Antique mirrors and frames are nearly always heavier than they look. Solid timber, gesso, carved ornament and thick old glass soon add up, and most people are surprised the first time they lift a large gilt mirror. Hang it properly and it'll stay put for another hundred years. Hang it badly and it can come down without any warning.
Here's how to do it properly, step by step. If at any point you're not sure about the wall, the weight or the height, get someone in. A tradesperson costs a lot less than a smashed mirror.
What you'll need
- Bathroom scales
- A spirit level and a pencil
- A tape measure
- A detector that picks up pipes, cables and studs (B&Q, Screwfix and Toolstation all sell them, often for under £30)
- A drill, with the right bits for your wall
- Fixings rated for the weight (there's more on these below)
- D-rings and screws, or mirror plates, for the back of the frame
- Someone to help you lift it
Step 1: Weigh it
You can't choose fixings until you know how much the mirror weighs. The easiest way is to weigh yourself, then weigh yourself again holding the mirror, and take one from the other.
Don't buy fixings that are only just strong enough. Go for ones rated well above the weight. Plenty of fitters work on at least double. You should also spread the load across two fixing points rather than hanging everything off one.
Step 2: Check the back of the frame
On an antique, don't trust the original cord or wire, however sturdy it looks. Old cord rots and old wire rusts, so take them off and start again.
For most heavy frames, fit two D-rings, one on each side, about a third of the way down from the top. Screw them into the solid timber of the frame. Don't screw into the ornament or compo, which is brittle and will just pull away.
For a flatter, more secure fixing, use mirror plates. These are small metal plates that screw to both the frame and the wall. You'll find them at Screwfix, Toolstation and most local hardware shops.
For really heavy pieces, a French cleat is one of the most secure ways to hang anything. It's a pair of interlocking bevelled battens, one fixed to the frame and one to the wall, so the weight is spread along the whole length. You can buy ready-made aluminium hanging rails online, or make your own cleat from a length of timber from Wickes or your local timber merchant.
Step 3: Work out what your wall is made of
Most British homes have one of three types of wall, and each one needs different fixings.
Solid masonry (brick or block). Give it a knock and it'll sound solid and dull. You'll find it in most older houses and on external walls. This is the easiest kind of wall for hanging something heavy.
Plasterboard (stud walls). Knock between the uprights (timber or metal posts, known as studs) and it'll sound hollow. It's common in new-builds and on internal walls.
Lath and plaster. You'll find this in older properties, usually ones built before plasterboard took over in the mid-twentieth century. Thin strips of timber (the laths) are nailed across the studs and covered in lime plaster. Depending on where you knock, it can sound hollow or solid, and old plaster can be crumbly.
Step 4: Decide where it's going
- Height. A good rule of thumb is to hang a mirror or picture so its centre is about 145 to 150 cm from the floor, which is roughly eye level.
- Above furniture. Leave a gap of around 15 to 25 cm between the top of the sideboard or sofa and the bottom of the frame, so the two look like they belong together.
- Above a fireplace. Heat and soot are hard on gilding. Make sure the chimney breast doesn't get too hot to touch, and never hang a frame anywhere it could catch a naked flame.
- Above beds and stairs. A mirror falling here does the most damage. Take extra care, or get a professional to do it.
Use a spirit level to mark your fixing points in pencil. Remember to measure the gap between the top of the frame and the hanging points, so the mirror ends up at the height you want.
Step 5: Check for cables and pipes
Run the detector over the area before you drill.
In UK homes, electrical cables are generally meant to run straight up, down or across from sockets and switches, and within 150 mm of the ceiling or the corner of a wall, so steer clear of those areas. That's only a guide, though. Older houses don't always follow the rules, and previous owners may have done their own wiring, which is why the detector matters.
Step 6: Drill and fix
Into masonry
Use a masonry bit and drill a little deeper than your wall plug. Clear out the dust and tap the plug in. Use a screw long enough to go through the plaster and well into the brick or block behind, because the plaster on its own holds very little.
Into plasterboard
Best option: fix into a stud. Find a timber stud with your detector and screw straight into it. It's by far the strongest fixing you'll get on a stud wall.
If there isn't a stud where you need one, use a heavy-duty cavity fixing that grips the back of the board, like a spring toggle, a metal cavity anchor or a GripIt fixing. B&Q, Screwfix and Wickes all stock them. Check the load rating on the packet, and don't use the small plastic plasterboard plugs for anything heavy.
Into lath and plaster
Go into a stud wherever you can. Heavy-duty cavity fixings can work between studs, but only if the plaster is sound. If it starts crumbling as you drill, stop and have a rethink. If you're not sure, this is one to leave to a professional.
Step 7: Hang it (with help)
Lift the mirror between two of you, holding it by the frame rather than the glass. Hook both hanging points on and check it with the spirit level. Then, keeping your hands where they are, give it a gentle pull downwards to make sure the fixings are holding before you let go.
Leaning mirrors
A big mirror leaning against a wall looks relaxed and stylish, but that doesn't make it safe. It can slide on a smooth floor, and it can topple over with children or pets around. Fit an anti-tip strap from the back of the frame to the wall (the furniture anti-tip kits sold by IKEA and B&Q do the job), and put a non-slip pad underneath.
When to call a professional
- The mirror is very heavy or very large
- It's going above a bed, a staircase or a fireplace
- It's going higher than you can safely reach
- You're not sure what your wall is made of
- The plaster is soft or crumbling
A local handyman or picture framer can usually help. You can also find tradespeople with reviews on Checkatrade or MyBuilder.
Our pieces
A lot of our ornate vintage frames are big, heavy pieces, and some of the extra-large ones are over four feet across. We don't install frames, and we can't tell you whether a particular wall is suitable. That's exactly why we'd always rather you took the time to hang them properly.
If you're still choosing, our guide to vintage and antique frame styles is a good place to start.