Darkroom wall color?

RalphLambrecht · Jan 27, 2021

BradS said:
Every darkroom I’ve ever been in has had black walls - except my temporary set up in the bathroom. I’m remodeling the hall bath to make it more of a darkroom and less a bathroom. Wondering how important is it to have black walls ?

The best dark from wall color is a bright non-reflective white So the safe lights are evenly illuminating the room. Only near the larger should the walls be painted flat black So enlarger like leaks are not reflected onto the paper.

Bikerider · Jan 27, 2021

RalphLambrecht said:
The best dark from wall color is a bright non-reflective white So the safe lights are evenly illuminating the room. Only near the larger should the walls be painted flat black So enlarger like leaks are not reflected onto the paper.

Or get an enlarger that doesn't leak!

Sirius Glass · Jan 27, 2021

MattKing said:
But what if they had been raspberry in colour? . Off white is actually what I would recommend.
I actuality, I was thinking that a really colourful darkroom might make it more difficult to make judgments about the colour of your prints.

Magenta is not a color!

BradS · Jan 27, 2021

Sirius Glass said:
Magenta is not a color!

so, if the wall were painted magenta, then it would not be visible?

DREW WILEY · Jan 27, 2021

What is nice for darkroom notes are suspended or glued-on melamine coated panels, available either black or white, water-resistant and washable, often used as a wipe-off version of blackboards using felt tip markers.

Bathroom coversions? Been there, done that. Even did a couple of large color print exhibitions that way. Where there's a will, there's a way. But it is soooo much nicer to now have real darkrooms.

BradS · Jan 27, 2021

DREW WILEY said:
What is nice for darkroom notes are suspended or glued-on melamine coated panels, available either black or white, water-resistant and washable, often used as a wipe-off version of blackboards using felt tip markers.

Bathroom coversions? Been there, done that. Even did a couple of large color print exhibitions that way. Where there's a will, there's a way. But it is soooo much nicer to now have real darkrooms.

I'm gutting the bathroom to the studs...when I'm done, it'll be more like a darkroom with a toilette in the corner than a bathroom with a dark room wedged in.

DREW WILEY · Jan 27, 2021

When my older brother was a student at Brooks photo academy living on a very tight budget, he lived in a converted barn along with several other guys, and turned the bathroom into his darkroom. National Geographic maps were pasted all over the walls in lieu of real wallpaper. No decent ventilation, and still being the only bathroom too, generally stunk.

KenS · Jan 27, 2021

BradS said:
Every darkroom I’ve ever been in has had black walls - except my temporary set up in the bathroom. I’m remodeling the hall bath to make it more of a darkroom and less a bathroom. Wondering how important is it to have black walls ?

My darkroom walls (and ceiling) are painted 'yellow to 'match' the colour of my sodium safe-light.
After some 20-odd years I have never had any fogging 'problem.
I have worked in a friend's dark-room that had been painted black' (on both walls and ceiling)
it was the most miserable experience and WORST in 60+ years processing film and/or printing
I would strongly advise against using black or any other 'dark' paint

Ken

Sirius Glass · Jan 27, 2021

DREW WILEY said:
What is nice for darkroom notes are suspended or glued-on melamine coated panels, available either black or white, water-resistant and washable, often used as a wipe-off version of blackboards using felt tip markers.

Bathroom coversions? Been there, done that. Even did a couple of large color print exhibitions that way. Where there's a will, there's a way. But it is soooo much nicer to now have real darkrooms.

I have not choice, I put a plywood board over two sinks for the trays, block the window, the print washer is in the bathtub and the shower is used for hanging negatives and washing the trays. The most expensive part of a darkroom is the space it takes.

Digger Odell · Jan 27, 2021

RalphLambrecht said:
The best dark from wall color is a bright non-reflective white So the safe lights are evenly illuminating the room. Only near the larger should the walls be painted flat black So enlarger like leaks are not reflected onto the paper.

+ 1

Every little bit helps with the contrast of your prints. Make a 2% improvement 5 times and you now have visibly better work. All the little stuff does add up.

DREW WILEY · Jan 27, 2021

Anything bright white throws my eyes off completely. But my eyes are very sensitive. A light neutral gray works a lot better as a backdrop for color evaluation or judging b&w print toning, just like pro color viewing booths contain. It's a lot lighter than 18% metering gray. And no, you can't just add black pigment to white paint to get that, because no black paint pigment is really black. It just looks black concentrated. Tone it way down with white, and you'll discover it's either greenish (mineral black) or distinctly purplish (lamp black). A number of other pigments have to be carefully added into it to balance it out.

