 
That’s for sure the worst one is the show on ABC where they remake a house for someone that’s in need. They did one in my town about 4 or 5 years ago and the first thing they do most of the shows is smash the persons house to the ground and build a whole new fancy place the owner can’t afford when it’s done. They never show you what it looks like 5 years later.

I love this old house I remember one show Tommy was helping a woman open up a wall and he did it the correct way and had her holding a shop vac as he hand sawed a small hole. He was telling her if we do this careful we won’t get a speck on your floor. Was kind of boring wish he had taken a chain saw to that wall and right out the other side. Haha.
 
Careful demo obviously I agree, but also I think that you should go into it with the idea that the mirror might not make it... be sure you're willing to replace it if it does break... or you might have a little heartbreak as well if the mirror does shatter.
 
Bud so with you on the sledgehammer demo...makes me cringe to see a beautiful old tub go out in pieces when a new enameling would be 10 times better than the acrylic piece of crap it will be replaced with since no one in the real world can afford these charming $6,000.+ freestanding tubs they are showing in their place.
 
I have a collection of old claw foot tubs. Heavy to get out in one piece but can’t force myself to break one up. I would rather see one in a field to water livestock than in a dump in pieces.
 
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