Acrylic Mirrors

one way mirror

Lightweight, shatter resistant, bright reflection

The observer is able to see through it, while on the other side, the people being observed are unaware that it is anything other than a regular mirror. We manufacture cut-to-size acrylic one way mirrors with a bright silver finish which looks nearly identical to a standard mirror. Our acrylic mirrors are difficult to shatter, which makes them ideal f or observation in prisons, interrogation rooms, mental hospitals, and anywhere liability is a concern like stores, daycares, and schools.

     Acrylic One Way Mirror »


Glass Mirrors

one way mirrors

Durable coating, weather resistant, easily cleaned

Glass one way mirrors have a different appearance than acrylic, it is more of a bronze/gold and is only reflective from one side. This can be an advantage for many different types of applications, where both sides are going to be illuminated. Glass can be tempered to give it 5-10x the strength. We sell samples of all of our products in case you want to evaluate them first before investing in a larger mirror.


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One Way Mirror Information

police mirror

A one way mirror is also commonly referred to as a two way mirror since it actually acts as a mirror from only one side while serving as a window on the other side. The term “one way mirror” is a common misconception for this reason.

A one way mirror allows up to twenty percent of light through while reflecting the rest of the light from an aluminum surface. The surface is generally comprised of aluminum in which just enough metal is distributed on the surface to reflect only half of the light.

How One Way Mirrors Work

A one way mirror consists of a light side and a dark side with one side allowing bright light while the opposite side allows faint light through. The side that is dark allows little light to transmit to the light side with a minimum amount of light reflecting back from the dark side. The majority of the light comes from the bright side with a lot of light being reflected back on this side.

As a result, the light side produces more light which overpowers the light coming from the dark side. If you are on the bright side of the mirror you will see a mirror reflection and if you are on the dark side you can see through the mirror as a window.
mirror reflection
With a conventional mirror a silver metal is applied to the second layer so the entire amount of light is reflected back to the person looking in the mirror. A one way mirror is created in the same manner except the layer of glass contains one separate surfaces consisting of a front side surface and a surface that is located behind the layer of glass.

A layer of metal or acrylic is used for the front surface of the glass in a thin coat that allows a reflection to be seen by the person looking at the mirror. The thin coating allows a percentage of light through which allows the person on the other side to view the mirror as a window.


How Is a One Way Mirror Used?

  • Police Departments: A one way mirror is commonly used by law enforcement during the interrogation process. It provides a way for police officers to observe the behavior of a potential criminal without the criminal knowing he is being observed during the interrogation.

  • Retail Surveillance: Another way one way mirrors are used is for surveillance in retail establishments. Often retail stores will install mirrors not only to provide a spacious appearance to the store but also to observe shoppers that may have the potential to shoplift items from the establishment.

  • Television Industry: One way mirrors are also used in the television industry to provide a way to reflect the script so the performer or speaker can read from it during a televised production. This gives the illusion that the speaker is speaking directly to the audience when in reality they are reading from a script.

  • Scientific Instruments: One way mirrors are also used in scientific instruments such as telescopes and microscopes that require separate lighting to allow light to pass through and at the same time be reflected.


Types of One Way Mirrors

One way mirrors are commonly made of acrylic or glass with the latter being the higher quality grade of mirror. An acrylic one way mirror is shatterproof and allows for a wide variety of flexible designs and shapes. It is also less expensive than a one way glass mirror. This grade of mirror can be made available with options such as abrasion resistant surfaces, pressure sensitive backing, and optional surface plating of standard or first surface mirror sheeting.

A glass one way mirror is not shatterproof and can be designed in a variety of sizes and shapes. It is also available in different options that include abrasion proof surfaces and different types of sheeting options. A glass one way mirror is the common choice for the law enforcement and television industry.

How to Detect a One Mirror
 detect one way mirror
You can tell if a mirror is a one way mirror by placing the tip of your finger against the reflective surface. If you can see a slight gap between your finger and the image in the mirror it is likely that you are looking at a conventional mirror. If a gap between the one images is non-existent there is a possibility that you are viewing a one way mirror.

You can also turn off the lights and if the light is more intense on the other side you should be able to see images from the room on the opposite side of the mirror. The mirror will also produce a hollow sound when you tap on it since there is lack of backing on the opposite side.

Although one way mirrors are sometimes the subject of controversial issues, for the most part they are used for very productive purposes such as for scientific experiments and marketing case studies as well as for the purposes we have discussed here.


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