Listen to this guide
Only if the back is built for it. The glass does not care which way up it hangs, and neither does the frame; a 200 x 100cm rectangle is the same rectangle on its side. What changes is what the wall is holding onto. A mirror made to hang either way carries two pairs of hangers, one pair for each orientation, and each pair sits near the edge that will be the top. A mirror made to hang one way carries one pair, and turning it puts that pair at the top left corner and the bottom right, where it holds nothing. So the question is never "can this shape go sideways". It is "has this back got a level pair of hangers on the edges that will become the sides", and you answer it in about two minutes with the mirror face down on a blanket.
This guide is the two minutes. It gives you four things to check on any mirror, shows you the back of ours that is built for both ways, lists which of our mirrors are rated for it and which are not, and does the arithmetic for the part people skip: how two fixings carry 28 kg across a 2 m span on a New Zealand stud wall. Where to put a landscape mirror and how high belong to our above the sofa guide and the rectangle sizing guide; the fixings themselves live in the plasterboard, concrete and brick and tiled wall guides. This one is about the back of the mirror.
The short version. Lay the mirror face down. Find the hangers. A mirror that can hang on its side has a pair on the two short edges, level with each other and set the same distance in from one long edge, with the narrow end of each keyhole pointing at that long edge. If it only has a pair on the long edges, it hangs upright and nothing you do with the wall changes that.
Then weigh the idea, not the mirror: the product page gives the weight. Anything over 20 kg goes into timber. On its side, the Aldren X puts its two hangers about 195 cm apart, which no stud layout in a New Zealand house meets, so the honest fixing is a batten across the studs.
Why can some mirrors hang either way and others not?
Three parts of a mirror decide its orientation, and the glass is not one of them. The first is the hangers. A keyhole plate, a D ring or a welded hook is fitted for one direction: it faces up, it sits near the top, and it comes as a level pair. Two pairs, one on each axis, is what "hangs horizontally or vertically" means on a product page. The second is the backing. A one piece MDF board glued to the glass spreads the glass's weight into the whole frame, so the frame carries it just as well with the long rail at the bottom as with the short one; a mirror built with a stand, a rear rail or a bracket on the back has a structure that only works one way up. The third is weight. Our Aldren X is 28 kg, and 25 kg of that is glass: a 5 mm sheet, 2 m by 1 m, weighs about 25 kg before you add a frame. The frame does not mind which way the glass sits on it. The wall minds a great deal how that 28 kg arrives at two screws, and a 2 m span spreads the two screws further apart than any pair of studs.
That is the whole reason our range splits the way it does. Ten mirrors in it are rated to hang either way, and all ten are rectangles or near rectangles with a plain backing and no stand. The other forty one are not, and the reason on each page is one of the three above: a rail or a stand on the back, hooks welded for one position, or a weight the maker wants carried upright.
What should you check on the back?
Face down on a blanket, two people for anything over 20 kg, and a tape measure. Then, in this order:
- Is there a pair for the orientation you want? Pick the edge that will be the top. The hangers that will carry the mirror are the ones on the two edges beside it, not on it. For a landscape hang the top is a long edge, so you need one hanger on each short edge. If both hangers sit on the long edges, that pair serves the upright position and you have your answer already.
- Are they a matched pair, level with each other? Measure from the top edge down to each hanger. They should match to within a centimetre or two; our pages allow 1 to 2 cm, and a difference bigger than that tilts the mirror. On a 2 m span even a 2 cm difference is only about half a degree, which is why landscape hides small errors better than upright does, but measure both anyway and mark both, as the irregular mirror guide shows, rather than assuming.
- Does the keyhole point the right way? A keyhole plate hangs with its narrow slot above the round hole: the screw head goes through the round hole and the mirror drops so the shank sits in the slot. So the narrow end must point at the edge that will be the top. On a mirror built for both ways each pair's slots point a different way, and that is the quickest tell of all: if the slots on the short edges point along the short edge, the mirror was never meant to hang from them.
- Is the backing one rigid sheet, and is the weight within two timber fixings? Press the back. It should be one board, not a paper dust cover over a frame with air behind it, and the plates should be screwed to the frame or to that board with four screws each, not stapled. Then read the weight on the product page: under 15 kg can live on rated plasterboard anchors, 15 to 20 kg is borderline, and anything over 20 kg goes into timber, which is the rule in our plasterboard guide.
