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I intend to use four eye screws, pictured, to hang a wood-framed mirror. The mirror is about 44"x32".

eye screw

But installing four eye screws (two on the bottom, one on each side, with a cable running through them, finished with a pair of L-shaped 2" screws in a wall stud) makes me unsure the 4 eye screws would be reliable for the 20lb weight.

And so I'd like to use some kind of "platform", sort-of like the one pictured below, that attaches with four screws and that has built-in some kind of loop, similar to the eye screws. I'm guessing that 16 screws would be enough for twice the weight of the mirror—a good safety margin.

enter image description here

A cable wire would then wrap around the four connection points and provide good support. I'd turn the cable into a loop with the contraption pictured below.

wire cable

What kind of "platform" do I need, and what kind of screws would work?

The solid-wood frame is just shy of 3/4" (17mm) thick, and the frame is of an unknown grain, as pictured below. The only constraint being, to state the obvious, the screws cannot protrude from the face of the frame.

mirror

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  • Seems like you'd want to show us the mirror.
    – isherwood
    Mar 20, 2018 at 17:37
  • @isherwood I thought it wouldn't add any helpful info. In any case, updated.
    – Calaf
    Mar 20, 2018 at 18:32
  • That image doesn't. Show us the entire frame from the back side, please.
    – isherwood
    Mar 20, 2018 at 21:02

1 Answer 1

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I am at a loss as to what "some kind of "platform", sort-of like the one pictured below " is supposed to do or how it would be used.

I would Use a french cleat and some stand offs on the bottom of equal thickness of the cleat so the mirror hangs parallel to the wall. ( Or adjust the thickness of the standoff to achieve any angle you like )

Another option is to use two D-rings on the back of the mirror with a cable and one or two solid (in structure or toggle anchors) hangers on the wall. This system is common for heavy mirrors and photographs .

enter image description here

Or another option would be to use Keyhole mounting brackets

The advantage of the D-rings and cable is that you can adjust the mirror to hang straight after it is mounted, but with the cleat and keyhole care must be taken to mount the mirror LEVEL. The D-ring is a more adjustable system, and the cleat and keyhole are more solid mounts, because the mirror cannot move around—even if bumped slightly—after it is installed.

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    @isherwood Sometimes i do not know what i mean,That is to say, i mean my thoughts are not perpendicular to my meaning nor my meaning parallel to my thoughts.
    – Alaska Man
    Mar 20, 2018 at 21:16
  • Three solutions; great! But I'm unclear why you say the cleat and keyhole is more solid. My concern is that the mirror would detach from the screws (because the frame is thin). And the french cleats (as you show them) attach by three screws, whereas the keyhole (also the ones you point to) attach with just two screws each.
    – Calaf
    Mar 20, 2018 at 21:36
  • @Calaf, All three solutions will keep the mirror on the wall as long as you use the right anchors. By more solid he means the mirror won't move around after mounting. With a wire between D-rings the mirror is hanging at a slight angle and can be adjusted (or bumped) fairly easily. If it's hanging in a high traffic area you may prefer the more rigid solution (but measure twice and use a level).
    – Stanwood
    Mar 20, 2018 at 23:16
  • All is well. These are all good ideas. I guess I was hoping that there would also be a D-ring in the middle of a plate with four screws in the corner, but maybe they don't make these. My only remaining concern is the type of screw to use. If I use 12 screws (on 3-screw D-rings) then each screw would carry maybe 2 lbs. Can one reasonably expect that from wood screws that are only 3/4" long?
    – Calaf
    Mar 21, 2018 at 0:19

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