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Mounting a mirror in a door

Mounting a mirror in a door (post #148791)

PenobscotMan on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 19:20

General Discussion

Could use some advice on mounting a mirror in a wardrobe door. This is a ca. 1930's piece bought for $35 from Habitat for Humanity. So far I've invested more in sandpaper and stripper that the item cost. But to come to the point: There was originally a mirror in the door, mounted in a rabbet. Mirror dimensions were about 12X38 in. Rabbet is 3/8 deep. How to mount a replacement mirror? There won't be enough depth in the rabbet for both mirror and stops, so something has to go over the back (the silvered side). Should there be a backing board, e.g. 1/4 PW? Will it interact with the silver? Are there special clips to attach the board+mirror to the frame? How many should be installed? I've read that the rabbet should be painted black -- is this so?

Thanks. Haven't been on BT or Knots for some time -- big differences in appearance.

Mirrors can be mounted with (post #148791, reply #1 of 10)

by SteveSchoene in reply to PenobscotMan [original] on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 20:40

Mirrors can be mounted with special mirror adhesive designed not to harm the mirroring on the back--a special purpose stuff, rather like liquid nails. I've even found it at big box stores. You do have to make sure the substate is solid.

Test your finish on scrap, FIRST, or risk having to scrap your finish.

PenobscotMan- Im not (post #148791, reply #2 of 10)

by Wyler in reply to PenobscotMan [original] on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 21:05

PenobscotMan- Im not sure I am following your mounting idea. But if you use a mirror adhesive you should not have any issues.

As far as as the rabbits goes I always stain or paint it and finish it the same as the rest of the wood. The reflection you see tends to blend with the frame. If you had a white frame and painted the rabbit black you would see the black reflecting. You wouldn't believe the number of times I have noticed a frame that was stained and finished and the mirror showed the rabbit was not finished or showed a sloppy stain job in the rabbit. Hope this helps!

Wyler

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." -Thomas Edison

kllinteriors.com

The rabbet should be painted (post #148791, reply #3 of 10)

by ring in reply to PenobscotMan [original] on Wed, 03/10/2010 - 01:36

The rabbet should be painted to match the surrounding wood, because you will see its reflection in the mirror.

As for attachment, 2 very common and equally effective ways -

1. Special mirror adhesive (comes in a tube like RTV) that won't attack the silver.

2. Double-sided sticky tape. No hassle at all, and excellent for a mirror of the size you are talking about.

David Ring http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e

Thanks -- but I don't quite (post #148791, reply #4 of 10)

by PenobscotMan in reply to ring [original] on Wed, 03/10/2010 - 06:44

Thanks -- but I don't quite understand the adhesive approach. The mirror is not going on the face of a panel (in which case adhesive sounds right), but into a rabbet, like a picture in a frame. So the fastening has to be behind the unit. Or are you saying that I should put the tape/adhesive IN the rabbet, then set the mirror on that, without any mechanical fastening. I have to say this sounds odd (no offense intended!)

First of all, I think that (post #148791, reply #7 of 10)

by ring in reply to PenobscotMan [original] on Wed, 03/10/2010 - 21:30

First of all, I think that Ray's approach - to try to use the original mounting system - is the right way for an older piece. But FWIW, you can lay the door on its face, drop the mirror into position, and then just apply the mirror adhesive around the gap, from the rear only, spreading it with your finger. Let it set that way for a day and your good to go.

David Ring http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e

Penobscot, Take a close (post #148791, reply #5 of 10)

by joinerswork in reply to PenobscotMan [original] on Wed, 03/10/2010 - 07:55

Penobscot,

Take a close look at the edge of the rabbet to see if you can find evidence of small glue blocks used to secure the mirror. These are usually triangular in section, and an inch or two long. The bevelled edges of the blocks wedge the glass in place, and keep it from shifting after the glue sets.

Usually there is some evidence if there was a board covering the back of the mirror. You'll see nail or screw holes around the perimeter of the opening, and often a shadow or ghost that shows its size and shape.

Sometimes it was plywood, and I'd guess that given your estimate of the piece's age, that this might have been the case. But often on older pieces, solid wood, sometimes as thick as 3/4" was applied over the opening and attached with largish screws. These panels were frequently bevelled on their outer edges, and as frequently,are split down their length..

I like to lay a sheet of brown paper, or corrugated cardboard between the board and the silvered surface of the mirror's back-- something to fill any space between the back of the mirror and the face of the covering board, as well as to provide a cushion to prevent any scuffing of the silver.

Ray

Yes, there are nail or brad (post #148791, reply #8 of 10)

by PenobscotMan in reply to joinerswork [original] on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 06:41

Yes, there are nail or brad holes around the inner surface, as if something had been laid over the mirror and frame - but I would have thought that the board would have lain in the rabbet, not over the frame.

I'll look for evidence of glued-in wedges. That's an interesting approach and would avoid the problem of trying to install stops in a too-shallow rabbet.

Thanks for all the advice, guys.

"but I would have thought (post #148791, reply #10 of 10)

by RalphBarker in reply to PenobscotMan [original] on Fri, 03/12/2010 - 08:47

"but I would have thought that the board would have lain in the rabbet, not over the frame."

I have a couple of production-level inherited antiques that were constructed this way. It seems they didn't care much about what the wall saw, and took the simpler approach.

For a period piece like this, (post #148791, reply #6 of 10)

by RalphBarker in reply to PenobscotMan [original] on Wed, 03/10/2010 - 09:31

For a period piece like this, I'd lean toward using the same technique as when the piece was built - likely along the lines that Ray described. I would, however, suggest "updating" the original method to the extent of using acid-free paper and cardboard. Using bevel-edged mirrors was also fairly common in that period, and would add to the value and aesthetics of the piece.

Can you mount a 1/4" plywood (post #148791, reply #9 of 10)

by Cincinnati10 in reply to PenobscotMan [original] on Fri, 03/12/2010 - 07:07

Can you mount a 1/4" plywood back that covers the mirror and the frame?

Alternatively, attach another frame with a slightly smaller opening over the back.

I prefer the former option because it provides more protection to the mirror.