{"id":134,"date":"2021-12-16T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-16T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/housecaravan.com\/?p=134"},"modified":"2022-10-24T21:05:54","modified_gmt":"2022-10-25T02:05:54","slug":"what-are-mirrors-made-of","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/housecaravan.com\/what-are-mirrors-made-of\/","title":{"rendered":"What are Mirrors Made Of?"},"content":{"rendered":"

What mirrors are made of is a mystery to many people. If you are curious like many other people, you may have thought about what mirrors are made of quite a few times. We have written this post to answer this question in the most comprehensive manner possible. Our team of researchers has gathered all the facts and we will tell you everything you need to know in this post.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are mirrors made of? <\/span>Every mirror is made of a base material and a reflective covering. The most common base material used by manufacturers nowadays to produce mirrors is glass. But other base materials that could be used include metal and stones. The reflective covering, which produces the image reflections in the mirror, is often made of metals. Some common metals used by manufacturers include silver, nickel, tin, chromium, and aluminum. Nowadays, most manufacturers prefer to use aluminum but many still use silver too.<\/b><\/p>\n

Humans have always been fascinated by the possibility of seeing their reflections of themselves. And not understanding the components of mirrors, some people have built fears and superstitions about how mirrors form images. Some people even believe that mirrors are magic material that creates a parallel spirit world on the other side. But then, mirrors do not just exist by themselves; they are made. As you read on, we will show you the different components with which mirrors are made.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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Photo by Lisa Fotios<\/a><\/strong> from Pexels<\/a><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

What Materials are Used to Make a Mirror<\/b><\/h2>\n

The materials used to make a mirror nowadays are glass, aluminum, and chrome. While glass is often used as the base material of the mirror, aluminum and chrome are typically used to make the mirror\u2019s reflective surface. Other base materials that have been used in history, or that are still being used include polished stones, black obsidian, metals, and plastic substrates.<\/b><\/p>\n

Nobody seems to use polished stones and Obsidian anymore. The advancement of science and technology has replaced these with better base materials, such as glass, metals, and plastic materials. Out of these materials, glass has become the choicest option for making mirrors. It is often coated with a reflective metal to make a mirror. You can also check out this article that discusses what color a mirror is<\/a>. We have shared an in-depth discussion about what creates color in a mirror.<\/span><\/p>\n

As you read on, we will give you a brief explanation of the different base materials that are used to make mirrors:<\/span><\/p>\n

The Different Base Materials for Making Mirrors<\/b><\/h3>\n

The base material of a mirror is usually made of one of the following:<\/span><\/p>\n

Glass<\/b><\/h4>\n

There are different types of glass, with different physical and chemical properties. But they all contain the same primary component, Silica. Another common name for silica is industrial sand. Glass is very transparent, rigid, and has a smooth surface. And because of these properties, they are very befitting base materials for making mirrors. What\u2019s more, it is easy to mold glass into different shapes during the manufacturing process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Plastic<\/b><\/h4>\n

Plastic materials are often used to make mirrors for children. Glass is not safe for children to play with, so plastic comes in as a good alternative. Polycarbonate and acrylic mirrors are the two most common types of plastic substrate mirrors. They are named after the type of plastic the mirrors are made of. Between polycarbonate and acrylic, polycarbonate seems to be the stronger option that hardly breaks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Metals<\/b><\/h4>\n

Metal is another common base material for making mirrors, but it is not as common as glass. To make mirrors with metals, manufacturers polish the metal so that the reflective coating can easily stay on it. Without polishing, the surface of the metal will not be smooth enough for the reflective coating.<\/span><\/p>\n

Polished Stones<\/b><\/h4>\n

This option is already obsolete, but it is important that we still talk about it. In earlier times, people used rocks and stones like obsidian to make mirrors. When these stones were polished well they were able to reflect images quite clearly. However, the advent of technology has created easier and better methods of creating mirrors.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2705 <\/b>Video<\/b> – How are Mirrors Made?<\/b><\/h4>\n

Back in the day, mirrors used to be very expensive and rare to find because they required careful and skillful polishing of metals and stones. But these days, mirrors have become commonplace. This video explains how mirrors became a common household item and the different materials that have been used to make mirrors in the course of history. <\/span>Click the play button below to watch the video.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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