What not to do. Do not add a pair of hangers to a mirror that is not rated for it. The 10 mm backing board holds the glass; it was never meant to take the whole mirror on two screws driven into its edge, and a screw into an aluminium frame's rear flange needs the right screw, the right position and a maker who put a reinforcement there. On an irregular or arched mirror the problem is worse, because the shape has no straight top to hang from. Buy the piece that is rated, or hang the one you have the way it was built.
Do not hang anything over 20 kg from plasterboard anchors alone, in either orientation, and do not lift a 2 m mirror onto two screws by yourself; while you are hooking it on, one screw can briefly take the whole 28 kg.
Where are the hangers on the Aldren X?
The rear photo on the Aldren X product page shows the whole answer, and the white Aldren Alba's rear photo, which is the same 32 mm aluminium frame and the same backing, shows it more clearly because the mirror is out of its carton and on its side. There are four keyhole plates, each a small metal plate with a keyhole slot and four screws into the frame's rear flange. Two sit on the short edges, about 25 cm below one long edge, level with each other and roughly 195 cm apart. That is the landscape pair. Two sit on the long edges, about 24 cm in from one short end, roughly 95 cm apart. That is the upright pair. Each pair's slots point at its own top edge, so whichever way you hang the mirror, two keyholes are correctly placed near the top and the other two sit idle near the floor.
Those figures are scaled off the photographs, not measured with a tape, and the page itself allows a 1 to 2 cm tolerance on hanger placement, so treat them as a map, not a drilling template. The drilling template is your own mirror: measure each plate's distance from the top edge and from the end, and measure the spacing between the pair. The round mirror guide shows the paper template method for transferring those two numbers to the wall, and it works just as well on a rectangle.
How do two fixings carry 28 kg across a 2 m span?
Still, hanging, the Aldren X puts 14 kg on each keyhole. Going up, it does not. While you lift one side onto its screw and then the other, one screw briefly takes most of the 28 kg, so our rule, which the irregular guide and the large wall mirror guide both use, is that each fixing should be good for the whole mirror on its own. On plasterboard that means timber. The plasterboard guide puts a single toggle anchor at about 10 kg and sends anything over 20 kg into a stud.
Which is where the span bites. Most New Zealand internal walls are timber studs at 400 or 600 mm centres behind Gib. Two hangers both land on studs only when their spacing is a whole number of bays, give or take the couple of centimetres the keyhole lets you slide. On its side, the Aldren X's pair sit about 195 cm apart. That is not a multiple of 40 or 60, so with the mirror where you want it, one hanger will find a stud and the other will find plasterboard.
| Hangers apart (cm) | Both on timber at 400 mm centres | Both on timber at 600 mm centres | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | yes | no | Two stud screws, if the mirror can sit where the studs are. |
| 120 | yes | yes | Two stud screws on either framing; the easy case. |
| 160 | yes | no | Two stud screws in a 400 house; a batten in a 600 house. |
| 180 | no | yes | Two stud screws in a 600 house; a batten in a 400 house. |
| about 195 (Aldren X on its side) | no | no | A full width batten across three or four studs, then two screws into the batten at the keyhole spacing. |
Both on timber means the spacing is within 2 cm of a whole number of stud bays. Houses vary; find your studs first. Older villas and bungalows can have studs anywhere.
The batten is the honest fix, and it is easy. A length of dressed timber the full width of the mirror, screwed into every stud it crosses, which for a 2 m batten is three or four studs at 600 centres and five or six at 400. Then two screws into the batten at exactly the keyhole spacing, level, heads left proud about 5 mm, and the mirror hangs from those. The batten turns a two point hang into a line of timber fixings, it hides behind a 33 mm deep frame if you choose a thin one, and it lets you centre the mirror on the sideboard instead of on the studs. On concrete, brick or tiles the span is the same but the fixings are different; the concrete and brick guide and the tiled wall guide cover those.
Which of our mirrors are rated to hang either way?
