First Surface Mirror FAQ

• What's the largest size you can make?
  A full sheet of acrylic is 49"x97". It is quite floppy in that size, so the maximum recommended sizes are:
  1/8" thick acrylic: 24"x24"
  1/4" thick acrylic: 36"x48"
  The sheets of glass we stock are 63"x74" (1600x1879mm)
• How fast can I get the mirror?
  If you live in the United States, we can ship it overnight via USPS or FedEx. Your shipping options appear after you add items to your shopping cart and check out. International deliveries are shipped via USPS Global Priority Mail and arrive in 1-2 weeks. International Express Mail takes about 4 days.
• What glue should I use with acrylic?
  We recommend epoxy for a permanent bond. From our experiences, many other glues don't provide a good long-term bond. We sell tan colored opaque epoxy on our main product page. Do not permanently glue the mirrors to anything of value. Instead, frame them and then mount the frame around or next to the object. If you are gluing the mirror directly to an object, be sure and only glue around the edges or in back of covered areas. Glue can show through the semi transparent mirror under some lighting conditions, and can attack the mirror coating if applied to the coated side. We recommend that you buy a sample piece from us to practice on before gluing your more expensive mirror.
• Which is better, glass or acrylic?
  Acrylic is easier to cut to fit your project, and you can drill holes in it. The coating on the glass is a higher quality. Acrylic is much safer than glass, if you are concerned about liability.
• How strong are your mirrors?
  Glass mirrors are extremely fragile. If you need a mirror that won't break, our 1/4" thick acrylic mirrors are easily able to withstand high velocity impacts from blunt objects. We have tried to shatter them with hammers and found that the most damage we could do was break off small chips.
• What are the technical specifications of the acrylic mirrors?
  
• Is it possible that the mirror will break in the mail?
  It's rare for our acrylic mirrors to break in the mail. They are packaged with a custom boxes and strong, flexible packaging materials to ensure that they are well-protected. Large mirrors are insured against breakage. Glass mirrors break fairly often, but they are fully insured. If your glass mirror arrives broken, we will ship you another one at no cost to you.
• Do you offer combined shipping discounts?
  Yes, they are automatically computed when you use our online shopping cart. Further discounts are available if you plan to buy 5 or more of the same size of mirror.
• Is there any difference in quality between 1/8" and 1/4" acrylic?
  The main difference is in how rigid the material is. If you are using a size that is above 18"x18", 1/4" is better. Otherwise, 1/8" is better optically because you are filming through less material.
• What is the best tool to use to cut the acrylic mirrors?
  For large pieces, the best tool is a table saw with a fine-toothed, no-melt blade. For smaller pieces, use a band or scroll saw. If you are on a budget, a Dremel tool with the optional woodworking circular saw attachment works. Jigsaws also work, though less well because you need to hold it down hard to keep it in place. Routers, when properly used, can cut our mirrors as well. Do not remove the protective lamination from the mirror before cutting it. Please wear appropriate protective gear, such as goggles when working with our products. Do not operate a saw without the blade guard. For further information, please see our guide on how to cut them.
• What is the best tool to use to cut the glass mirrors?
  You can cut the glass using the standard score-and-break method. We recommend you have someone with experience do this, because it's very easy to make mistakes.
• What is the appropriate way to handle acrylic mirrors?
  Do not store acrylic mirrors at an angle, or they will bend over time. The coated side is sensitive to water, but the uncoated side isn’t. Avoid leaving the coated side exposed to high humidity or outdoor conditions. The coated side has a protective transparent coating on it which protects it from scratching. Try to avoid having to clean the coated side, because it’s possible the cleaning solution will leave residue and the wipes will leave scuff marks.
• How much do the acrylic mirrors weigh?
  1/8" Thick - 11.3 oz per sq foot (320g)
  1/4" Thick - 22.6 oz per sq foot (640g)