The Master Bathroom Project | Removing the Mirror (Part 2)

...And we're back! This is part two in my series about our master bathroom remodel. If you haven't read part 1 on the master bathroom design process, you should read that first.

So, we decided to start the process with the removal of the mirror — the piece of the project we were most uncertain about executing successfully.

Our large (60" x 40") master bathroom mirror before removing it

For starters, the mirror was attached to the wall with some unknown adhesive, so were unsure how to remove the mirror from the wall. Secondly, in researching "how to remove a bathroom mirror" there were two messages: either break the mirror (which could be fun, but dangerous) or pull it off with suction cups (which could also pull off some of the drywall paper).

We decided to go with the suction cup approach; less dangerous, easier to mend the wall, and easier cleanup. Surprisingly, it actually worked!

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Here are the DIY steps to remove a bathroom mirror:

SUPPLIES (from Home Depot)

• Safety items (Drop cloth, long sleeves, long pants, gloves, goggles & closed-toed shoes) in case the mirror breaks
• 2 Suction Cups
• Dap DryDex Spackling Paste
• 2 sheets of Sand paper (one 80 grit & one 150 grit)
• Hand Sander
• Flat-head screw driver (or kitchen knife)
• Dry wall texturizer
• Optional: Blow-dryer & saw (if you need additional force to melt or saw away at the adhesive)

DIY STEPS

Time frame: approximately 2 hours (including drying times)

1. Lay down your drop cloth.
2. Apply both suction cups to one corner of the mirror. Use quite a bit of force to pull off. We actually first tried applying one suction cup to each of the top corners. The hubby was pulling on one while I was pulling on the other and we had no luck. We almost gave up. Then we put both in the same corner and the whole mirror just popped off! (If it doesn't pop off, this is where the saw and/or blow dryer may come in handy.)
3. Reapply one of the suction cups to the other top corner in order to lift and carry the entire mirror off of the vanity. Two people are need here if you have a large vanity. Ours was 60" x 40".
4. Remove mirror base with a flat-head screw driver or similar tool. The base was just glued on with a clear caulking material. Easy to remove.
5. Sand off excess glue with coarse 80-grit sand paper. Wipe wall down with a paper towel (or your hand) to remove any excess sanded bits.
6. Patch up any drywall that was removed with your mirror. This Dap DryDex Spackling Paste is great because it's pink when you apply and turns white when it's dried. I applied it with my finger... no need for all the fancy drywall tools.
7. Once the drywall patch dries (approximately 10-15 minutes), sand off excess with the finer 150-grit sand paper. You may have to repeat this and the previous step if you need more patching.
8. Apply the texturizer in circular motion about 8" away from wall. Depending on the type of wall you have, this may not be necessary. As I mentioned in my textured walls post, in California, our walls have a texture applied to them, so we had to make all surfaces look the same. It takes a couple of tries to get the hang of this stuff. The application instructions on the can are actually pretty terrible. Make sure you shake the can vigorously and then turn the knob to a texture that suits you. Let it sit for an hour before moving to the next step.
9. Scrape off excess texture using extremely light pressure. We had to do this like 3 times because we used too much pressure the first couple of times. It says that you should use a drywall knock-down knife, but I wasn't going to waste our money on that. So I looked around the house and found this flexible, yet thick piece of plastic (aka our "guest-parking" pass). It worked like a charm!

TOTAL COST: $46.50

• 2 Suction Cups ~$14
• Dap DryDex Spackling Paste  ~$4
• Sand paper packets (80 grit & 150 grit) ~$7.50
• Hand Sander ~$7
• Dry wall texturizer ~$14

DIY is waayy more cost effective than getting professionals to remove your mirror. A local company quoted us $100 - $200 just to remove the mirror (patching up walls not included), without even a guarantee that they wouldn't break it. Now we can use the mirror elsewhere, or sell it and make a profit! Craigslist anyone...?

We already had most of the materials from previous projects, so we only had to actually purchase the suction cups and texturizer. The nice thing about all the supplies needed for this project is that they are all completely reusable, making the next project even more cost-effective.

Shot of the master bathroom vanity after removing the large mirror and patching up the wall

Now our wall is patched up and ready for our two-tone paint! But we'll probably tackle the cabinet staining before we start painting. Stay tuned for those next steps!

{Rashida}

PS: Our master bathroom now looks super small without the mirror in there. Why? When looking into a mirror, your eyes are actually doubling the distance, as if the objects were behind the mirror, creating a virtual image. Yay for high school physics!