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Mirror backing

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Keith Nuttle

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Nov 12, 2012, 4:55:05 PM11/12/12
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We are putting a 41" X 33" mirror in the tv hole above our fire place.
The Mirror is 1/4" thick. The TV hole is standard framing 2x4 with
header. The mirror would fit into the hole in the existing framing with
the trim that was applied for the TV hole.

The plan was to put a 1/2 inch sheet of plywood as a backer board for
the mirror. The mirror and the backer board would be held against 1X2
frame attached to the trim of the existing TV hole.

Today I went to get the wood to cut the 41X33 backer board from.

I realized that even 3/4 plywood will warp not a good thing if the
mirror is masticed to it.

What would you recomend for a backer board?

I have talked to several people with ideas all over the board. from
sheet rock to no backer.

SonomaProducts.com

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Nov 12, 2012, 5:19:29 PM11/12/12
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On Monday, November 12, 2012 1:55:08 PM UTC-8, keith_...@sbcglobal.net wrote:
> We are putting a 41" X 33" mirror in the tv hole above our fire place. The Mirror is 1/4" thick. The TV hole is standard framing 2x4 with header. The mirror would fit into the hole in the existing framing with the trim that was applied for the TV hole. The plan was to put a 1/2 inch sheet of plywood as a backer board for the mirror. The mirror and the backer board would be held against 1X2 frame attached to the trim of the existing TV hole. Today I went to get the wood to cut the 41X33 backer board from. I realized that even 3/4 plywood will warp not a good thing if the mirror is masticed to it. What would you recomend for a backer board? I have talked to several people with ideas all over the board. from sheet rock to no backer.

MDF

chaniarts

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Nov 12, 2012, 5:33:40 PM11/12/12
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drywall

Larry Jaques

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Nov 12, 2012, 5:38:03 PM11/12/12
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On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:55:05 -0500, Keith Nuttle
<Keith_...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

>We are putting a 41" X 33" mirror in the tv hole above our fire place.
>The Mirror is 1/4" thick. The TV hole is standard framing 2x4 with
>header. The mirror would fit into the hole in the existing framing with
>the trim that was applied for the TV hole.
>
>The plan was to put a 1/2 inch sheet of plywood as a backer board for
>the mirror. The mirror and the backer board would be held against 1X2
>frame attached to the trim of the existing TV hole.
>
>Today I went to get the wood to cut the 41X33 backer board from.
>
>I realized that even 3/4 plywood will warp not a good thing if the
>mirror is masticed to it.

It shouldn't warp in the dry inside air, and it shouldn't get hot if
you use your fireplace correctly (flue open). DAMHIKT


>What would you recomend for a backer board?
>
>I have talked to several people with ideas all over the board. from
>sheet rock to no backer.

MDF, aka Termite Barf. It's more stable. DO seal all faces and edges,
though. Are you going to make a hidden compartment, too?

--
While we have the gift of life, it seems to me that only tragedy
is to allow part of us to die - whether it is our spirit, our
creativity, or our glorious uniqueness.
-- Gilda Radner

-MIKE-

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Nov 12, 2012, 5:42:20 PM11/12/12
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On 11/12/12 4:38 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:
> MDF, aka Termite Barf. It's more stable. DO seal all faces and edges,
> though.
>

Why?
I mean, I know why, but it's overkill.
I've had mdf scraps sitting in my garage and shed for years and they
look like the day I bought it, minus the mouse turns and spider webs.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
mi...@mikedrumsDOT.com
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

Leon

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Nov 12, 2012, 11:20:51 PM11/12/12
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You should be talking to glass and mirror shop.

dadiOH

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Nov 13, 2012, 7:47:13 AM11/13/12
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As long as the trim retains the morror in its niche, why bother with a
backing? Hanging mirrors don't have them, not substantial ones at least.
If you just gotta have something behind it, sheetrock, MDF, particle board,
OSB, plywood would all work. My preference would be sheetrock.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Maybe just ready for a change? Check it out...
http://www.floridaloghouse.net


Mike Marlow

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Nov 13, 2012, 8:49:26 AM11/13/12
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dadiOH wrote:

>
> As long as the trim retains the morror in its niche, why bother with a
> backing? Hanging mirrors don't have them, not substantial ones at
> least. If you just gotta have something behind it, sheetrock, MDF,
> particle board, OSB, plywood would all work. My preference would be
> sheetrock.

