How is a mirror made?
All Gardner Glass Products mirrors are created using a “wet deposition” method. The process begins with “mirror quality” glass, which is a higher grade of glass than glass used in windows or doors. The annealed (non-tempered) or tempered glass is first cleaned by the application of a cleanser called cerium, which makes the glass as clean as possible. It is scrubbed to perfection with oscillating scrub brushes. After the glass is rinsed, the surface of the glass is sensitized with a diluted solution of tin chloride. This surface treatment prepares the surface for the deposition of silver. Silver nitrate (yes, that’s REAL silver) is then sprayed onto the sensitized surface with a closely monitored thickness for uniformity. Once the silver layer is on the glass, a layer of copper is then applied directly onto the silver and both layers are covered by protective mirror backing paint. The mirror backing paint protects the metal layers from corrosion and from scratching during transit or ins
