Bathroom remodel....how do I....

kevhed72

Remove a mirror which has been glued to the wall by a jackass builder. I know there is a specific type of wire saw but I don't have it...any other ideas?

F1nut

Or simply cut the sheet rock around the mirror and take it off that way as you'd likely have to replace the sheet rock anyway.

kharp1

F1nut wrote: »

Or simply cut the sheet rock around the mirror and take it off that way as you'd likely have to replace the sheet rock anyway.

You will more than likely have to replace the drywall, but, if you take it off put tape across it (heavy duct tape) to protect from breaking/dropping and shattering. Criss cross it from corner to corner and in all directions...like an asterisk. Have a drop cloth and a piece of foam or a pillow to set it down on. Depending on size it could be heavy and prone to slippage and breakage. Better safe than sorry.

littlewoodboats

If you use wire to cut the glue make sure you start at the bottom and work your way up.

tonyb

kharp1 wrote: »

. Have a drop cloth and a piece of foam or a pillow to set it down on..

You Italian too ? I was going to say.....start from the front of the neck....but forgot we were talking about a mirror with piano wire.

Yep, as the previous poster stated, bottom to top. Might be worth the small investment for the wire saw. I've done this before, wound up ripping it off the wall and fixing the board behind it. After all, a new mirror was going in the same spot so any imperfections would be covered up.

kevhed72

I have tried a couple of guitar strings to no avail....the glue is black and solid at this point. Thanks for the ideas....I am going to score around the whole mirror to avoid tearing the top sheet of the drywall across the wall. What stinks is a smaller mirror may be going there.

mhardy6647

Is the goal to save the mirror? I seem to recall more nuclear solutions to the removal of glued-on mirrors in some of our past bathroom demos.

Joint compound is a wonderful thing -- sort of like "Cover Girl" for walls, you know?

mrbiron

I've seen the piano wire method work on a couple occassions. The process takes time if you are trying to save the mirror. Use a heat gun directly on top of the mirror to warm adhesive. 1 spot at a time. Work piano wire through. Rinse and repeat for whole mirror.

If not saving, cover the mirror with carpet mask or tape. PUT on heavy duty gloves. WHACK mirror with Le Hammer. Clean mess.

mhardy6647

Yeah, I think that's the way ours were done in MA. Central MA has never been about subtlety.



As an aside, the heat gun idea is outstanding -- but, if you go that route, be careful to distribute heat carefully. Too much temperature rise in a small area on glass will inevitably lead to the implementation of Plan B. Don't ask me how I know this.

tonyb

Eh, do a Bill Goldberg on it. Get yourself a running start and just spear the darn thing. Clean up the mess once you regain consciousness.

hochpt21

tonyb wrote: »

Eh, do a Bill Goldberg on it. Get yourself a running start and just spear the darn thing. Clean up the mess once you regain consciousness.

Wow, nice pull on the Goldberg reference. Impressive for an old geezer.

scottyboy76

Depending on the width of the mirror, there is a wire plumbing saw, already with the handles, that can cut through pvc pipe as slick as you could want, the are usually not terribly long, as to use it for cutting even the largest pipes it doesn't have to be that long, good luck with the job

mhardy6647

tonyb wrote: »

Eh, do a Bill Goldberg on it. Get yourself a running start and just spear the darn thing. Clean up the mess once you regain consciousness.

reminds me of Warren Zevon's great song "Ain't That Pretty at All".

https://youtu.be/Wwpagb-_Zk0

Sami

I would probably just remove the wall as it's most likely the easiest way. You could try a heat gun to see if the glue melts and gives in.

kevhed72

I was able to slowly pry the mirror off the wall in one piece.....then I hit this snag with the vanity and plumbing....notice where the piece of wood perpendicular to the wall will fall when the vanity is pushed back, and there will be a drawer in front of the water pipe in the right.

tonyb

hochpt21 wrote: »

tonyb wrote: »

Eh, do a Bill Goldberg on it. Get yourself a running start and just spear the darn thing. Clean up the mess once you regain consciousness.

