The Secret to Installing an Acrylic Mirror on Walls with Bulges Without Warping your image
Due to its versatility, an acrylic mirror is a popular product among the Australian DIY enthusiasts and interior designers. It is shatterproof and lightweight and provides an alternative to heavy glass which is both safe and stylish. But since acrylic is less rigid than the traditional silvered glass, it has a special property; it tends to follow the contours of the surface onto which it is attached.
When the wall of yours has the slightest bow or swell on it, your own image may well appear to be a carnival funhouse. To obtain a flat, true reflection, there must be a strategic plan to install.
The Surface Irregularities Problems
The walls of most buildings, especially older Australian houses or garage-to-gym makeovers, are seldom plumb. The sheet bends when you apply pressure of a flexible acrylic mirror on an uneven surface with regular adhesives.
This slight curvature changes the manner in which the light reflects off the surface, thus creating a warped image. You have to ensure that the mirror has a hard and flat surface on which the mirror is mounted so it is floating on the imperfections of the wall to ensure clarity is maintained.
Substrate Preparation
The best method of avoiding distortion is to attach the mirror to a hard backing board e.g. 6mm or 9mm of MDF or plywood before the mirror comes into contact with the wall. In this way the acrylic mirror is kept flat by forming such a sandwich. The rigid board can then be attached to the wall that is not straight with a French cleat or a frame to ensure that the board will hang straight, notwithstanding the bumps at the back of it.
The Best Practices of Bonding Your Acrylic Mirror
Whenever you shop for plastic sheets in Australia, it is equally important to make sure that you get the correct adhesive as the mirror itself. The incorrect glue will not only lead to distortion but also impair the reflective backing.
Choice and Dotting of Adhesive
Never apply a solvent based adhesive or a specialised mirror silicone. The glues used in solvents have the ability to corrode the reflective layer resulting in black spots. To achieve a smooth finish, use the adhesive in vertical lines and not blobs. This will work by letting air flow around and avoid pulling the acrylic mirror as glue dries and is a frequent cause of small ripples on the surface.
Summary
Although the acrylic mirror is very versatile and has been known to be very strong, it must be handled with a lot of care during the process of installation in order to achieve an ideal reflection.
