Help & FAQ

Some finishes, including Morwellham, Trailing Leaf or custom finishes, may take longer because of drying times or design elements. When we receive your order we’ll give you a projected delivery date. We keep you updated throughout. If you have a hard deadline, we will always endeavour to work with you to meet it, but we prefer to under-promise and over-deliver.

A full survey and installation extends the overall lead time to 6–8 weeks. Once we have your deposit, site photographs and confirmation that everything is ready to measure, we can usually book a survey within 7–10 working days. When the glass has passed our quality and accuracy checks and is ready for silvering, we schedule the installation date.

Bespoke framed and frameless hanging mirrors take 4–6 weeks. If your chosen frame moulding has to be specially run out, allow extra time; we’ll confirm the lead time with your estimate.

Most samples are in stock and are sent by DPD next-day delivery if you order by 12 noon. You can order and pay for them online, or call us on 0345 548 8586.

We need the measurements of your panels to the nearest millimetre. Our step-by-step guide covers splashbacks, wall panels and framed mirrors.

Checking the size: we use EC Class 1 tape measures, calibrated every time we measure glass. Tapes can differ by up to 2mm if yours is old or not EC Class 1, so we recommend deducting 2mm between the glass and any surface it butts up to.

Standard tolerance: single panels such as splashbacks, and orders of multiple larger panels, are made to +2/-2mm. So a 1000mm dimension can be 998–1002mm and still meet industry standards. Supply-only orders of multiple smaller panels are made to +1/-1mm.

Size-critical orders: if you tell us your order is size critical when you place it, we work to +0.5/-0.5mm. This generally needs CNC machining on every side of every panel, so for straight-edged panels there’s an additional charge of up to £120 + VAT per panel and a longer lead time. It may not be possible with bevelled edges or shapes.

Bow: toughened glass can’t be made as flat as untoughened (float) glass because of the toughening process. The bow can vary with the size and shape of the panel.

Toughened glass: we can make very large panels in most finishes. The maximum depends on the width-to-height ratio, for example around 4000 x 1000mm, 3000 x 1200mm or 2000 x 1800mm. Toughened glass can’t be cut on site.

Float (untoughened) glass: if you need to cut panels on site, the maximum sizes are 800 x 1200mm in 4mm glass and 800 x 2400mm in 6mm glass.

For a specific size, email us.

Yes. Email us a sketch showing cutout positions or raked edges, with measurements to the nearest millimetre. Standard socket cutouts are:

• Double socket: 135 x 75mm
• Single socket: 75 x 75mm
• Double + single socket: 218 x 75mm

Raked edges are straight edges where one or more corners isn’t a 90° right angle.

Material: templates must be MDF or plywood so they can be scanned and replicated accurately. We can’t accept any other material.

Multiple panels: we need one template per panel. We can’t split a single large template into tiles, as each saw cut would lose the blade width and leave 5mm gaps.

Cutouts: either cut the holes out of the template or mark the centre point of standard socket cutouts. Internal cutouts always have a radius corner of at least the glass thickness, and a ground rather than highly polished edge.

Edges: supply straight edges unless there’s a definite shape. We can scribe edges, but this must be clearly specified.

Exact size: templates must be exactly to size, with no additions or subtractions written on them. Do still allow 2mm between the template edges and any surface they butt up to.

Labelling and packing: mark each template with your name and which side is the face, and pack it carefully. Damaged edges or corners make it very hard to produce the glass accurately. Send to: Rough Old Glass, Upcott Avenue, Pottington Business Park, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 1HN.

Yes, a CAD drawing is always our preference. Please email both a DXF file and a PDF copy. We can also produce a DXF drawing from your sketch if needed.

There are no firm rules, but we suggest:

• Width: the frame, including any feet, shouldn’t extend beyond the ends of the mantel shelf. The glass itself should be roughly the width of the fireplace opening, between the jambs.
• Height: if the mirror doesn’t sit on the mantel shelf, hang it around 75–150mm above it. The frame should be at least 100–125mm below a cornice, or 50mm below a picture rail.

Depending on location and project size, we offer a full measure and installation service for homes and commercial projects. We work with installation partners across the UK, who visit to take detailed measurements, noting any irregularities, holes and cutouts.

1. We send an estimate based on your own rough measurements.
2. If you’re happy to go ahead, we ask for a 50% deposit, then book a survey, usually within 7–10 working days.
3. We wait until units, worktops, electrics and fittings are in place, so the measurements are accurate.
4. After the survey we confirm any change in price, up or down, depending on your original measurements and any panels added or removed.
5. Your glass goes into production straight after the survey and approval of any additional cost, unless you’ve asked to approve the survey drawing first.
6. The balance is due before installation, and our installer returns to fit within 4–6 weeks.

