Quality of mirrors

Buy good quality tempered or unbreakable glass mirrors, or buy mirrors made of quality materials other than glass. These substitute materials may not have the same reflective quality of glass, but they may be less expensive and less subject to breakage. Mirror breakage can be expensive and it is always a safety problem, which may increase your insurance rates.

Size of mirrors

Since mirrors are used by students to check to see if they are performing techniques properly, mirrors should extend to the floor so students may see their feet and should also be high enough so that students can see their heads. Covering all walls with mirrors is ideal, but, at a minimum, one entire side wall should be covered with mirrors.

Hanging mirrors

The safest way to hang a mirror is to let a professional do it; however, if you are a do it yourselfer or have a limited budget, here is some advice and ideas.

Glass mirrors should be glued on a solid surface, either directly to the wall or on a sheet of plywood. This will prevent the mirror from shattering or breaking in pieces if it is accidentally broken. The mirror may still break, but the pieces will stay secured to the wall to prevent serious injuries. It is best to glue the mirrors to plywood and then attach the plywood to the walls. This way, if the school moves to a new location, the mirrors may be easily moved to the new location.
Some schools attach bars across in front of the mirrors. The bars are used to:
Protect the mirrors from behind stuck and broken by off-balanced students, especially while sparring.
Give students something to hold on to while stretching or practicing slow kicks.
Provide a place to hang frequently used school training equipment.

Broken Mirrors

Much as the holes in the drywall on walls caused by students crashing into the walls while sparring, mirrors tend to be cracked for the same reason. Mount mirrors in a way to minimize damage and repair breaks immediately. While the breaks are not dangerous, parents will assume they are, and the breaks will also degrade the appearance of the school.

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