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You can find mirrors for cheap, but if you’re looking for something quality that will last a long time and give you an accurate reflection, you’ll quickly find that mirrors tend to be expensive. Since you can indeed find mirrors that are under $100, with some full-length mirrors under $20, you may wonder why this is. Is it capitalistic price-gouging? Or is there a legitimate reason why good-quality mirrors tend to be so expensive?
Here is what you need to know about the various factors involved in mirror pricing. Spoiler alert: good quality mirrors do indeed have good reason for costing as much as they do. Let’s jump into why this is.
#1. Thickness
The thinner the mirror, the cheaper the quality and the more warped your reflection is likely to be. If you’re looking for a high-quality mirror that gives you an accurate reflection, experts recommend thick mirrors.
Thinner glass allows people to sell mirrors for cheaper. However, the age-old saying “You get what you pay for” could not be more true when it comes to mirrors. People make mirrors thinner and thinner in order to sell them for cheaper and cheaper. Thin glass warps, making your cheap mirror have a bit of a fun-house effect.
While your wallet may be pleased with a cheap mirror initially, you won’t be in the long term. While thicker mirrors are more expensive, this is due to the cost of the materials and the quality of the workmanship. Thicker mirrors last a long time, with many families passing mirrors down as heirlooms. Plus, you don’t have to worry about whether you put on some weight or if the mirror is just distorting your reflection if you go for a quality, thick mirror.
#2. Backing
The mirror’s backing needs to be sturdy enough to support it. This helps to prevent the glass from warping, as many mirrors end up trying to bend over time due to their own weight. Backing gives them the support they need to stay up straight.
While brown paper backing could be fine with a small, cheap mirror, mirrors generally need stronger backing than this. This is why wooden backing is so common. The bigger the mirror, the stronger the backing needs to be in order to increase the rigidity of the mirror.
As you can imagine, brown paper backing is cheap, but wood isn’t. This is another instance where the quality of the materials used influences the price. Large, thick mirrors with wooden backing and framing may be expensive, but you can rest assured that you’ll get your money’s worth out of them.
#3. Craftsmanship
Have you ever tried to make a mirror? Probably not, but if you have, you’d know that this takes a lot of skill in addition to the investment in the materials and tools used. Polishing and silvering take time and expertise in order to ensure that your mirror won’t get black spots. These black spots are where the silvering is coming off.
While you can have mirrors resilvered, your wallet would be much happier if you just invested in a high-quality mirror where you don’t have to worry about resilvering in the first place.
Cuts factors into this, too. It takes immense skill to cut a mirror, especially into a custom shape or design. If you chip the mirror while cutting it, this can ruin it. Another reason why mirrors are so expensive is because of the skill it takes to get this done right.
#4. Brand Name
Some people care a great deal about the brands they buy, even if they’re well aware that they’re paying more just for the brand name, and less so for increased quality. Mirrors are no different. Mirrors may be expensive in general, but if you’re someone who cares about designer brands, you can expect to pay for the name attached to your new mirror.
#5. Add-Ons And Customizations
Your standard mirror will likely not be as expensive as a custom-shaped mirror. Customizations can be anything from the shape of the mirror to the size of the mirror to additions like backlighting, a touchscreen, and more. The more customizations you make, the more expensive your mirrors will be.
Top Quality Mirrors In Northern Utah
Moyes Glass provides top-quality glass services throughout Northern Utah, including mirrors. We can do custom mirrors, as well, so you can ensure that you’re getting your money’s worth. Contact us today for more information about our services or feel free to stop by our showroom in Ogden, UT.