Before booking, please check that:

• you’ve sent us any relevant drawings
• walls are flat and smooth, plastered and sealed or covered in ply, wherever the glass will be fitted
• fitted units, cornices and pelmets are installed in their final position
• all light fittings are in place and any boxing around pipes is fitted
• fittings that will be fixed over the glass have been pre-fitted in their final position, then removed with the hole positions clearly marked
• electrical back boxes are fitted in their final position, with face plates on where possible (at least 50mm from the edge of the glass and 15mm between sockets)
• the area is cleared, as our surveyors can’t be responsible for damage if they have to move items
• you, or a fully informed representative, will be on site to give access and confirm the design; instructions on the day replace any given earlier, and without a representative the survey is aborted and a fee charged
• parking is available, with any permit arranged by you and details sent before the visit

Once the survey is done, no fixtures or fittings can be added or changed without a re-measure. If the site isn’t ready when the surveyor arrives, or you cancel within 48 hours of the appointment, a minimum fee of £150 + VAT is charged.

Yes. We offer a full measure, supply and fit service for residential and commercial projects, working with installation partners across the UK. Or we can supply and deliver only, if you prefer.

Measure and installation is a fixed £895 for orders up to £6,000, or 15% of the order value for larger orders, with adhesive included. Our surveyors cover most postcode areas in the UK, and the online calculator tells you automatically if your postcode is outside our standard pricing.

Bonding: most installations bond the panels to a clean, dry, primed surface rather than using mechanical fixings. For overhead installations we always recommend adding mechanical fixings too. Use a solvent-free mirror adhesive or a neutral cure, low-modulus pure polymer silicone. Our panels have a foil backing, which is compatible with both. If you’d rather not rely on adhesive alone for large panels, ask for fixing holes when you order.

Make sure the wall is clean, dry and free of dust, grease and loose material. For a single panel, offer it up to the wall dry to check the fit before applying adhesive.

Sealing: seal the edges of any panel likely to be exposed to moisture, using a neutral cure silicone or a two-part epoxy grout. Don’t use grout as an adhesive.

• Mirror Mate adhesive data sheet
• U9 silicone data sheet
• Mapei Kerapoxy grout data sheet

• Inspect the glass before unpacking.
• When setting glass down, protect it and place it gently on one long edge. Never lay it flat on the floor or lean it on a corner.
• Don’t let anything knock the edges or corners: float glass can shatter and toughened glass can explode.
• Never carry glass under your arm or above your head.
• Use enough people to move large sheets.
• If in doubt, use a professional installer.

Our framed and frameless ready-to-hang mirrors come with metal split batten fixings, which hold the mirror 9.5mm from the wall. One length is fixed to the backboard, and the other to a flat wall using fixings suitable for that wall. We recommend a professional to hang your mirror safely; we can recommend a specialist, so just ask when you order.

Original antique mirrors are supplied without fixings. We recommend a professional to hang your mirror safely; we can recommend a specialist, so just ask when you order.

Yes, with care. In damp environments, panels must be fixed to a clean, dry, sealed surface and the edges sealed against water, using a neutral cure silicone or a two-part epoxy grout for glass. The seal must be checked and replaced regularly. If moisture creeps behind a panel, the silver can delaminate or blacken.

For an instant price, use our online estimator for panels, splashbacks and framed mirrors. For more complex projects, email us your details and we’ll usually send an estimate within one working day. Trade prices are available to verified trade clients.

• The finish you’d like, for example Foxed or Vintage on Bronze
• The number and size of each panel, in millimetres
• Whether you need toughening for use behind a heat source
• Any cutouts for sockets, or holes for wall lights or fixings
• Polished or bevelled edges
• Supply only, or a full measure and installation
• Your postcode, so we can include delivery
• If you’re a trade client, your company details or website

Most panels have a neat polished edge with a tiny 3–5mm smooth chamfer. Bevelled edges range from 10 to 50mm wide and are more of a decorative feature.

Samples of all our finishes can be ordered online. Most are A5 size, and they can be returned for a refund within 30 days if clean and undamaged.

You can return samples for a refund, less the cost of postage. To qualify, please return them:

• within 30 days of receipt
• clean and undamaged, including the backboard
• securely packed to prevent damage in transit

Include your full name and post to: Rough Old Glass, Upcott Avenue, Pottington Business Park, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 1HN.

Every panel of antiqued mirror and verre églomisé we make is unique. Each is created by hand, by randomly applying resist and real silver solution or by laying metal leaf, so we can’t guarantee specific patterns or colours, although every care is taken. Finished panels show more overall variation than a small sample, so view samples alongside the project photos on our website.

Trade clients get a pair of samples free with every order: log in to your trade account and up to £40 comes off your samples automatically at checkout, with no code needed. If you need more for a project, email info@rougholdglass.co.uk. We’re also delighted to supply panels for showroom display, with a 50% display discount.

