How to Hang a Heavy Mirror

I never really share much about my son’s room, except for my plans to build him a surf shack bed (post here). Well his bed has been finished for about two years… and it’s awesome!  It’s going to go viral one day.  I just have to write about it first. But I keep putting it off because I want to make sure my blog is “perfect” before I share it.  A friend of mine keeps telling me, “Perfection is for the poor.”

Well anyway, at least I’m going to share something today… How I hung a super heavy mirror in his room.  Maybe there will be a sneak peek of the bed.  Maybe.

If you follow me on Instagram (@smartgirlsdiy), you might remember that I bought 2 mirrors from Habitat Restore back in July.

As you can see they were $5 each.  I couldn’t find a good spot to hang them as a pair, so I decided to put one in my son’s surf shack room and the other in my daughter Lulu’s room.  I painted the one for my son with Pantone Emerald Green mixed with Webster’s Chalk Paint Powder because his favorite color is green.  My daughter’s bed is actually painted the same color.

I actually painted the mirror right away and it took maybe 10 minutes.  But I had a heck of a time trying to hang the damn thing.  It weighs a ton!  Plans A and B failed, but plan C worked like a charm, so here it is.  Oh, let me point out that wall cleats wouldn’t be good for hanging a mirror in a kids’ room because the mirror could be pushed off the cleats accidentally.  The flush mount hangers are a better choice, and they’re cheaper!

How to Hang a Heavy Mirror

You’ll need:

• Flush mount hangers – Hilman Group 1.75 x 1.5 in, pack of 2 for $3.48 at Lowe’s
• Drywall anchors (if no studs available) – I LOVE E-Z Ancor, pack of 50 for $15.99 at Lowe’s
• Level or laser level
• Cordless drill

Here’s the plan:

1. Attach 2 flush mount hangers to the BACK side of the mirror, spaced evenly and facing DOWNWARD.

2. Mark 8 holes on the wall.  (A) First lean the mirror against the wall where it will eventually hang.  Make 4 vertical lines, inline with the screws.

(B) Pick the mirror up to set up the height.  Then use the level to make two horizontal lines, 1″ apart.  (If using other flush mount hangers, adjust accordingly)

3. Screw a drywall anchor into the top holes.  I decided that 4 drywall hangers were sufficient, but you can add 4 more to the bottom holes if you prefer.

4. Screw the remaining 2 flush mount hangers to the wall, pointing UPWARD.

FYI – I removed the old wire-hanging hooks before I hung the mirror, so it would sit flush.

5. Lift the mirror into place.  Be sure to line up the hangers, then slide the mirror down onto the hangers.  DONE!  

I installed that carpet myself.  (Posts here and here) This was the very first room I ever installed carpet in.  I later did his sisters’ rooms.

It sits nice a flush with the wall.  Duh, they are called flush mount wall hangers after all. I waited until 8:30 tonight to hang the darn thing because hubby is away, the kids had Cub Scouts and cheerleading, and I’ve been extra crazy busy.  So my little man should have been asleep, but instead he had a front row seat to watch me hang his mirror.

Then he came down from his surf shack to have a closer look at the mirror, and to “test it out” for me.  He looked great!  Mission accomplished.