There are two types of reflective glass available, pyrolytic (hard coat) and vacuum coated (soft coat):

Pyrolytic - a coating is applied during glass manufacture. The coating is fused into the glass at approxiametely 600degC. The advantage of this product is its durability. It can be handled like a standard square of glass. It is ready to be cut, heat strengthened and toughened. This product is sometimes called a 'hard coat'.

Vacuum coated glass - involves the deposition of metal particles on the glass surface by a chain reaction in a vacuum vessel. It is often called a 'soft coat', because the coating is more susceptible to damage than a hard coat glass when glazed in monolithic form. Where toughening of the product is required, the product must be toughened first and then vacuum coated. Vacuum coated glass is available in laminated form with the coating on the inside, protected from damage. Subject to certain exceptions, vacumn coated products have better shading co-efficient values than pyrolytic products.