How do you remove broken glass from stand up mirror?

by Deb fahey

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I have a beautiful stand up mirror. The hinge gave way and the mirror cracked. How do I get the pieces out?

I thought I could carefully pick the pieces out, but they won't budge

8 answers

Beth H. Makemeprettyagain.blogspot on Mar 30, 2016
what do you want to do with it? reuse the frame?? it's probably screwed down from the back. remove the backing and take off the frame. They are cheap pine boards. It would be easier to go get new ones and and make a new mirror frame! Either way you are going to have to remove the backing that this current mirror is on and replace a new backing with a new mirror.

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- Deb fahey on Mar 30, 2016
  Yes I want to replace the mirror.
  
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- Beth H. Makemeprettyagain.blogspot on Mar 30, 2016
  @Deb fahey Then pull the frame off of everything. Did they attach the mirror to some sort of backing or is the frame actually glued to the mirror? That;s why I said it would be easier to make a new frame. Grab a new mirror from HD, and then just have them cut your pine boards (they sell the pre-finished pine boards in this width already), then just glue and join the ends to fit like they do in the picture. It's pretty simple. But if you can easily remove the frame from the mirror, then do that. Can you show a picture of what the back looks like?
  
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- Deb fahey on Mar 30, 2016
  Yes I can. I started out thinking I could pick out the broken glass and figure it out from there. But when it didn't fall out I wasn't sure what to do.
  
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- Beth H. Makemeprettyagain.blogspot on Mar 30, 2016
  it appears they attached the mirror to that fiberboard and then stuck both that and mirror inside the framing. the only way to reuse that frame is disengage it from the backing/mirror pieces. is it glued to the back or screwed or what? No way you can pick out the broken parts. The entire mirror is glued or attached to that fiberboard backer piece. If you are handy then it's a simple thing to do. If not, then it might be more trouble than it's worth. Up to you!
  
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- Deb fahey on Mar 30, 2016
  Thanks
  
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Jemma Dee on Mar 30, 2016
Cover it with a towel or garbage bag and break it up some more with a hammer. Maybe that will make a piece come loose. Or use duct tape to pull a piece out. That will allow you to see if the mirror was glued onto the backing.

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Ann on Mar 31, 2016
Go to a glass store in your "little ole me" mode and ask for help!

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Ann on Mar 31, 2016
If you are just removing it, try using contact paper to adhere to the glass, break it up with a hammer and use the contact paper edges to lift pieces out. BUT, I've seen some creative art pieces made of broken mirrors. One gal took all the pieces out then glued them back in a swirly wave design.

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Bobbie on Mar 31, 2016
If you can, take the mirror as is to your local glass shop. They will remove the broken mirror and replace it for very little

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Deb fahey on Apr 04, 2016
Took it to my local glass place. It looks brand new again

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Redcatcec on Jan 01, 2023

The glass shop can work miracles.

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Mogie on Jan 02, 2023

I would take this into a glass shop. They have the tools needed to do the job and have experience doing this also. Good luck!

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