Even 1/4" plywood would be sufficient. The mirror does not need anything
for rigidty, backings just protect against objects hitting the glass from
behind - which is not a problem in this application. Keith - go look at the
backings found on dressers and like objects with large mirrors. Look at
those cheap mirrors that you hang on bedroom doors - cardboard backing -
and...those are really thin, cheap mirrors.

--

-Mike-
mmarlo...@windstream.net


Keith Nuttle

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Nov 13, 2012, 9:57:01 AM11/13/12
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Thank you all for your responses. Since hopefully I will have the
mirror installed tomorrow, this should be my last post with questions.

I have been working on this project for some time. Yes I have talked
with the man at the place that is cutting the mirror for me. But you
know how it is, you are doing something you want nice that you have
never done before. You get it all straight on what you are going to do
and then something comes up that makes you question what you decided.
Last item was the warped 1/2 plywood. I am going to go with MDF or
similar composite wood. I had thought about sheet rock but because
there will only be the 1X2 around the edges of the hole, I thought that
over time the sheet rock edges would deteriorate and the mirror would
become loose.

Yes I know there is stuff cut for this purpose but I have a lot of 1X2 scrap


Larry Jaques

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Nov 13, 2012, 10:59:06 AM11/13/12
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On Tue, 13 Nov 2012 07:47:13 -0500, "dadiOH" <dad...@invalid.com>
wrote:

>Keith Nuttle wrote:
>> We are putting a 41" X 33" mirror in the tv hole above our fire place.
>> The Mirror is 1/4" thick. The TV hole is standard framing 2x4 with
>> header. The mirror would fit into the hole in the existing framing
>> with the trim that was applied for the TV hole.
>>
>> The plan was to put a 1/2 inch sheet of plywood as a backer board for
>> the mirror. The mirror and the backer board would be held against 1X2
>> frame attached to the trim of the existing TV hole.
>>
>> Today I went to get the wood to cut the 41X33 backer board from.
>>
>> I realized that even 3/4 plywood will warp not a good thing if the
>> mirror is masticed to it.
>>
>> What would you recomend for a backer board?
>>
>> I have talked to several people with ideas all over the board. from
>> sheet rock to no backer.
>
>As long as the trim retains the morror in its niche, why bother with a
>backing? Hanging mirrors don't have them, not substantial ones at least.

Because if someone trips in the area, their hand going through the
mirror would guarantee it being (neatly or nearly) hacked off if there
were no backing.

dpb

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Nov 13, 2012, 11:03:58 AM11/13/12
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On 11/13/2012 9:59 AM, Larry Jaques wrote:
> On Tue, 13 Nov 2012 07:47:13 -0500, "dadiOH"<dad...@invalid.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Keith Nuttle wrote:
>>> We are putting a 41" X 33" mirror in the tv hole above our fire place.
...

>> As long as the trim retains the morror in its niche, why bother with a
>> backing? Hanging mirrors don't have them, not substantial ones at least.
>
> Because if someone trips in the area, their hand going through the
> mirror would guarantee it being (neatly or nearly) hacked off if there
> were no backing.
...

Trip and fall _OVER_ the fireplace up into the TV niche above it????

That's some "trip"... :)

--

Leon

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Nov 13, 2012, 11:09:27 AM11/13/12
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Normal trip if "you be trip'n". ;~)

dadiOH

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Nov 13, 2012, 11:55:03 AM11/13/12
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Perhaps there be giants...

-MIKE-

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Nov 13, 2012, 12:34:24 PM11/13/12
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On 11/13/12 9:59 AM, Larry Jaques wrote:
>> As long as the trim retains the morror in its niche, why bother with a
>> backing? Hanging mirrors don't have them, not substantial ones at least.
>
> Because if someone trips in the area, their hand going through the
> mirror would guarantee it being (neatly or nearly) hacked off if there
> were no backing.
>

You have a knack for exaggeration. :-p

Dave

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Nov 13, 2012, 1:06:30 PM11/13/12
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On Tue, 13 Nov 2012 11:34:24 -0600, -MIKE- <mi...@mikedrumsDOT.com>
>> Because if someone trips in the area, their hand going through the
>> mirror would guarantee it being (neatly or nearly) hacked off if there
>> were no backing.

