Darkroom light isolation with tissue or curtain

alienlie · Aug 10, 2008

Hi, I have to isolate my darkroom with a kind of a "tissue", like a curtain because i have to isolate a part of a terrace but the isolation cant be permanent. I´m still working on a solution do it, but i dont know which kind of tissue the curtain should be to completely isolate from the light. If anyone knows about it, thank you for advise me.

doughowk · Aug 10, 2008

My wife made curtains out of blackout clothe available at most fabric stores. She sewed velcro on sides so can attach to walls. Easy to take down if needed.

Larry Bullis · Aug 10, 2008

doughowk said:
My wife made curtains out of blackout clothe available at most fabric stores. She sewed velcro on sides so can attach to walls. Easy to take down if needed.

We use blackout cloth to turn a classroom into a large pinhole camera. We cover large south facing windows (we are in the northern hemisphere at 48 degrees lattitude). It works fine, but pinpoints of light are visible, especially when the sun is out. I'm not sure how much effect these tiny light leaks might have. If you are isolating your darkroom from an indoor area it probably would not be an issue, but if you are trying to cut the sunlight in Barcelona, it very well could be. You might need a double thickness.

Better yet, it might be great to sew a white panel to the outside. I can see a black curtain absorbing lots of radiant energy and making a very hot darkroom. A layer of white might cut the light enough, and reflect enough to keep you and your chemicals cooler.

Pinholemaster · Aug 10, 2008

Aluminum foil is a great light block that's not permanent.

Fast Frankie · Aug 11, 2008

I recently converted my apartment into a darkroom. I found hotel dark out curtains on line. I have one to cover the patio door and another for the kitchen window. They come in a variety of sizes. Mounting at your option.

George Collier · Aug 13, 2008

I light-proofed a room once using simple 2cm x 4cm wood frames covered (like stretching a painting over a frame) with heavy black plastic. The plastic comes on a roll for gardening ground cover or construction. If it's heavy enough, no light comes through.
In my case I made them to fit the windows and fastened with screws.

The frames can hook together somehow to assemble and store flat after you disassemble. Foam strips around the edges of the frame (after the plastic is on) help seal the edges.

Mayfair710 · Aug 13, 2008

i used the black out fabric option years ago when working in a cabin...fabric with velcro...easy up, easy down and does a great job. comes in 60in wide bolts...maybe even 72...
~~marianne

Martin Aislabie · Aug 13, 2008

I use 5x10cm wooden battons to hold my darkroom curtains against the edges of the window apatures.

Its the only way I found of keeping the light out

My darkroom isn't so much dark as reasonably dim

I am OK with Printing - the darkroom windows never get direct sunlught.

However, to do sheet film I have to wait until dusk - which is OK in the winter but a real pain in the summer when it doesn't get dark until around 10:00pm and light again at 04:00

Martin

markrewald · Aug 13, 2008

I use the heavy duty black plastic you use to line rock gardens with. It is easy to work with and easy to patch.

blaze-on · Aug 13, 2008

2 discount/cheap black twin bed sheets hang over my door, doubled up

Dhar · Aug 13, 2008

I converted a bathroom (two doors, no windows, but one door faces a sunny window) by making 4 "curtains" out of blackout cloth. I put four metal eyelets along the top edge of each, and partially nailed four picture nails into the top of the door jamb (the lintel?) on both sides of each so they poke upwards about an inch.

Hanging a blackout curtain on the outside and the inside of each door renders a pitch black darkroom, even in the middle of the day. Maybe four curtains was a bit of overkill, but it works for me.

-g.

sun of sand · Aug 13, 2008

I used construction/contractor black bags taped together with duct tape
velcro along outer edges and on areas of walls to stick to, including floor
Put felt flap along the bottom to scrunch up for extra protection
Stapled felt window insulation to walls -butted against the velcro- for total light seal
-light shines through velcro-
Went up in a few minutes and just folded up into a neat square when done.

A nice fabric that you could roll up like a blind would be real elegant but I had mine done with stuff on hand ..for maybe $5?

alienlie · Aug 19, 2008

Thank you very much for all your answers.

i bought some blackout (very expensive) and i have made a wooden structure to hold it with velcro. The 90 % of the light is retained, i only need to close some gaps in some corners where some light enters. But i guess that in printing, i have a margin to work even if it enters a bit of light.

Larry Bullis · Aug 19, 2008

Looks like you have it together; hope it works well.

Funny, though, how memory works. I was at a thrift store today, and found a box of miscellaneous sized pieces of "plastic blackout cloth" which was just really opaque black plastic. I recalled what my stepfather used in his basement bathroom darkroom. It was a wooden frame which locked over the window, covered with ordinary construction tarpaper. Worked just great.

Darkroom light isolation with tissue or curtain

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