How To Hang A Heavy Mirror On A Wall (measurements Included)

How To Hang A Heavy Mirror On A Wall (measurements Included)

After staring at the interesting wallpaper in our guest bedroom, I knew that there needed to be another natural element in the room. A more organic shape. Something that would bounce around light. Got it — a mirror!

The guest room is small in my opinion. A mere 11×11 room leaves not much space to move around. As a result, I chose the optical illusion created by a mirror to trick the eye into believing it’s a larger space.

I didn’t have an exact style of mirror in mind at first; I just knew it had to be circular. My quest for the perfect mirror began.

Check out my other One Room Challenge posts! week 1 | week 2 | week 3

Shopping for the perfect mirror

All three of the following options are Home Goods mirrors. Home Goods is a great place for finding unique mirrors of different sizes, styles, and shapes!

I first tried this mirror, but I felt the pattern was in competition with the wallpaper.

This cutie was a viable option, but it didn’t create that visual interest I wanted.

This mirror felt juuuuust right. The subtle motif for the frame spoke back to the pattern found in the wallpaper. Thus, they didn’t conflict but rather, they worked in harmony with each other!

What is the best way to hang a very heavy mirror?

Read more for how to hang a heavy mirror on a wall in 5 steps.

Make a template

First, to find the perfect placement, I cut a template of the mirror and labeled it with its diameter. It does not need to be perfect!

Mark where to hang a heavy mirror on a wall

After making a template, it’s time to plan where to hang the mirror.

For example, I knew I wanted to hang my mirror above and centered above my bed. Therefore, I needed to find the middle point above the bed.

How to center a mirror above furniture

Next, to find the middle, the length of whatever furniture directly below the mirror and divide in 2.

Make that middle mark about your furniture for reference. I used a sticky note for ease.

How to choose how high a mirror should be

Moreover, you need to choose the height of the mirror. This is a personal reference for what you think looks best in your room.

However, I decided to hang my mirror approximately 8 inches above the headboard so that it did not look like it was floating on the wall.

Therefore, I added 8 plus the diameter of the mirror, which in my case, was 26 inches. I then measured that amount — 34 inches — above the mirror and moved my sticky note there. That mark is where the top of my mirror would land.

Of course, if I were to drill a hole at 34 inches, the mirror would be hung too high. As a result, I needed to measure the hanging hook on the back of the mirror for the most accurate placement.

To do this, I flipped the mirror over and measured from the top of the mirror to the top of the hook. I measured 1 in. for my mirror. So the actual mark for hanging this heavy mirror on drywall in 33 inches above my headboard.

Look for a stud or anchor your mirror

Then, use a stud finder to see if a stud is behind your mark.

In my instance, the stud was 4 inches off from my mark. Lucky me! (Side note — this is usually the case with any DIYer. The stud is never where you need it!)

After all of that, make the same mark on the template as well.

Securing the mirror

After that, I strongly suggest you hammer in a wall anchor capable of supporting a lot of weight.

To create a hole wide enough to hammer in the anchor, I began to drill a hole using a 7/54th drill bit, working my way up to the 1/4th bit. Then I tapped in the anchor and drilled in the screw.

Can you hang a 100 pound mirror on drywall? Yes! For example, my wall anchor can support 102 lbs!

Finally, hang the mirror!

Here comes the not-so-easy part! Even though this mirror was heavy, I was still able to hang it myself because of all of the measurements and prep I did before. I made sure to watch from the side to make sure the mirror hung on the screw before I let it go!

I definitely was sweating (and cussing) while hanging heavy mirror on drywall by myself!

Let’s wrap up my answering some common questions!

Can you hang a 100 pound mirror on drywall?

Yes! It all depends on the weight listed on your wall hanger. Of course, I’d advise you to first find a stud, but if that isn’t possible, buy the appropriate wall anchor for your needs!

For instance, my mirror isn’t quite as heavy as 102 lbs., but it’s better to account for too much than to not do enough! A 75 lb. anchor would work as well.

Who knows, I may change this mirror out someday for something heavier.

How much weight can drywall hold for a mirror?

Drywall doesn’t hold much on its own, so I strongly advise you use a wall anchor or hang the mirror on a stud. The max for most wall anchors is 100 lbs. Theoretically, you could use two 100 lb. wall anchors for a 150 lb. mirror.

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I love the beauty and depth the mirror adds to my wallpapered accent wall! Overall, the time and energy was worth hanging this heavy mirror all by myself!

In conclusion, I hope you learned some tips on how to hang a heavy mirror on a wall. This will actually work for any heavy object. You’re now ready for heavy mirrors, pictures, and even TVs! Math upfront makes everything easier.

Sincerely,

Felicia

P.S.: Take a look at the other ORC week 4 posts for more great ideas!