Written by Hulet Smith, OT
When it comes to rehabilitation, exercise, dance, and any other strenuous activity, safety is of the utmost importance. Because of this, glassless mirrors were crafted as a safe and equally effective alternative to traditional glass mirrors.
Glassless mirrors are constructed with shatterproof acrylic, making them lightweight, safe, and equally reflective as glass mirrors. They’re made by vacuum-stretching a highly-reflective metallic film around an aluminum frame. The air space within the frame is then filled with a durable foam core to provide a strong, shatterproof mirror with additional sturdiness and sound-dampening ability.
The range of benefits to using a glassless mirror over a traditional mirror makes them the perfect solution for therapy rooms, exercise rooms, dance studios, and any setting that uses large mirrors or in which safety is of extra importance. For more information about the benefits of glassless mirrors, however, we’ll walk you through each of the benefits one by one.
Naturally, the greatest advantage of using a glassless mirror is the simple fact that shattering is not a concern. These mirrors are sturdy and constructed using materials that will not crack, break, or shatter, which ensures that this all-too-frequently expressed concern regarding standard mirrors is entirely eliminated.
One of the most unique and understated advantages of using glassless mirrors is their ability to dampen noise. Thanks to their foam core filling, glassless mirrors are notably effective in helping to reduce the irritating echo and noisiness common with glass. This feature is particularly useful for noisier settings in which mirrors might be used, like kitchens, dance studios, fitness clubs, malls, or nightclubs.
The aluminum and foam construction of glassless mirrors significantly reduces their weight as compared to standard mirrors. For example, a typical 48 inch by 72-inch glass mirror will usually weigh over 70 pounds. A similar sized glassless mirror, however, weighs just roughly 10 pounds. This lightweight construction, combined with their durable and shatterproof nature, makes these mirrors particularly easy to move and transport.
Glassless mirrors are specifically designed to be installed quickly and easily. This, paired with their lightweight construction, allows them to be versatily mounted on a wall, rolling stand, ceiling, or any other location with ease.
One unique and often overlooked advantage of glassless mirrors is the fact that they do not accumulate fog in high humidity. This makes them extremely popular for use in bathrooms, locker rooms, heated pool rooms, and even outdoors, as the humidity of these settings will not fog up the mirror.
Depending on their construction, standard mirrors can come with a very high price tag. Fortunately, glassless mirrors do not suffer from the same issue. On average, glassless mirrors are significantly less expensive than standard mirrors. Additionally, thanks to their shatterproof nature, glassless mirrors require replacement notably less often than standard mirrors. As you might expect, this ability to be both less expensive and more durable than standard mirrors is frequently at the top of the list of highly-praised features of glassless mirrors.
Due to their dynamic and durable features, glassless mirrors are an invaluable tool in a wide variety of settings. They are able to eliminate the risk of dangerous cracks and shattering in hospital settings, and also reduce the risk in settings such as rehabilitation and physical therapy clinics, where mirrors are essential for ensuring the correct form is being used.
The use of glassless mirrors is not just limited to clinical environments, though. They are notably popular for use in action-filled settings such as dance studios, gyms, and nightclubs. The use of glassless mirrors in these settings is particularly important, as standard mirrors represent a dangerous risk and a high potential for smashing due to the large amount of physical activity in these settings. Additionally, the noise dampening ability of glassless mirrors is valuable in these settings, which tend to be noisy.
One of the most common rules for many pools and watery settings is a ban on the use of glass. Glassless mirrors allow indoor pools, outdoor pools, beachside shops and restaurants, and commercial locker rooms and bathrooms safer by allowing the use of mirrors without the risk of glass.
Glassless mirrors are also very popular for use at home. Their lightweight, durable, and inexpensive nature make them a perfect item for use in a home setting. They are also frequently praised by customers with young children, as glassless mirrors eliminate the risk of their children being hurt due to a broken mirror.
Glassless mirrors represent a valuable safety tool for both clinical and non-clinical environments. Rehabmart offers a variety of high-quality glassless mirrors from trusted medical equipment manufacturers like MirrorLite. Whether you are looking for more information about glassless mirrors or making a purchase, check out Rehabmart’s full selection of glassless mirrors to browse the selection.
Co-founder/CEO of Rehabmart, Pediatric Occupational Therapist, husband, and father. Passionate about connecting special needs kids with superb nutrition, sensory integration, and complementary health strategies. Excited about Rehabmart's mission to become the premier online educational platform which empowers caregivers by spotlighting innovative devices and interventions to achieve optimal patient response and recovery.
