How to remove liquid nails from mirror

The basement of our house is lined with frp panels. The previous owner was a body builder but not much of a homebuilder. He glued 2ftx4ft mirrors all around the basement. He glued the mirrors to the wall with what appears to be a liquid nails type of glue. He didn’t simply put a spot here or there but made runs all over the back of the mirror. In trying to remove one of the mirrors i used a liquid nails remover with no success, i tried a heat gun but had no success. I taped the mirror but still had broken glass everywhere. Help???

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What will dissolve liquid nails?
How do you get adhesive off a mirror?
Is Liquid Nail easy to remove?
How do you get liquid nail stains out?

Replies

DanH | Mar 15, 2008 07:21pm | #1
Instead of tape, buy a roll of the sticky-backed plastic used to protect carpeting. Cover the whole mirror.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader

bob444 | Mar 17, 2008 03:18am | #2
thanks thats a good thought. any ideas on a safe easy way to get the mirror loose without it breaking into a million pieces?

802Mike | Mar 17, 2008 03:28am | #3
I would try a piece of tin, maybe file one edge sharp and bend it over on the opposite so you can drive it in behind the mirror to shear the glue.
Question(s): Are you superstitious? Is that seven years for every panel you break? And, can a good lawyer get you less time?

bob444 | Mar 17, 2008 04:28am | #8
never thought of that. I always thought my bad luck was of my own doing. mmmmm
maybe not.
bob444 | Mar 17, 2008 04:32am | #9
never thought about that at all. I'm going to try that tomorrow Thanks
I'll post back on the results. May be the solution is hiding right in plain sight

DanH | Mar 17, 2008 04:11am | #5
If it's been glued up with Liquid Nails I doubt that there's a way to get it loose short of breaking it. You could try removing the wallboard, but you'd have trouble working the fasteners loose behind the mirror.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader

BryanKlakamp | Mar 17, 2008 03:42am | #4
If you are not concerned about either the mirror or the wall covering, perhaps an old hand saw would do the trick.
If you can cut the adhesive with a long enough saw blade, it might work.
I also thought about using a wire-type saw. The type that you would use to cut a piece of PVC pipe came to mind. You would have to find one long enough though.
Bryan
"Objects in mirror appear closer than they are."
Klakamp Construction, Findlay, Ohio - just south of the Glass City

DanH | Mar 17, 2008 04:12am | #6
Wire (picture hanger wire) works good if the mirror's held up with foam tape.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
bob444 | Mar 17, 2008 04:16am | #7
i was thinking about a wire type saw but don't know where to find one or exactly what it would be

BryanKlakamp | Mar 17, 2008 04:32am | #10
Another thought came to me:
How about a section of old bandsaw blade?
If you could rig that up on a handle, like a bow saw, perhaps that would work.
As far as a longer wire-type saw, don't know.
I thought about the wire saw because we watched a travel show where they talked briefly about cutting carrera marble in Italy. They use a long wire saw with industrial diamond cutters all along the length of the wire to cut the stone.

Bryan"Objects in mirror appear closer than they are."
Klakamp Construction, Findlay, Ohio - just south of the Glass City

bob444 | Mar 17, 2008 04:39am | #11
another good idea. internet is a good brain. thanks again

brucet9 | Mar 17, 2008 07:24am | #12
I wouldn't count on any kind of saw cutting through liquid nails or mirror adhesive. I think the teeth would foul very quickly and any heat generated would tend to make the stuff even stickier.
Most glued-on mirrors are on drywall, thus easy to pry off then repair the drywall. Your basement walls are probably cinder block or concrete.
I think I'd go with goggles, gloves and a sledge hammer or pay a glass company to do it.
BruceT
FNbenthayer | Mar 17, 2008 02:00pm | #13
Buy a small spool of 50-65lb "super braid" fishing line. These types of line are made from Spectra fibers and can be used to "saw" the adhesive.

The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and the devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.
- Fyodor Dostoyevski
NickNukeEm | Mar 17, 2008 03:18pm | #14
I helped an old glass worker remove a 1/4"x4x5' plate mirror from a bathroom once. He used several wedges, working them under the mirror at different locations, careful not to break the glass. It took us almost 30 minutes, but it finally popped off. The adhesive was black and located in numerous spots each with a diameter of about 3-4 inches.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.

hartlandboy | Mar 17, 2008 08:11pm | #15
You haven't mentioned what the wall is. ie cinder block, paneling, sheetrock???
If there is that much adhesive holding the mirrors on and the wall is sheetrock I would cut them out. It would be pretty easy to repair with new rock and you would be dealing with a clean surface. If you do get the mirrors off with whatever method is going to work aside from cutting the rock you have a pretty beat up surface to skim out and make look good, assuming it is sheetrock.
I believe the job would be easier, a lot safer, quicker in the long run and a nicer looking job when finished.
If your walls are block then please disregard everything I've just spent hours typing to try and explain.... :-)
Good luck
Gary

bob444 | Mar 18, 2008 02:00am | #16
OK gang. First off thanks to all for all the good suggestions. I know this isn't your everyday problem. So that I now make myself clear, the walls of the basement are cinder block but are covered with frp board or Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic. This is a waterproof barrier.
I took the suggestion to cover the mirror with plastic tape then went to duct tape over the entire mirror. I started with a long flexible japanese saw and started cutting. This got me almost nowhere so I used a heatgun to heat the mirror and the blade as far into the center as I could reach. After about 3-4 minutes of heat I could then push the blade into the soft glue. Since the entire back was not covered but with many spots and lines of glue I could work just a little at a time. Finally I got most of the spots loose. Now the mirror broke into three pieces but not all over the place. I just cut the tape holding the pieces and removed them. I was now able to reach the remaining gluespots and finally remove the remainder of the mirror. Total time one huor ten minutes but with very little mess. The mirror did break but was held together by the tape. I only have eight mirrors to go. I'm not sure that I can stand 56 more years of bad luck but I did remove the one I need to at this time.
Thanks to all

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What will dissolve liquid nails?

To do this, heat the adhesive with an electric heat gun or blow dryer. Alternatively, you could coat the adhesive with petroleum jelly or mineral spirits for at least 12 hours to a day.

How do you get adhesive off a mirror?

Remove any glue you can pick off with your fingernail or a blunt tool. Next, use a glass cleaner and a cloth to wipe off anything that will come up with a little pressure. Use water on a cloth and rub it in in a circular motion. Continue the process until the glue is removed.

Is Liquid Nail easy to remove?

Liquid Nails actually becomes quite resistant to solvents and has a fairly high temperature resistance making it even harder to remove. Your best bet is to scrape and grind away and residual product mechanically.

How do you get liquid nail stains out?

Gently rub petroleum jelly, vegetable or mineral oil onto the skin. Repeat applications may be needed. Remove any contaminated clothing and be sure to wash it before wearing it again.