Wow, nice pull on the Goldberg reference. Impressive for an old geezer.

Well, I would have related it to Crusher and Bruiser, but then I'd really date myself.

mrbiron

Was there not a p-trap installed?
Looks like you gotta move some plumbing...
IF it wasn't a drawer and just a door, youd be able to notch the support to route the water supply pipe.

lightman1

You noticed the P-trap fault as well? Copper stub outs as well. You might be able to move the cold water valve over to the left and do an over-under for the shutoffs. A little modification on the cabinet back and divider.

mrbiron wrote: »

Was there not a p-trap installed?
Looks like you gotta move some plumbing...
IF it wasn't a drawer and just a door, youd be able to notch the support to route the water supply pipe.

kevhed72

You guys are smart....so is there such a thing as a 90 degree copper compression fitting? Soldering one in is out of the question....

lightman1

Compression fittings.
Is your house plumbed with PEX to taps?
You can cut out the sheetrock below the cabinet and re-route the cold supply inside the stud bay. Then stub out above or below the hot supply in the open cabinet side. Then flex up to the faucet.

lightman1

Vague. I can see what to do for you. But can't walk you through it from typing it out here.
I'm the guy that will push out of my way and just friggin do it myself.....

kevhed72

lightman1 wrote: »

Compression fittings.
Is your house plumbed with PEX to taps?
You can cut out the sheetrock below the cabinet and re-route the cold supply inside the stud bay. Then stub out above or below the hot supply in the open cabinet side. Then flex up to the faucet.

All copper pipes...I added the current shut offs you see myself because they were brass compression fittings you crank half a turn after the fitting 'bites' down on the pipe. If there are 90 degree turns which are compression vs. solder.....I get your drift I think...

lightman1

Got it. Do NOT use brass-copper fittings in-wall. To get the cabinet back to fit flush to the wall....use a (assuming) 1/2" copper in to 1/2" PEX transiton fitting and about 2-3 feet of PEX to a cut off valve stub. Above or below as described before.
Do the sheetrock repair. Install shutoff valve and install basin. Easy, right?

lightman1

I just read what I posted. I suck at teaching a trade.

SCompRacer

lightman1 wrote: »

I just read what I posted. I suck at teaching a trade.

I were a plummer once....I'd just shorten the drawer though, problem solved.

lightman1

SCompRacer wrote: »

lightman1 wrote: »

I just read what I posted. I suck at teaching a trade.

I were a plummer once....I'd just shorten the drawer though, problem solved.

Fair enough. Wasn't sure of the woodworking skills he may have.

ken brydson

lightman1 wrote: »

Got it. Do NOT use brass-copper fittings in-wall. To get the cabinet back to fit flush to the wall....use a (assuming) 1/2" copper in to 1/2" PEX transiton fitting and about 2-3 feet of PEX to a cut off valve stub. Above or below as described before.
Do the sheetrock repair. Install shutoff valve and install basin. Easy, right?

Get on a plane man, you got the miles...

Paradoxex

We had a similar issue with our bathroom remodel three years ago. We cut a small piece out of the back of the vanity and shortened a drawer to make the pipes work. The different in my scenario is that I was sure I did not want my help messing with the plumbing - he was, however, better with woodworking.

Shortened drawer ended up being dovetailed and made to look pretty much the same as the others, just shorter.

scottyboy76

Also, depending on code in your area, you might be able to use a studor vent, its basically a valve that lets air in the drain pipe as the water flows out, they are just a few bucks, and a little on the fitting to attach it.

Good luck

kevhed72

I gave up on that specific vanity because I didn't want to mess with the plumbing....which leads me to this question.....can a compression fitting valve on copper pipe be untightened and re tightened because of a minuscule bit of moisture on the copper pipe? I may be paranoid.....but don't want a leak issue down the road because of a connection issue.....maybe I need to sand down the end of pipe a bit more?

mrbiron

Why don't you just cut the sheetrock. You don't even have to repair it because the vanity will cover the hole. DON'T bandaid fix-it.....Fix-it fix-it.