How To Remove Glued On Mirrors 

“Glued On” should be hyphenated in your video title. With the way you have the title written now, you are talking about something called “on mirrors” and describing them as glued.

I've never seen such a patient contractor - with the work AND the teaching. great video editing as well!

Having removed hundreds of mirrors in similar fashion, the rule of thumb is... If you want to re-use the mirror it WILL break, if not it will come off cleanly and in one piece.

When possible, I use picture hanging wire to remove mirrors secured with mastic. Thread the wire behind the mirror, then use a sawing motion to cleanly cut through the mastic/tape. This technique sometimes isn't possible due to clearance, but when it is, it works like a charm. I've never had a break. Like you, I also donate furnishings and fixtures that are in good condition after removal to Habitat for Humanity ReStore!

This video helped me finally get my mirror off my bathroom wall. Using your shimmy idea worked far better than numerous other videos I seen that recommended using a heat gun. I did make sure that I thoroughly taped the mirror. This ensured holding the mirror together if anything went wrong. I highly recommend anyone who has never done this before to tape prior to removal.

As another old pro I have to recommend always keeping safety goggles (the bigger plastic ones) on as I noticed you didn't have any eye protection after you removed them when you was carrying them off. Love all the great tips, thanks.

Having seen you remove a sheetrock wall with no mess on a previous video, as soon as I saw the title, I knew you were again going to deliver a new method I would want to learn! Kudos!

Stick on carpet protector stuck to the mirror will keep the mirror help keep the mirror together if it breaks as it covers the whole mirror. Thanks again

Had a friend of mine almost loose an arm when the mirror shattered and sliced thru his forearm. The bleeding was extensive. Put sticky carpet protector on the mirror face before you remove it or invest in Kevlar shirt/sleeves so we can watch the rest of your vids with you having both arms.

Dang, Boy! I needed that video a couple of years ago. Being a total novice DIY homeowner, I made every possible mistake taking done a big mirror. Lucky I didn't sever an artery. Now I know a number of techniques to prevent disaster due to the Master. Thanks!

This is another great illustration that faster is not always better. Those who think they save time by bashing the mirror into tiny pieces will spend more time cleaning up said tiny pieces than they saved. Gotta love the thoughtful, methodical approach.

Years ago I removed about 35 4'X8' mirrors off a condo gym wall the same way. Great job as always.

Matt... You're fast becoming my favorite RU-vid channel. Well done.

Thanks for the awesome video. My wife and I removed a large mirror using the techniques we learned from your video. Worked like a charm. Thank you for taking the time to make and post the video.

Great stuff!!! A very good way to remove glued mirrors. I'll use this method when I need it, no doubts. Thanks for sharing.

Love this! I see all too many smash it up demos - this is brilliant!

Nicely done! Recently used shims to remove an under mount sink. It was stainless steel with silicone caulk as an adhesive to marble top. It worked great! David

Thank you for taking the time to make this video. It was really helpful with our bathroom project!

Matt, awesome level of work, love you repurpose the old hardware and cabinets with habitat for humanity. Another level of additional work on your side benefiting others is a mark of a good man. Thank you for the video. Never thought about using shims, excellent. Hooked on your channel. Thank you for great 👍 inspiration in solving problems.

Second favourite MJ tip after the sheetrock removal video. Nice work matey.

This is one of the most well thought out, comprehensive and brilliant home-improvement videos I've seen on RU-vid.

Whatever this guy charges, IT'S WORTH IT! Great, Great, Great!

Excellent video and advice. We used shims and glass lifting suction cups as you suggest and were able to remove a 4'x6' bathroom mirror without breaking it. There aren't even any cracks! Thanks so much for posting this video.

Glazier here that's put in hundreds of mirrors like this. Really well done, great method, I'll definitely be using this method in the future. Your videos are always great!

Intriguing method, thanks for the insight - glad to know all the furniture will get another life where its needed.

Once again, very slick, very smart and safe. Thank you.

Just found your site and as a life-long amateur with a decent eye I am excited to find the kind of help you are providing. Thank you.

Great stuff, as always! "Electricianizing"....now I have another thing to call my trade =) We did a minor update on our hall bath several years back. Basically a taller vanity with a granite top. There was a mirror mounted pretty much identical to the way yours were, but larger - it's about 40" tall, but 8' wide. Goes from the end wall of the sink all the way to the tile for the shower. I had no idea how to remove this and really wanted to save it if possible, but figured that was very unlikely, as even pro glaziers say "good luck". My granite guy (who is awesome) had just done my kitchen and was going to do a cheap granite top on my craigslist vanity. I mentioned the mirror and he said no problem very confidently. I was doubtful he would be successful, but his confidence was unwavering. So bathroom remodel day comes. Josue (my granite guy) breaks out 2 of those suction cup handles - pro ones though, and puts them on the mirror roughly in thirds. I'm like are you sure; what do you need me to do? he said "nothing, I got it". so he just grabs both handles and starts pulling and jiggling the handles in and out and in about 10 seconds he has the mirror off without a scratch on it. It was held on with huge blobs of black mastic-looking adhesive. He put the mirror in the other room. We set the new vanity. He revised the floor tile a little bit, and cut and installed the new top and splash, complete with a beautiful hand -cut hole for the sink. He then set the mirror with new adhesive and it was done. Looks great and took like 1-1/2 to 2 hours. I had all the prep work done before we started - vanity and sink removed, light fixture removed and box relocated, new vanity drilled for plumbing, etc...Just another technique to throw in the toolbox of ideas...I do like the shim idea, though ;-)