Avoid getting the edges wet with any liquid or steam, which can cause “black edge” damage. If the edges do get wet, dry them straight away.

• The best and safest cleaner is warm water on a soft, lint-free cloth. Wring the cloth out well, then dry the mirror with a second dry cloth.
• Spray any cleaner onto the cloth, never directly onto the mirror.
• Don’t use acid, alkali or abrasive cleaners, or mirror cleaners containing ammonia or vinegar.
• On walls of several panels, wipe in the same direction as the joints, so cleaner doesn’t collect where panels meet.
• For stubborn marks, use damp 0000 oil-free steel wool rather than solvents, which can damage the edges and backing.
• Finish by making sure all joints and edges are dry.

Protect mirror during storage and installation. Store it somewhere dry and well ventilated, free of chemical fumes and away from heat sources such as steam or water pipes. Excess moisture or harsh building materials can leave marks that are hard to remove. Ideally, mirror should be the last material installed.

Yes. Our process starts with clear or body-tinted glass, which is cut to size and polished or bevelled. When required, the glass is toughened before we hand-silver it, creating toughened antiqued mirror. Standard mirror can’t be toughened, but we can silver toughened panels in our Clean Silver finish for a toughened mirror without distressing. Because the silvering is done by hand, small blemishes or shading may occur.

• Heat resistance: toughened glass withstands sudden temperature differences of around 200°C, roughly five times more than ordinary float glass. That makes it suitable behind hobs, range cookers, AGAs and stoves. Always follow the appliance manufacturer’s minimum clearance distances.
• Strength: it’s four to five times stronger than untoughened glass, though edges and corners still need care during installation.
• Cutouts: toughening prevents cracking where panels sit behind a heat source or have socket cutouts.
• Commercial spaces: toughened glass is often the only acceptable material in busy public areas.

Our toughened glass complies with BS EN 12150.

It can, because of the toughening process. This usually appears as distortion bands (roller waves) 250–300mm apart, running across either the long or short side of the glass. On panels where one side is over 1300mm, the bands always run across the long side. It’s a natural characteristic of toughened glass, and we’re happy to discuss any concerns before production.

Trade accounts are available to interior designers, architects, property developers, specifiers, contractors, kitchen and bathroom companies, joinery companies, fit-out contractors, hotels, bars, restaurants and retail stores.

• 30% on bespoke mirrors, including ready-to-hang mirrors, wall panels, tiles and splashbacks
• 50% on showroom display panels
• 20% on our original antique mirror collection
• A free pair of samples with every order, applied automatically when you’re logged in

We run a weekly van from Devon to London and back, usually on a Tuesday. If you’re on the route, our driver delivers your panels or framed mirrors unwrapped, carried on a specialist glass frail with cork pads between panels.

Elsewhere on the UK mainland, we ship weekly via a specialist mirror logistics company, with edges protected by engineered cardboard and wrapped in corrugated Kraft. They have set delivery days by postcode, and send email and text updates with live tracking on the day. Oversized panels, or orders further afield, are packed in wooden, cardboard-lined crates and sent by courier.

All goods are fully insured in transit. Deliveries are single-driver, so please have help on hand to unload large or heavy items to a ground floor location, or tell us in advance so we can arrange alternatives.

Yes, worldwide. Deliveries are crated to ISPM-15 rules and sent by air or road freight.

Trade customers in the EU: VAT-registered businesses with an EORI number in Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Poland, Croatia, Sweden, Portugal, Hungary, Austria and Denmark can use our frictionless customs service. We export on a DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) basis through a customs brokerage acting as our global VAT representative. We don’t charge VAT on your invoice (it references VAT regime 42-00), there are no clearance charges on arrival, and you simply declare the purchase in your VAT return. Please send your EORI and VAT numbers, billing and delivery addresses, and the receiver’s name and phone number.

This service isn’t available for Greece, Ireland, Norway, Cyprus, Turkey, Albania, Bosnia, the Canary Islands, Iceland or Switzerland, where we supply on a DAP basis.

Retail customers: we supply on a DAP (Delivered at Place) basis, so you’re responsible for import clearance and any local taxes or duties. If you can order through a VAT-registered design or construction business with an EORI number, we can supply them through our frictionless customs service.

• Original antique mirrors (retail): tell us within 14 days of receipt, and the mirror must reach us within 28 days in its original packaging. We can collect it the way it was delivered for £150 per mirror, or you can return it to our workshop yourself.
• Bespoke and made-to-order products can’t be returned for any reason.
• Stock items bought with a trade discount can’t be returned.
• Samples can be returned clean and undamaged within 30 days, for a refund less the original postage.
• Once installed, no product can be returned, exchanged or refunded.