Ten of the fifty one mirrors in our range today are listed for both orientations. One of them is in stock and not on clearance, and it is the one on this page. The others are here because the method is the same for all of them, and because a few need a caveat.
| Mirror | Size | Weight | What the product page shows | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aldren X | 200 x 100cm | 28kg | Four keyhole plates on the rear photo: a pair on the short edges for landscape, a pair on the long edges for upright. 32 mm aluminium frame, 10 mm MDF backing. | In stock |
| Aldren Alba | 200 x 100cm | 28kg | Same frame and the same four plates as the Aldren X, in white. Its rear photo is the clearest of the three. | Clearance, while stocks last |
| Aldren Aurelia | 200 x 100cm | 28kg | Same frame and the same four plates, in gold. | Clearance, while stocks last |
| Lowen X | 220 x 120cm | 45kg | Listed for either way on 10 mm MDF backing. The back is not shown on the page, so check the pair before you hang it. At 45 kg it is a two person lift into timber. | Low stock |
| Monarch X | 180 x 120cm | 29kg | Listed for upright, on its side, or leaning. Frameless, so the plates sit on the backing board; the back is not shown on the page yet. | Pre order |
| Cielle | 180 x 120cm | 29kg | The page text says either way, but its rear photo shows one pair of keyholes on the sides, and an arch on its side is an odd shape. Treat it as upright until the page says otherwise. | Pre order |
| Branewood | 180 x 80cm | 25kg | Listed for either way. 45 mm PS frame. | Clearance, while stocks last |
| Tresson | 180 x 80cm | 25kg | Listed for either way; its rear photo shows reinforced hanging hooks on the back panel. | Clearance, while stocks last |
| Solene X | 170 x 70cm | 16kg | Listed for either way. The lightest of the framed pieces at 16 kg. | Clearance, while stocks last |
| Facet X | 170 x 70cm | 14kg | The X series back is described as secure in either orientation. 14 kg. | Sold out |
Read from each product page on 27 October 2026: the orientation line, the weight, and the rear photos where the page has them. Stock words change; the product page is current.
The one you can buy today
Aldren X Rectangular Full Length Mirror, 200 x 100cm
Black 32 mm aluminium frame, 5 mm double silver glass, 10 mm MDF backing, 28 kg. Four keyhole plates: upright it is a 2 m dressing mirror, on its side it is a 2 m wide landscape mirror for a sideboard, a bed wall or a long sofa. The pair for each orientation is already on the back.
What about the mirrors that only hang upright?
Forty one of our mirrors are listed for one orientation, and the page gives the reason in every case. Grouped, they look like this.
| Why it hangs one way | How many | Which ones |
|---|---|---|
| A rail on the back for freestanding use | 4 | Magna X, Magna Alba, Magna Aurelia and Augusta X. The rear rail is the whole point of them; they are not for the wall at all. |
| A stand in the box, and wall hanging upright | 10 | Titan, Titan Alba, Titan Aurelia, Zenith X, Zenith Alba, Zenith Aurelia, Svelte X, Svelte Alba, Svelte Aurelia and Nova. The hangers serve the upright position only. |
| Hooks welded to a cast iron frame | 4 | Bastia X, Bastia Aurelia, Tivoli X and Ravel. Two hooks welded on for one orientation; there is nothing to move. |
| Too heavy to turn | 1 | Louis, 220 x 120 cm at 45 kg. The page says vertical wall mounting only. |
| Keyhole hangers fitted for upright | 1 | Fontenay, 39 kg on two brass keyholes set for the upright position. |
| Listed for upright hanging, or leaning | 18 | Cascade X, Gabriel, Grandeur X, Grandeur Alba, Grandeur Aurelia, Rachelle, Titan X, Titan X Alba, Titan X Aurelia, Arcadia X, Nocturne, Eclipse, Cheval, Le Beau, Lumi, Lyra, Clair and the Le Beau and Le Vue set. One pair of hangers, one way up; the two LED pieces also have a cable that wants to be at the bottom. |
| Wall mirrors that already hang the one way | 2 | Le Vue, 120 x 100 cm, and the round Aure, which has no orientation to argue about. |
| Over the door | 1 | Elodie, which hangs on its door hooks and nothing else. |
Counts from the live catalogue on 27 October 2026, including sold out and pre order listings. Freestanding pieces are not for the wall in any orientation.
