How to remove a glued mirror from a cabinet door
Work on removing mirrors from cabinets is carried out with the aim of replacing them or changing the design of cabinet furniture. Damaged or complete mirror elements are removed using the same technology, using the same tools. For the work to be successful, regardless of the fastening method (glue, double-sided tape), it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the following information.
What tools will be needed
To safely peel off the mirror, you will need the following set of tools:
- building hair dryer (can be replaced with a household one, but with an increase in the heating period);
- metal ruler or copper wire;
- regular or double-sided tape;
- stationery knife;
- curly or flat screwdriver.
In fact, the toolbox is small. Thanks to him, you can remove the door from the cabinet and start working with the mirror element. Even if the wardrobe has mirrors with an area of more than 2 square meters, you can get by with improvised means, having carried out the zoning of the work in advance. This is the first thing to do before getting familiar with how to peel a mirror off a cabinet door.
How to unstick a mirror - step by step instructions
First of all, it is necessary to dismantle the supporting structure. The door should be in a horizontal plane to avoid deformation as a result of mechanical stress. Do not forget that you must also completely remove the mirror fixing elements. These can be decorative inserts that are fixed on the inside of the door.
The next step is to glue the tape over the entire plane of the detachable element with a slight overlap on the previous strips. This is necessary so that the damaged areas do not harm others.
It's important to know! It is necessary to paste over the mirror after warming up the element with a hairdryer. Otherwise, the tape or film will lose their size, as well as the quality of fixation. Moreover, the adhesive base of the scotch tape releases corrosive substances when heated.
Separating a mirror by points
Attaching an element is much easier than removing it. After heating and pasting, the applied glue on the back plane of the product retains its plasticity for at least 10 minutes. During this time, you will need to divide its layer by using a metal ruler.
First of all, work is carried out in the corners, but to a depth of no more than 15 cm from each point. Uniform destruction of the adhesive layer guarantees the removal of the stress acquired by the mirror as the glue hardens.
Worth knowing! It is not recommended to use a "nail" for such purposes.Its thickness significantly reduces the chances of safe dismantling and preservation of the product's appearance. The same goes for kitchen knives.
Duplicate warm-up
After completing the work with the corners, you can proceed to the central part. In a similar way, heating with a hairdryer is carried out for several minutes. There is no need to wait for the glue smell to form. This is due to overheating, which will also inevitably damage the monochrome coating of the mirror and increase its haze.
It's important to know! The optimal distance for working with a hairdryer is at least 12-14 cm when working with doors made of pressed wood materials, with external pasting with PVC foil. 7-10 cm for solid wood cabinets. An additional recommendation is to isolate the previous sections on which the work has already been completed.
As soon as the heating is completed, the central part is additionally protected with tape. For this purpose, as well as possible, double-sided tape will cope. Its use makes it possible to additionally attach a lifting plane that provides a uniform pull-off force without mechanical damage. Such reminiscent elements can be wooden plaster trowels or glass suction cups from any accessories.
The average mechanical force that household glue can withstand does not exceed 20 J. Therefore, no tools are required for the last stage of work.
Thus, in a simple way, you can figure out how to peel off the mirror from the cabinet, without damaging it, while maintaining the possibility of subsequent operation.
Mirror on double-sided tape: dismantling and tools
Recommendations on how to properly peel off the mirror on double-sided tape can be of different nature. One of the most effective methods remains the use of a thin wire, which is passed through the entire perimeter of the mirror and moves to the lowest point with smooth movements with dosed effort.
Note! Long nails can be used to create makeshift fasteners at the end points of the wire. This will simplify your work and eliminate cuts.
It is by this method that you can solve the problem of how to quickly remove any mirror from double-sided tape.
How to remove traces of dismantling
A solvent that contains alcohol in its composition will cope with this task. It is enough to spray it on the surface to be treated and wait 20-30 seconds, after which it remains to remove traces of glue with a simple rag.
If the amount of glue does not allow completing the work using solvents or cleaning household chemicals, you can resort to repeated local heating.
It's important to know! It is strictly forbidden to apply a solvent to a heated area, as well as to replace the sequence of these actions. This is fraught with fire or poisoning with volatile substances.
Only mechanical action is combined with heating. We are talking about a clerical knife. Its thinness and flexibility guarantee that adhesive residues can be removed without much difficulty. Even an old knife is suitable for these tasks, but with a blade length of at least 5-7 cm.
Removing traces of mechanical damage
If the question as to how to remove the mirror from the cabinet door does not cause difficulties, and there is already a finished result with some visual defects, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the following information.
Scratches, chips and other acquired defects on the cabinet doors can be masked by touching them up. This option is the simplest and does not differ in a special aesthetic load. Suitable for cabinets used in non-passable rooms or storage rooms.
The optimal solution is to re-decorate with PVC adhesive sheets.
Safety regulations
Since it is quite difficult to peel off the mirror, and the procedure itself is not safe, it is important to follow the following safety rules:
- clothes should completely cover the whole body, and the elastic bands on the sleeves and legs should fit snugly to the body;
- be sure to use glasses (it is better if it is a full-size face shield);
- all work is carried out in an open space, preferably not indoors;
- when working, it is necessary to exclude the presence of children;
- after work, wet cleaning is carried out several times;
- hands are washed with soap more than 2-3 times to completely wash off all glass microparticles.
Note! Automotive hand cleaning paste is the best way to wash your hands if the mirror is cracked or visibly defective.
Video: how to peel off a mirror from a cabinet door