>You have a knack for exaggeration. :-p

Well, after a nice long shower, the bathroom is filled with steam and
people can't see where they're going. So naturally, he should protect
against anyone reaching out and putting their hand through the mirror.

:)

Mike Marlow

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Nov 13, 2012, 3:44:22 PM11/13/12
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They shower in the living room? Kinky...

--

-Mike-
mmarlo...@windstream.net


-MIKE-

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Nov 13, 2012, 5:21:09 PM11/13/12
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If you followed another recent thread on this very subject you'd see
that I advocated a mirror backing for that very reason. Moot point in
this matter, however.

The exaggeration I thought was obvious to anyone reading, was the part
about hacking ones hand off.

Sonny

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Nov 13, 2012, 7:07:06 PM11/13/12
to mi...@mikedrumsdot.com
On Tuesday, November 13, 2012 4:21:11 PM UTC-6, -MIKE- wrote:
> > If you followed another recent thread on this very subject ....

Same thread, same poster, as on Oct 22nd. Maybe next month we'll get it again.
That job should have been completed, already.

Sonny

Keith Nuttle

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Nov 13, 2012, 7:33:32 PM11/13/12
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OP: Will the backer board protect me from someone behind the mirror
reaching through and pulling me into their dimension??

This should be the last on this particular project. I am great full
that I have all of you to assist with these projects, as it allows me to
do thing I have never done before.

To night I have all of the things necessary to install the mirror.
However, I have a real bad head cold, the type that effect your
equilibrium. Since this project is ladder work with a large mirror, I
decided it would be best to wait until my equilibrium returns

Puckdropper at dot

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Nov 13, 2012, 8:29:58 PM11/13/12
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"Mike Marlow" <mmarlo...@windstream.net> wrote in news:k7ub98$4t4$1
@dont-email.me:

>
> They shower in the living room? Kinky...
>

Maybe it's a true one-room apartment. ;-)

Puckdropper
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.

-MIKE-

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Nov 13, 2012, 8:53:59 PM11/13/12
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Supervisor Sonny! :-)

Mike Marlow

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Nov 13, 2012, 9:48:04 PM11/13/12
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Keith Nuttle wrote:

>
> OP: Will the backer board protect me from someone behind the mirror
> reaching through and pulling me into their dimension??

No - however it has apparently already been determined that when they reach
through, the mirror will shatter, and the shards will dismember them, making
perhaps a bloody mess in the living room, but leaving you otherwise
unscathed.

>
> To night I have all of the things necessary to install the mirror.
> However, I have a real bad head cold, the type that effect your
> equilibrium. Since this project is ladder work with a large mirror, I
> decided it would be best to wait until my equilibrium returns

There is no such thing as equilibrium on a ladder...

--

-Mike-
mmarlo...@windstream.net


Martin Eastburn

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Nov 14, 2012, 10:04:34 PM11/14/12
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I would suggest cement board that is used in bathrooms and such.

Fiberglass and cement. Won't wiggle in water.

Martin

On 11/12/2012 3:55 PM, Keith Nuttle wrote:

Keith Nuttle

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Nov 14, 2012, 10:06:33 PM11/14/12
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On 11/14/2012 10:04 PM, Martin Eastburn wrote:
> I would suggest cement board that is used in bathrooms and such.
>
> Fiberglass and cement. Won't wiggle in water.
>
> Martin
>
Since this mirror is over my fireplace it it is in the water, I have
much bigger problems.

Preston

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Feb 21, 2021, 11:31:03 AM2/21/21
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Where can I buy a black mirror backing 35"*35"

--
For full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/woodworking/mirror-backing-552824-.htm

Leon

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Feb 21, 2021, 12:26:53 PM2/21/21
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On 2/21/2021 10:30 AM, Preston wrote:
> Where can I buy a black mirror backing 35"*35"
>


Glass shop.
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