HANG A WALL MIRROR

CLEARING A ROOM TO PAINT FLOORBOARDS IS A GOOD TIME TO DECLUTTER – ONLY RETURN STUFF THAT YOU REALLY WANT IN THERE!

Cherington round wall mirror, £55, Garden Trading

Solid brick and plasterboard walls need separate fixings so make sure you use the right one. With masonry (for example, a stone or brick wall), use a plastic rawlplug and a screw. To hang a mirror on plasterboard, use a fixing like a spring toggle, which will be more secure than a screw. To check that there are no pipes or electric cables in the wall at the point where you plan to attach your mirror, use a detector. Cables usually run vertically up from light switches and down from sockets. Make sure that the mount or wire on the back of your mirror is strong enough to carry its weight. If the mirror is heavy, it may be better to use side fixings like mirror plates. If fixing a bathroom mirror to a tiled wall, put a cross of masking tape over the area you wish to fix the mirror to stop the drill skidding across the surface of the tile. Once you’ve inserted the appropriate fixing and hung your mirror, use a spirit level to check it’s straight.