- Plane mirrors are the most common type used today. They are the flat surfaces found in frames or on our bathroom walls. They are made by painting a sheet of glass with a silver backing surface. The silver reflects light back to the viewer, providing the image we see in the mirror. The silver backing coat is made by first coating the glass with tin, which acts as a bonding agent between the glass and the silver coating. The silver coat can be made of actual silver or aluminum, and it is then topped with a layer of paint to give the mirror a finished look.
- A two-way mirror is an object that appears from one side to be a regular mirror, while from the other side, it acts as a window. They are commonly used in police stations or retail establishments. It is made by placing a single, very thin layer of silver onto a sheet of glass. The coated side is placed in a room that is relatively dark, while the uncoated side faces out into a brighter space. The thin layer of silver as well as the lighting differential cause the material to appear as a mirror from the brighter side, while possessing no reflective properties on the darker side.
- A laser mirror is one used in the medical or scientific fields that is designed to reflect light "perfectly," or at all angles, and of any wavelength. They are made by depositing a dielectric coating onto the front of the glass, rather than the back. This coating is made using a vacuum system. Other varieties may use traditional silver, gold or aluminum instead, but aren't considered as effective, and may feature doubled reflections or displaced images.
