How to Hang a Heavy Mirror

Mirrors are a wonderful way to refresh your home, whether you want to add some interest to a wall or fireplace or simply require a full-length mirror for the bedroom or dressing room. Elevate your home with mirrors in every space but remember to take care hanging a heavy mirror properly, read on for our guide on how to hang a heavy mirror.  

Check & Prepare the Wall 

Once you have selected your mirror, it’s important to check that the wall is suitable to be able to hang a large and heavy mirror. Avoid hanging mirrors in areas of high heat or moisture in case the sealant or glue is damaged. Walls can vary in size and thickness depending on the age of the property and where the wall is located. It’s important to ensure that there is nothing behind the wall such as pipes or wiring that could potentially be damaged if you drill into the wall. The last thing you want is to call out a plumber or an electrician and be landed with a hefty fee. You can purchase a detector that will indicate if there’s anything like this behind the wall.  

Once you know the wall is safe to hang the mirror on, use a pencil or masking tape to mark on the wall where you want your mirror to be positioned to use as a guide.  

Take Measurements 

Before you start drilling into the wall, check you have the correct wall fixings suitable for your wall. You may also need to measure the distance between the hooks or rings at the back of the mirror and ensure you have enough wall fixings to evenly distribute the weight of the mirror. 

Use a spirit level to ensure that your mirror is level. Laura James recommends having another person with you for checking that the mirror is straight. You may also need some help to lift a heavy or large wall mirror onto the wall.  

Hanging the Mirror 

Use the correct wall fixings suitable for the wall and place these in the wall using a drill and the correct size drill bit on the previously marked area. If you are using wall plugs and screws, the wall plugs should fit tightly in the wall with the top of the plug at wall level. You can use a gentle tap with a hammer to achieve this. Once the wall plugs are snugly in place the correct screws can go in and your wall mirror is ready to hang. 

Full Length & Leaner Mirrors  

For full length mirrors like our Hensall mirror ensure you check the height before attaching to the wall. You’ll want to be able to see yourself fully from a few steps back, so again you may need someone to help with this so that you can mark the correct position on the wall.  

If you prefer the look of a leaner mirror like a contemporary wide arch mirror for a bedroom space then it is worth securing the top of the mirror to the wall just to ensure the mirror is safe and cannot be accidentally knocked over. To secure a floor mirror you could use adhesive wall strips or furniture straps that secure to the wall and attach to the mirror. 

Health & Safety 

Please remember to seek professional help if you are unsure of which tools and fixings to use or you do not feel confident in hanging a large mirror.  

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