They sure don't make things like in the old days

[BC Dave]

We had a frustrating experience while hanging a large and fairly heavy newly purchased picture in our renovated bathroom on the weekend. While we were attaching a wire to hang it, one of the screws snapped off, leaving a cracked and non-usable frame. This is the second time this has happened. The other time involved a huge, really heavy mirror whose frame failed months after we had hung it two or three feet above a sofa. Luckily, the couch was a few inches away from the wall and the mirror crashed to the floor behind it while no one was around. This could have killed or badly injured anyone who was sitting there, leaning back. I thought that the mirror frame had been made out of wood, but its internal composition resembled that hard foam candy you can buy. The screw just broke right out of it, taking a chunk of frame with it.

One would think that consumer laws would protect us from this sort of negligence. The screw that snapped out of the bathroom picture frame was short and skinny. Two of them were not up to supporting 30 or 40 pounds of weight.

Surely there must be some injuries or fatalities occurring as a result of these unsafe plastic frames suddenly failing and crashing down on people. Has anyone else had any similar experiences? If someone suffered a brain injury or died, could the chain that sold it be held legally accountable?

[GordonH]

In most cases I tend place a pilot hole here is quick chart:
https://www.boltdepot.com/fastener-info ... -Size.aspx

[Bpeep]

*removed*

[looking4one]

*removed*

[Poindexter]

The other time involved a huge, really heavy mirror whose frame failed months after we had hung it two or three feet above a sofa.

Had the same thing happen to a glass mosaic above our fireplace that had been up there for a few years. It smashed all the nick knacks and dust collectors my wife had on the mantle as well. So basically it was a happy ending. Love those weak new frames.