Another well presented lesson. Thanks Matt.

This is a very helpful video! I own my own glass shop and in the past glued on mirrors were always taken down by breaking them up. I don't use a hammer though. I cut them up with my glass cutter and take them off in pieces. Next time I have a call for this I'll give your method a try. Thanks for the idea.

Good work 👍 I contracted with a glass company to remove wall to wall mirrors, that went to the ceiling. Flashback to the 70s. They used a lot more tape and brute force pulling on the vacuum suction cups, to detach the mirrors from the walls. Copious amounts of broken mirror had to be cleaned up when it was over.

I was extremely happy to find this video, my house has a few of those mirrors and I want to fancy them up. But after watching the video I'm just going to dress them up with door casings and call it a day. Great information though, thanks!

You had me at "Too soon old and too late smart"

He was clear and to the point! Great job!

HGTV would have used the hammer...and then spent 3 hours off camera cleaning up the shards. Good work Matt. I've had good luck removing mirrors that way too.

I just removed a similar sized mirror yesterday. I put tape on it in various directions, covered the mirror entirely with clear shield, placed a tarp on the vanity and floor, then hit the mirror with a hammer several times. I was able to pull the pieces (fairly large) off quite easily. Before I started, I did place the shims (about 6) along the top and drove each one in until it stopped. Clean up was a breeze.

Matt, your videos are amazing now compared to your first efforts! Thanks for all your tips and tricks, I have learned a lot from your videos. Keep up the good work!

Having watch more than a few of your videos it hit me that if you had an extra long or tall mirror you could take one of your super shims cut it into sections that would fit between the top of the mirror in the ceiling and gradually send the shims down stacking the sections on top of each other to eventually get the mirror completely loose with that cream and putting your hands behind it. Great video always learn some something when I watch your videos. My take away today was too soon old too late smart. That might make an amazing T-shirt as well. As always thank you man wish you the best.

I'm glad that no shims were harmed in the making of this video. I was quite worried that they may have splintered or split. I've been hoping that you would show a video removing a wall mirror ever since your closet makeover when you said that you wished you had filmed it. I also have three that I want to remove, and if possible, have them cut down and put into a frame for reuse.

Wonderful comment on Habitat for Humanity. It speaks volumes of your character and your stock just went up a lot in my book! Bravo!!

Very helpful and nice tools. Thanks for sharing.

Watched your tutorial and removed my mirror with no issues and in one piece 🤗 Slow is key, for sure .. and PPE. Thank you so much!!!!

Matt, these tips are absolutely golden. These are the kinds of work methods the separate the good contractors from the best. I wish you lived closer to me. I’d gladly pay for you to some work for me like my next task... replacing a broken 5’ X 8 ‘ window on the back of my house. Not too bad but I have full shutters inside (that have to be removed) and brick outside (that was installed after the window). Thanks for posting.

Great method, Matt. Better and safer than one I have used extensively. In another lifetime, I removed thousands of square feet of mirror as we toured the country remodeling a mall store chain as they transitioned from one architectural model to another. Each store had a wall of full length mirrors, each about 3' wide x 7' tall, and very well adhered with the original blobs of mirror mastic applied years before. The stores also had chrome rolling fixtures, which happened to include removable flat hanging bars, about three foot long with sectional size, 1/4" x 1". In the heat of battle on one of the first jobs, I discovered that I could slide one of these thin bars behind the mirror with its 1" flat side against the wall and use it extremely gingerly as you would a crow bar to gradually work the mirror off the wall. Because these bars were not rigid enough to keep from bending, their flexibility made it possible to gradually work a mirror off the wall without breaking it. I don't recommend this method without reservation to others, as it requires practice and a very sensitive touch to avoid causing a sudden crack, which can be dangerous. But back in the day, I got proficient enough through all the repetitions to remove enough mirror to equip two dance studios and one martial arts dojo wall to wall after I started hauling the undamaged pieces back home to make a little bonus cash.

Matt. Great Video. I always wondered the best way to do this.

Great job! By your video I can see this job may be too challenging for a ONE “OLDER” person job. For that I am grateful! I like doing DYI’s but I won’t be tackling this one by myself.

