The Complete Guide to Mirror Glass: Silvering, Bevels, Antiquing & Quality Grades

Mirrors are judged by their frames and fail because of their backs. This Furniture in Fashion guide explains how mirror glass is actually built, from float glass through chemical silvering to the paint layers that seal the metal against moisture, and shows why almost every mirror problem starts at an edge. It sets out what a bevel does structurally as well as decoratively, by removing the fragile arris and creating a perimeter that is easier to seal, and explains that antiqued or foxed mirror is a deliberate sealed finish rather than a failing coating. The guide also covers the faint green cast of standard float glass against neutral low iron glass, tinted and smoked panels used in mirrored furniture, and why safety backing film is the specification to insist on for full length, bathroom and children's room mirrors. Practical checks follow on reading flatness, colour cast and edge finish, alongside cleaning advice that prevents black spotting....