Mirror

Bathroom Mirror Shapes, Frames and Sizes

A bathroom mirror is the piece the whole wall is arranged around, and the cheapest one is usually the one that clouds at the edges within two years. This category holds framed round and rectangular mirrors, plain mirrors, and mirror-and-shelf pairs in matching finishes. Choose the size from the basin or the cabinet below it, the frame finish from the tap, and the backing from the fact that the room is humid. Fixing it through tiles takes a little planning.

Buying guide

Choosing a Bathroom Mirror That Lasts

A bathroom mirror fails at the edge and the frame, not on the glass, so the backing and the frame metal decide how long it looks new.

Frame, Backing and Shape of a Bathroom Mirror

The frame should be a metal that does not rust. A stainless steel frame in black, rose gold or gold keeps its finish in steam; a painted mild-steel frame shows rust at the corners within a year. Ask what the frame is, not just what colour it is.

The backing decides the black spots. Mirror glass clouds from the edge inwards when moisture gets at the silvering. A moisture-resistant backing and a sealed edge delay that for years; a bare edge in a wet room does not.

Round softens, rectangular fills. A round mirror suits a single basin and a small room; a wide rectangle covers a double basin or a long cabinet. Match the width to the basin cabinet or the basin below rather than to the wall.

Mirror and shelf pairs give a ledge under the glass for a toothbrush cup in one matching finish. If you need real storage, a mirror cabinet does more; if you want light, see the LED mirrors.

Size, Height and Fixing on Tiles

Width follows the basin. A mirror slightly narrower than the cabinet or the same width as the basin reads as intended; one wider than the cabinet looks like it was bought for another room.

Height follows the tap and the eye. The bottom edge clears the tap by a hand's width; the centre sits at eye level for the tallest regular user. Mark both on the wall with tape before drilling.

Fix through the tile face, not the grout. Drill with a tile bit on slow speed, hammer action off, through masking tape, and use a plug suited to the wall behind. The bathroom accessories page has the same fixing rules for rails and hooks.

Keep it off the shower wall. Direct spray shortens the life of any mirror. Over the basin, on the dry wall, with a little air movement from a window or an extractor, it lasts.

Common questions

What size should a bathroom mirror be?

About the width of the basin or slightly narrower than the cabinet below it, and tall enough that the centre sits at eye level. Over a double basin, one wide rectangle or two matching round mirrors both work.

Why do bathroom mirrors get black spots at the edge?

Moisture reaches the silver layer behind the glass from the cut edge and corrodes it. A mirror made with a moisture-resistant backing and a sealed edge resists it for years; cheap mirror glass in a wet room does not.

Round or rectangular bathroom mirror?

Round suits a single basin, a small room and a softer look. Rectangular covers a wide cabinet or a double basin and gives more usable glass. Match the frame finish to the tap either way.

How do you hang a bathroom mirror on tiles?

Mark the position, drill through masking tape with a tile bit on slow speed and no hammer action, fit plugs suited to the wall behind, and hang the mirror on its bracket or hooks. Aim the holes at the tile face, not at a grout line or a tile edge.

Framed or frameless bathroom mirror?

Frameless looks lighter but exposes the glass edge, which is where moisture gets in. A metal frame protects the edge and ties the mirror to the tap finish. In a wet bathroom, framed usually lasts longer.

Bring the cabinet or basin width and a photo of the tap; matching the frame finish is easier side by side in the showroom than on a screen.

Visit the showroom