How to Use a Two-Way Mirror for Surveillance

Two-way mirrors can be used as a surveillance tool. They are coated with a special finish that, when using the mirror for surveillance, allows a person to see through it as if it were a window when standing on one side of it, while on the other side it looks like a regular mirror.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Decide what size two-way mirror you would like to install and how thick you would like the glass. They come in an array of sizes and usually are made of 1/8-inch thick or ¼-inch thick acrylic.
2. Purchase a two-way mirror from a distributor. You can find such distributors online. Some can come with a frame and some without.
3. Install the mirror or have it professionally installed. Make sure the coated side of the mirror faces the side where you will be viewing so that the coated side is protected.
4. Set up your camera if you will be taping the surveillance instead of viewing it live.
5. Turn off or dim the light in the room you will be viewing in. When the light is off or low in one room and the light is on in the other room, the mirror looks like a window from the room with little or no light.

Tips & Warnings

• You can operate a camcorder or infrared remote through the mirror as if operating through a window.
• You can also purchase two-way mirrors in a dome or quarter dome that fits onto the ceiling where you can place a video camera.
• If you need to cut the acrylic mirror to size, it can be cut using a band saw, table saw or router.
• Do not place the coated side of the mirror facing the room you wish to view. If there is a scratch in the coating, you will be able to see through into the room where you will have the camera or will be viewing from the mirrored side. If you have the coating facing the room you will be viewing from, any scratch will be undetectable from the other side.

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