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Mirror Buyer's Guide
Buying a mirror may not seem like too difficult of a purchase to make, and it isn’t, but there are some things to consider before making your final decision to be sure that you will be satisfied with your purchase for many years to come.
Location
First determine which room in your home needs a mirror. Mirrors are most commonly used in bathrooms, but are also perfect pieces for bedrooms, hallways, living rooms, dining rooms and entry ways. Mirrors are perfect interior design additions because they make rooms appear larger and if they are cleaned regularly can give the area they are in a sparkling look.
Type
There is a variety of mirror types available to shoppers, each with their own advantages. Mirrors can be categorized based on which room they are most appropriate in such as bathroom of living room mirrors. Bathroom mirrors sometimes feature a medicine cabinet, a section of magnifying mirror and the distinct look of a mirror designed for the bathroom.Also, some mirrors come with lights while other are not lighted.
Mirrors also are designed to fit perfectly on top of dressers for the bedroom, table mirrors with legs to hold it up, floor mirrors for a full length style and wall mirror which usually feature small shelves, photo slots or are designed to be placed on top of a mantle.
Style
As with most things these days, mirrors are available in every style you could ever want for your home. From large mirrors framed with cherry wood to flowery framed mirrors perfect for a little girls room, shop around to find the perfect mirror for your home.
Hanging Your Mirror
It is important to consider how you will hang your mirror before purchasing so that you are prepared to either hang it yourself or hire a handyman and can make an informed purchasing decision. Here is a basic overview of how to hang a mirror:
Scope out the Location
Before starting to nail holes in the wall it is a good idea to start your project with a little planning. Mirrors can easily way over 40 pounds (for a big one), so it is always a good idea to first take the time to find the perfect spot in the house for it, because it isn’t something you want to be re-hanging multiple times.
Before even breaking out the toolbox, take a couple days to place the mirror on the floor where you might want to hang it, to be sure that is the perfect spot for it.
Mirrors with Frames
Once you have found the mirror’s ideal location it is time for the dirty work. Some mirrors come with the materials you need to hang them and others do not. To hang a mirror you will need a high quality, sturdy D-Ring, mirror hanging wire (this is stronger than just picture hanging wire) and if you are planning to hang the mirror in an area without a stud you will need ‘molly bolts’.
To Stud or Not to Stud
Houses and apartments are built with a frame for each wall a few strong sturdy wood pieces running vertical and horizontally which are covered by thinner dry wall pieces. If you choose to hang your mirror in a location where there is a stud, you will be able to nail directly into the stud for a secure hold.
If you are hanging the mirror in a location without a stud you will need to use molly bolts which essentially are an anchor that you will nail into the wall and then nail your nail directly into. The molly bolt will create a secure hold to support the weight of your mirror.
D Ring Things
Now it is time to screw in the D rings. Turn your mirror over and measure a 1/5 of the way down from the top of the mirror on each side. Mark where this spot is directly in the center of the frame of the mirror and ensure that you measured accurately so the mirror will hang even. Screw the D rings directly into the frame. Use your judgment to determine when to stop screwing in the D rings, you will feel the wood contracting and will notice if you hit glass before doing damage if you are screwing them in slowly and controlled.
Next you can ties the mirror hanging string to the D rings by creating a secure knot around the loop of the D ring. Measure out the wire so it is just a couple inches longer than the distance between the D-Rings to make adjusting the mirror easy without having the string show out the top of the mirror.
Now put a nail in the wall or a nail into a molly bolt you have already put in the wall and hang!
Mirrors without a Frame
If you purchased a mirror without a frame you won’t be able to hang it with D Rings and instead will need either mastic/glue designed for sticking mirrors to walls or some mirror clips. Mirror clips can be screwed directly into the wall or molly bolts if you are hanging on dry wall and will securely hold an unframed mirror to the wall.
With a little time and care you will have your mirror up and reflecting your proud DIY smile in no time.
Extra Considerations
Some extras to consider while shopping for a mirror online are:
- Shipping costs
- Weight of the package (be sure you can transport it yourself into your home or else pay a little extra for the shipping company to do it for you, mirrors can be very heavy)
- Manufacturer rating (The ATG Stores website features “report cards” for manufacturers so you can make a good decision based on reliability and more)
Mirrors are a beautiful addition to a room adding both function and artistic style.
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