Ingenious Matt awesome work👌🏽👌🏽

I'm about to do this again... I wish I had seen this video. SOOOO much safer and easier. Great content.

Nice work Matt!

Great work, thanks for the video

Thank you very much for sharing this video with me. I really need to get this done and I have to do it by myself.

You are just SUPERB "SIR " AWESOME SKILLS.

Good work good tips and good introduction of tools to be used during removal process. thank you.

I did this about a year ago, when I went to change out a bathroom light fixture and found a splice just living in the wall, which led to finding 3 hidden j boxes behind the drywall, and redoing the bathroom's electrical. Fun times.

Awesome job! I've removed mirrors like this also, though those longer shims make it look easier! I use the Wood Powr-Grip suction cups but these look like they worked just fine! Awesome job on presentation, love watching your videos!

This helped so much! luckily the Mirror was stuck with double sided tape so no wall damage! Thank you!!

Outstanding presentation. Your ability to do the work and also narrate the video is commendable. Old video but thanks for the lesson on removing a mirror!

I tried out your technique using shims and duct tape to removed mirrors for a wet bar nook remodel and it worked perfectly, thank you

Thank you for the great tips and well made instructional video(s)

Very ingenious! I use lots of Duct tape, Gloves, and a long sleeve Shirt, and where possible a Hand Saw slipped behind to help cut the Glue. Getting up above the Mirror the way you did is a lot safer incase the Shards fall.

Great job, pal, I will use it right away, thanks.

I don’t know why you said you did it by yourself; there were always two and I saw as many four workers in there at one point. Matt, Chip, Chap, and Chump. Thanks for the great lesson Matt!

Watching from Scotland gid video pal keep them up 👍

I like your style big man, keep shooting your videos, (a beginner wood worker from scotland)

Great tips, thank you for sharing! That wallpaper looks like Medusa's hair if she went to a luau.

Great video, very informative.

Once upon a time I was a glazier, and my parents own a glass shop. We always used shims similar to what you did.......if just yanking on it with a suction cup didn’t work first. Starting at a corner, place an 8” suction cup and start yanking on it in a moderate fashion, if it doesn’t start to separate, then resort to shims.

Nice tip. That looks like a pretty nice bathroom. I am surprised they are ripping it out and redoing it. Glad you recycle them.

Always a helpful interesting video.

I don't know what algorithm You Tube uses, but you are now at the top of my subscribed channels list.

YOURE THE MAN!!

Worked geat!! Thank you so much!

Nice job n great information. Thank you

Hey Matt great Video! I've recently found your channel. Really enjoy it and your humor cracks me up. I've learnt so much from your videos already. Thank you!

Gotta get me a "Whimmy-Jimmy" screwdriver!! Great video, thanks!

Great video, this will help in our remodel !

This really helped me, thank you

I've never seen the shims being used like this. I have always used wire to saw thru the adhesive. Then again, I have not come across a mirror hard up against a wall or cabinetry. This, I will try on my next reno. Thanks

Great information!

Great video. Thanks!

That was pretty cool, thank you

Just for the sake of future mirror installations. It's recommended to apply the glue in vertical stripes not blobs. Adhesive should be applied thoroughly in the corners to prevent possible cracking. Remember not to push the mirror to hard when installing because it will be curved.

Total pro Matt......always !

In this bathroom there was a lot of space above the mirror so you can make some custom long shingles at the same 1/4" per foot bevel, (ie 1/16" to 9/16" for a 2' shingle, or 1/16" to 13/16" for a 3' shingle). That reduces bending of the mirror and allows it to be pushed out from the middle as the shim is pushed down and not just at the top.

Excellent! Many thanks for sharing your video - We just removed a large 245cm x 70cm mirror in one piece using your technique.

Great tips thank you

Good tip. I had success using fishing line in the past

This video will be very useful as I have a bathroom remodel coming up in a bit. Thank you Matt for the class

Love your show, my only suggestion would be to line up the shims with the studs especially if the mirror is really stuck to the wall.

Great video. You answered my question.

In addition to the shims and suction cups we use a couple of "air shims" or "winbag" ( same thing just different brand names) makes things so much easier

Great job

Great video thank you for sharing

Wow great idea thank you for sharing 😀 🇬🇧

Great advice

Good job! Now I know how to take the mirror backing off my St Michael deco.

Great video Matt! I watched because I'm going to remodel the bathrooms in the house we bought. They have floor to ceiling mirrors on the sink and vanity side for some unknown insane reason. I cant use shims. Can you suggest an alternative method? Thanks

Great tip!

Worked for a glass shop for nine years. If the mirror is attached with mastic (mirror adhesive), you can usually soften it up by gently heating with a heat gun. Just get it warm to the touch. If they used silicone or construction adhesive, it won't help. Always use mirror mastic to install. Liquid nails is the worst, can cause the mirror to break on the wall because it expands and contracts.

Great idea.