Fixing a heavy mirror (7kg) onto fence panel

longwalks1

We've got 2 fairly heavy garden mirrors (metal frames, 120cm H x 40cm W) we want to mount on a fence panel.  The mirrors only have the slotted holes for fixing, would 2 x wood screws through a decorative fence panel be strong enough to hold them?

Or is there a better way?

GDB2222

You want to screw through the fence panel, leaving the sharp ends of the screws protruding?

A picture of the fence would help.

Ebe_Scrooge

I'd be a bit wary of doing that - fence panels aren't all that strong, they might struggle to take the weight.  A picture would help - but on the face of it I'd be tempted to fix a reasonably sturdy batten between two posts, then fix the mirror to that - so that the weight is being taken by the posts rather than a panel.

twopenny

Is it your fence?

Eldi_Dos

longwalks1 said:

We've got 2 fairly heavy garden mirrors (metal frames, 120cm H x 40cm W) we want to mount on a fence panel.  The mirrors only have the slotted holes for fixing, would 2 x wood screws through a decorative fence panel be strong enough to hold them?

Or is there a better way?

As fences are quite a common area for neighbours to have a dispute over I think I would be inclined to put a fence post in, positioned in front of fence with a crosspiece attached then hang mirror on that.

I never even knew what a garden mirror was till I looked them up after reading your post, thanks for posting.

FaceHead

twopenny said:

Is it your fence?

This first. 

Then, I'd say the answer is to put a 2x1 baton between the posts, and attach to that. 

Going through the flimsy fence boarding will mean that you neighbour now has spikes poking out on their side, and might not hold anyway. Or you might find the neighbour helping it not hold to get rid of the spikes you've put through the fence.

Bendy_House

As said above, the two screws part isn't the issue - yes, these will be strong enough, as long as the material it's being screwed into also is.
If it's an overlap fence - the horizontal, waney, thin-slatted type (essentially the cheapest type of panel you can buy), then it'll almost certainly cause problems. For a start, what are the chances of the screws landing on the only part - the vertical reinforcing battens - that has even the REMOTEST chance of being strong enough for this? And even if you can screw into these, they will almost certainly fail - bend and sag - after a short while.

Most other 'proper' fence types will, however, be strong enough to hold a 7kg spread weight, provided it's in good condition.

As asked repeatedly - whose fence is this? Yours? If not, don't go there - unless the owner is completely happy with this.

Martin_the_Unjust

longwalks1 said:

……… would 2 x wood screws through a decorative fence panel be strong enough to hold them?

If you’re lucky the mirror would just fall off, if you’re not lucky it’ll rip the fence panel to pieces while doing so.

I’m with the ‘put a proper post in with a T piece to hang it from’ brigade

silvercar

Martin_the_Unjust said:

longwalks1 said:

……… would 2 x wood screws through a decorative fence panel be strong enough to hold them?

If you’re lucky the mirror would just fall off, if you’re not lucky it’ll rip the fence panel to pieces while doing so.

I’m with the ‘put a proper post in with a T piece to hang it from’ brigade

If it breaks as it falls, that is 7 years of bad luck! Doubt I'd call that lucky.

longwalks1

Hi all
sorry for the delay in replying, had a family bereavement and not spent much time doing anything recently.  Yes it is my fence, and it backs on to fallow farmland and there are deep bushes and conifers behind the fence.  The panels are held in by concrete slotted posts.  
 I am thinking fit the 2 x hanging screws as you would a normal mirror (and batten behind the fence panel to screw through and into) and once the mirror is hung (slid down on the slots), fix a batten under the mirror to support the weight