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Decide how your mirror will be fixed before you order. A mirror is fixed with screws through drilled holes, with a mirror adhesive, or with a hanging system, and any holes have to be drilled when the mirror is cut. A finished mirror cannot be drilled afterwards without cracking it or lifting the silvering. Our mirrors are 4 or 6 mm, with polished or bevelled edges, and are not toughened.
Which fixing should I choose?
| Fixing | What you order from us | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Screws and caps | The mirror with screw holes in the positions you give | Bathroom mirrors on solid or boarded walls, where the screws show as decorative caps |
| Mirror adhesive | The mirror with no holes | Flat, sound walls where you do not want fixings on show |
| Hanging system | The mirror with no holes, or with the holes your system asks for | Large mirrors and walls where you want to lift the mirror off again |
Whichever you choose, follow the fixing maker's instructions for your wall and the mirror's weight. We make the mirror to the sizes and hole positions you give us. Ask us if you are unsure which method suits your wall.
How do I order a mirror with screw holes?
Step 1: Choose the size
Measure the wall space, not the old mirror, at three widths and two heights. Our mirror measuring guide has every step.
Step 2: Choose the fixing and its hole size
Check the screw or fixing maker's instructions for the hole diameter. The smallest hole we drill is the thickness of the glass, so a 6 mm mirror takes holes of 6 mm or more.
Step 3: Mark the hole positions
Give the position of each hole to its centre: X from the left edge and Y from the bottom edge, measured the same way for every hole.
Step 4: Keep the holes clear of the edges
The configurator checks that each hole is far enough from the edge and from the other holes. If one fails, it tells you why, with the numbers.
Step 5: Check the drawing
The drawing shows every hole. Tick to confirm it at checkout. Once the mirror is cut, a new hole means a new mirror.
How should I prepare the wall?
The wall needs to be flat, dry and sound. Note what it is: plasterboard, plaster, tile, masonry or something else, and whether there are pipes or cables behind it. A mirror is rigid, so a bowed wall pushes on it at the high points. Check the wall with a straight edge where the mirror will go. On a tiled wall, screw holes go through the tile into the wall behind it, and the fixings need to suit both.
Never tighten a screw to pull a mirror flat against an uneven wall. The point pressure can crack it or distort the reflection.
Adhesive needs a clean, dust-free surface and a mirror adhesive that is safe for silvering. Ordinary adhesives can attack the backing and show through as dark marks, and "suitable for glass" does not always mean suitable for a mirror backing or a safety film. Paint that looks sound can still be a poor surface to bond to. Follow the adhesive maker's coverage pattern and support the mirror while it cures.
Before replacing an old mirror, check for old adhesive and hidden damage to the wall before you order the new one to the old size.
How do I look after the edges and the silvering?
The cut edges are where a mirror is most at risk. In a bathroom, water that sits on the edges can lift the silvering over time.
- Spray glass cleaner onto the cloth, not onto the mirror.
- Dry the edges after steamy showers.
- Leave a small gap behind the mirror for air, as your fixing maker advises.
- Do not drill, cut or grind a finished mirror.
Our care and cleaning guide covers cleaning, and visual quality and tolerances explains what normal mirror edges look like.
How heavy will it be?
Every millimetre of thickness weighs 2.5 kg per square metre. A 1000 x 1200 mm mirror in 6 mm glass is 1.2 square metres, so about 18 kg. Fixings have to carry that weight. Use the glass weight tool for your size.
Where to go next
- Design your mirror: open the mirror configurator
- Mirrors
- Holes, notches and cut-outs
- Finding a fitter
Questions we get asked
Can I drill my mirror at home?
No. Drilling a finished mirror can crack it or lift the silvering. Holes are drilled when the mirror is cut, so add them to your order.
Which glue should I use?
A mirror adhesive made to be safe on silvering. Follow its maker's instructions for the surface, the pattern and the cure time.
Can a mirror go on a tiled wall?
Yes, if the wall behind is sound. Fixings go through the tile into the wall, and the wall must be flat where the mirror sits.
Does adhesive replace screws on a large mirror?
That depends on the fixing system, the mirror's size and weight, and the wall. Follow the system maker's instructions, and do not leave out fixings it calls for because the adhesive seems to have gripped.
Contact the team with your order reference and the step you need help with, or search all help topics.