The Science Behind How Mirrors Work

By installing mirrors in your home or business, you can make a small space feel a lot larger than it actually is. You can also utilize mirrors as decorative features that will enhance the style of a room and improve the way it looks. It’s why many home and business owners incorporate mirrors into the mix and have mirror replacement in Houston done to replace older mirrors. Find out more about mirrors and how they work below.

Mirrors are created through a process called silvering.

Over the last thousand years or so, the process of creating mirrors has changed a lot. Once upon a time, it took so much effort to create mirrors that only the wealthiest of people could afford them. Today, mirrors are created by spraying silver or aluminum that has been heated up onto a cool sheet of glass. This creates the mirrored surface that you recognize when you look at a mirror.

Mirrors work by using specular reflection to reflect light.

When light hits an uneven surface, that light scatters everywhere during what is called diffuse reflection. However, when it hits a mirror, light doesn’t scatter at all. The light will hit the smooth surface of the mirror and bounce back intact due to specular reflection, which is why you are able to see an undisturbed image on the surface of a mirror when you stand in front of it. A mirror allows you to see a lightprint of yourself as well as other items in the area.

Mirrors can be positioned in many ways to reflect light from different angles.

If you are thinking about adding mirrors to your home or office, there are quite a few types of mirrors that you can use to create a sense of space. From a wall mirror that will create an added sense of depth in a room to smaller decorative mirrors that will reflect light in all sorts of interesting ways, you can put mirrors to good use and see the benefits of using them right away.

Before you contact a residential or commercial glass company to obtain new mirrors, glass, or windows, you should familiarize yourself with some of the terms that you might hear while speaking with them. Hurricane Glass & Mirror can assist you with mirror or glass window replacement in Houston while helping you understand some of the most common mirror and glass terms.

When you talk with a residential or commercial glass company for the first time, you will likely hear about things like air infiltration, which is the amount of air that leaks out of a building through cracks in walls, windows, or doors, and condensation, which is the water that forms on glass surfaces. You will also hear about concepts like heat loss and U-value. Whether you are looking to install frameless shower doors in your home or double pane windows in your office, we will be by your side to explain all of the confusing terms to you. When you work with Hurricane Glass & Mirror, our goal will be to make you feel comfortable and to answer any and all questions you have about our industry so you can make an informed decision about your next purchase.

Do you want to create some separation between the various rooms and cubicles in your office? You can do it rather easily by using commercial glass services to install glass partitions within your office space. Whether you want to section off a few specific rooms with glass partitions or you want to give your employees the privacy they need by putting up partitions in between their workspaces, there are many benefits to hiring a glass company located in Houston to add partitions to your office. Check out a few of the glass partition benefits below.

They will allow natural light to spread throughout your office.

In order to separate certain parts of your office from others, you could put up walls. It will get the job done, but it will also limit the amount of natural light in your office. With commercial glass, you can get all the natural light you want while still building the walls that you need. They will be glass walls that will make your entire office feel brighter than ever before. Your employees will appreciate the light and clients visiting your office will take notice of it, too.

They will help you save money on your energy bills.

If you are running an office that doesn’t have any walls dividing it up, then you have probably realized just how difficult it can be to heat and cool it. With glass partitions, you can control the climate of your office more effectively and make it feel more comfortable for your employees. Additionally, you can do it without having to spend money to make costly structural changes to your office.

They will offer your employees more privacy.

Many employees that work in large offices complain about a lack of privacy. Glass partitions can give them the privacy they desire and keep noise levels to a minimum. You can also tint or frost glass partitions with help from a glass company if you want to make certain parts of your office even more private. It will give your employees all the privacy they need.

If you’re interested in purchasing a custom wall mirror or full-length mirror in Houston , you should talk to a residential glass expert at your local glass company about antique mirror options. Antique mirrors instantly create a sophisticated, elegant ambient that can complement any home’s design. Here are some tips for purchasing an antique mirror from your local glass company.

Determine Where Your Mirror Will be Placed

The size and style of mirror that you choose will often depend upon where the mirror will be placed in your home. You can choose between wall-mounted mirrors, full-length mirrors, wall mirrors, vanity mirrors, and freestanding mirrors. If you’re placing the mirror in a narrow hallway, a wall mirror can open up the space and make it seem larger and brighter. If you’re looking for a bathroom mirror, you might consider a wall mirror or vanity mirror. If you need a mirror for your bedroom or walk-in closet, a full-length mirror is best.

Investigate Various Time Periods and Mirror Styles

Antique mirrors span a variety of time periods, each characterized by a unique style. Look at pictures of mirrors from the Georgian, Regency, Victorian, and Edwardian periods to see which style you like best. Gothic mirrors tend to have frames with pointed arches and ornate carvings, and are typically crafted out of dark, heavy wood. Baroque mirrors are generally in oval shaped frames of gold or silver, and are less ornate. Art nouveau mirrors have pewter or black lacquer frames, swirling designs with nature motifs, and might incorporate stained glass.

Know How to Identify an Antique Mirror

When you visit your local glass shop to look at their antique mirror selection, you should be familiar with the qualities to look for in antique mirrors. Look at the frame style, mirror shape, and any trademarks or dates on the frame to verify the frame’s manufacturer and the time period in which it was made. The glass in antique mirrors will be thinner, and gray or yellowish in color. It may also have a curved or irregular appearance.