If you want a wide mirror without turning anything
Three honest routes. The Aldren X on its side gives you 2 m of width and 1 m of height from a single piece, and it is the only one of the ten you can buy today without a caveat. Two upright mirrors side by side give you the same width with more height and two sets of fixings each on a comfortable 95 cm spacing; the two mirrors side by side guide does that arithmetic. And the Le Vue, 120 cm tall by 100 cm wide, is a wall mirror that already hangs the one way it was built, which suits a console or a mantelpiece where a 2 m span would be too much. The Monarch X at 180 x 120cm is rated for both ways and is on pre order; the Lowen X at 220 x 120cm is rated for both and is low in stock, and at 45 kg it is a two person job into timber whichever way it goes.
Whichever you choose, hang it at the height the above the sofa guide gives you: with a 2.4 m ceiling, a 100 cm tall landscape mirror sits with its frame from about 100 to 200 cm, which keeps the ceiling out of the reflection for a standing viewer. And if you are moving it first, the 2026 buying guide has the one rule that matters: carry it upright, never lying down.
The limits of this guide
The hanger positions are scaled from product photographs, not measured, and the page's own tolerance applies; measure your mirror before you drill. The weight figures are the listed weights. The stud spacings are the common ones in New Zealand timber framing, and your wall may not have them; a stud finder is the first tool, not the last. We have not load tested a batten, a keyhole or a wall; the rule that each fixing should carry the whole mirror is a margin, not a measurement. And nothing here makes a mirror rated for one orientation safe in the other.
Frequently asked questions
Can a full length mirror be hung horizontally?
Yes, if its back carries a pair of hangers on the two short edges, level with each other and set near one long edge. That is what a product page means by "hangs horizontally or vertically". A mirror with one pair on its long edges hangs upright only, and a mirror with a stand or a rear rail is not for the wall at all. Our Aldren X at 200 x 100cm has both pairs and is rated for either way.
How do I tell which way up a mirror is meant to hang from the back?
Find the hangers. The edge they sit nearest is the top, and the two edges they sit on are the sides. On a keyhole plate the narrow slot points up when the mirror hangs, so the narrow end points at the top edge. A mirror built for both orientations has two pairs whose slots point in different directions; each pair serves the orientation its slots point to.
Can I add hangers to turn an upright mirror sideways?
We would not. The backing board holds the glass and was not made to carry the whole mirror on two screws near its edge, and a plate screwed into an aluminium frame needs a reinforcement the maker only fits where the rated pairs go. On an arched or irregular mirror there is no straight top to hang from on the new axis either. If you want a landscape mirror, buy one that is rated for it.
Does a mirror distort when it hangs on its side?
No. A mirror held against a wall by a one piece backing stays as flat on its side as it is upright; the glass is the same sheet either way. Distortion comes from a thin mirror bowing, usually when it leans at an angle and gravity pulls the centre out, which our distortion guide explains. Hung from a level pair of hangers with the backing against the wall, a 5 mm mirror reads straight in both orientations.
Can plasterboard hold a 28 kg mirror hung sideways?
Not on anchors alone. A single toggle anchor in 10 mm Gib is good for about 10 kg, and while you hook a 28 kg mirror onto its screws one fixing can briefly take the lot. Fix into timber: two stud screws if the hanger spacing lands on two studs, or a batten screwed into every stud it crosses with two screws in the batten at the keyhole spacing. On its side the Aldren X's hangers are about 195 cm apart, which needs the batten.
How high should a landscape mirror hang above a sofa or sideboard?
With a 2.4 m ceiling, keep the top of the frame at about 200 cm so a standing viewer does not see ceiling in the glass, and leave 15 to 25 cm between the furniture and the bottom of the frame. A 100 cm tall landscape mirror above an 80 to 85 cm sofa back or sideboard therefore sits with its frame from about 100 to 200 cm, which is the layout in our above the sofa guide.
Checked the back?
Browse our full length mirrors and wall mirrors, with the orientation line, the weight and the rear photo on each product page. Delivered NZ wide by Mainfreight at the live rate shown before you pay, or collect from our Albany showroom at Unit B, 19 Arrenway Drive, Rosedale, open seven days. Afterpay and Zip available. NZ designed, NZ owned, rated 4.9 stars from over 200 reviews across our range.
Written by the C&F Creation Team. Figures: the orientation line, weight and rear product photographs on each of our mirror product pages, read on 27 October 2026, with hanger positions scaled off the Aldren X and Aldren Alba rear photographs; stud centres and anchor ratings as used in our plasterboard guide.
