# Shiny/Matte foil **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [February 8, 2013, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shiny-matte-foil/649705 "2013-02-08T14:16:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mfergurson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@mfergurson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mfergurson)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shiny-matte-foil/649705/1 "2013-02-08T14:16:13Z")
you said: _The truth is that the shiny side is not treated with a dangerous chemical. Mineral oil is used as a lubricant during the rolling process, some trace of which may remain on the finished foil — but it’s not dangerous. The shiny side is shiny because of the way foil is made. During the last pass through the rolling mill, a double thickness of foil is run **between the rollers**. The side of each sheet that comes in contact with the polished steel rollers comes out shiny. The other side has a matte finish._ Follow up question: If the metal runs “between the rollers” wouldn’t both sides of the metal come in contact with a roller? Seems more likely to me that one roller is polished and the other purposely transfers a matte finish to the other side. ---
**Author:** ![PacifistPorcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PacifistPorcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PacifistPorcupine)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shiny-matte-foil/649705/2 "2013-02-08T14:21:56Z")
Double thickness of foil seems to mean two sheets go in together. One side of each sheet is in contact with the roller, the one with the other sheet. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shiny-matte-foil/649705/3 "2013-02-08T14:29:49Z")
Welcome to the Straight Dope, **mfergurson.** When you start a thread about a column, it’s customary to include a link, since the board software doesn’t do it for you, and we all want to know what we are talking about so there’s no misunderstanding. [Like this.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1135/should-a-baking-potato-be-wrapped-in-foil-shiny-side-in-or-shiny-side-out) If the two sides of foil weren’t different, you wouldn’t know which was which, would you? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shiny-matte-foil/649705/4 "2013-02-08T14:30:44Z")
column is > **[Should a baking potato be wrapped in foil shiny side in or shiny side out?](https://www.straightdope.com/21342284/should-a-baking-potato-be-wrapped-in-foil-shiny-side-in-or-shiny-side-out)** what is being discussed is aluminum foil used for cooking. metal foils for other purposes might have a single thickness run through rollers and shiny on both sides. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shiny-matte-foil/649705/5 "2013-02-08T21:05:40Z")
They should make the foil into mobius strips. There, just one side. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shiny-matte-foil/649705/6 "2013-02-11T19:30:54Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > They should make the foil into mobius strips. There, just one side. Sheesh, it’s hard enough to find the start of a new roll _now_.