Get matched with top mirrors installers and replacers in Chicago, IL

Mirrors come in nearly any size, with your local home improvement store usually having 48-inch by 72-inch mirrors for a home gym or dance studio. You can also buy custom-designed mirrors in whatever size fits your needs. Oversized mirrors often start at $1,000 or more, depending on the size and design. 

Mirrors are expensive because manufacturing them requires specialized machinery, such as a furnace that reaches ultra-high temperatures to produce molten glass, then a way to cool and form the glass. You cut mirrors with a diamond saw and coat them with metal to create a reflective surface. A silver-backed mirror also requires a chemical process, though most mirrors have an aluminum backing now. A framed mirror can also add to the price.

To look for a quality mirror, consider its purity, flatness, thickness, and reflective coating on the glass. The glass purity can ensure a distortion-free reflection, and thicker glass can decrease the chances of distortion as well. The reflective coating makes a difference, and high-quality mirrors will have several thicker coats of reflective material, like tin-mercury, aluminum, or silver.