I once sold the University art museum big batches of their own special light gray paint, which was applied to all their walls. A rather "interesting" incident transpired when the custodian decided he wanted to open and use up the last 5-gallon jug of a previous order, which he discovered in his storage room, before ordering a fresh batch, but didn't realize just how old it really was. Well, when latex paint gets too old, it spoils just like milk. Maybe he had a cold or something, and couldn't smell the full effect. He knew it wasn't fresh, so decided to repaint the utilities room where all the air conditioning and heater equipment was, rather than risk a mismatch on any of the big halls or display walls. Ironically, that was the worst place possible, because all that rancid spoiled smell got sucked into the whole air conditioning system, and stunk up the whole museum so bad that had to close it for several weeks. White shellac primer was put over the bad paint to hold back the smell. I got quite a laugh out of the whole episode, plus a bigger than expected sale.

macfred · Jan 27, 2021

I can tell you that white and highly reflective tiles aren't the best wall surface one can use in a darkroom ...

cliveh · Jan 27, 2021

macfred said:
I can tell you that white and highly reflective tiles aren't the best wall surface one can use in a darkroom ...

Why?

DREW WILEY · Jan 27, 2021

Why? Do you want a darkroom, or a reflective bright room? Expecting Caspar the Ghost to serve as your safelight? The only absurd notion I haven't seen posted yet is a white padded cell; but come to think about it, it might make a lot of sense.

Sirius Glass · Jan 27, 2021

DREW WILEY said:
Why? Do you want a darkroom, or a reflective bright room? Expecting Caspar the Ghost to serve as your safelight? The only absurd notion I haven't seen posted yet is a white padded cell; but come to think about it, it might make a lot of sense.

Duh, drive over to my place and see that one can print both black & white and color in a room with off white walls. The safe lights, which I remind you are only for black & white paper, are enhanced by bouncing light that would have been useless towards the work area.

So now the argument that one cannot have light colored walls in a darkroom. Oh, as I posted the Kodak dark rooms available for employees after hours were painted off white.

Usually you are correct, but this time you did not step into it, fell in it.

So if one has off white walls around the enlarger, they can fix the light leaks, paint or cover the walls.

jpohara · Jan 27, 2021

I agree with RalphLambrecht. Contra Bikerider, all the enlargers I've used leak to some extent. This should not be a shock considering how bright the light source is and its need for ventilation.

I painted my darkroom with flat ceiling paint (which is a little grayer than "white" white paint). The places where I saw enlarger light, I painted flat black. Namely, the ceiling above the enlarger.

Why paint the place white at all? Well first of all, it is less obnoxious to the eye, but it also lets you work with a less bright safelight and still be able find things when you need them.

And while you have your can of flat black spray paint out, spray your enlarging easel surface with it if it is semi-gloss yellow like my Saunders used to be. If you've ever tried to expose e.g. lith film on the factory-provided surface, you will discover that it reflects light to a fatal degree. That is not helping when you make prints, even though the fiber base is more opaque than lith film.

The photographer known as "Ctein" recommends putting a mirror on the easel under the enlarger and looking for light leaks coming directly towards the paper. That sounds like a good idea to me, if you have any doubts about the enlarger you are using at all.

Some go so far as to wear a black shirt and gloves while exposing the print, but I haven't gone that far yet. I wear a red shirt instead ;-)

DREW WILEY · Jan 27, 2021

They can have polka dot pink and fluorescent green walls if they want. And I really don't care what Kodak did or didn't do in their own workspaces. But I do know what is important to my own needs. Paper might be slow to fog, but many films are not.

MarkS · Jan 28, 2021

I just last week finished building a darkroom at home, and I painted the walls a flat medium gray up to about seven feet. The upper two feet I left the existing off-white- and with the white ceiling, provides a more spacious feel. And the safelights bounce off the ceiling so the light is even and indirect. Seems to work well so far; I've carefully masked my enlarger to stop stray light.
Of course stray light and unsafe safelights are the problems. After forty years in the trade, I've worked in darkrooms that were painted white, black, grey, yellow... they all worked. (The story that I chose the gray paint because its name was "Rochester Skies" is not true btw.)

SchwinnParamount · Jan 28, 2021

My walls where white and I never had any paper fogging problem. Then I decided to over-think the issue and pained my walls a dark forest green. I still don't have any paper fogging issue but now I have a darker darkroom

KenS · Feb 1, 2021

BradS said:
Every darkroom I’ve ever been in has had black walls - except my temporary set up in the bathroom. I’m remodeling the hall bath to make it more of a darkroom and less a bathroom. Wondering how important is it to have black walls ?

Having tried "grey" and/or 'dark' painted darkroom walls in the past, I have since 'found' walls painted "white) to be MUCH easier since my yellow sodium safe-light (with the 'vanes open) makes it a LOT easier on the eyes when working for four to five (or more) hours. If I were to 'move' to a different house (and setting up a darkroom therein), I would (again) paint the walls "White"

For those feeling the need to 'diss' or 'mock' my choice, might I suggest you 'try it'... before so doing. You WILL find it much easier in the long-run.

Ken

Sirius Glass · Feb 1, 2021

KenS said:
Having tried "grey" and/or 'dark' painted darkroom walls in the past, I have since 'found' walls painted "white) to be MUCH easier since my yellow sodium safe-light (with the 'vanes open) makes it a LOT easier on the eyes when working for four to five (or more) hours. If I were to 'move' to a different house (and setting up a darkroom therein), I would (again) paint the walls "White"

For those feeling the need to 'diss' or 'mock' my choice, might I suggest you 'try it'... before so doing. You WILL find it much easier in the long-run.

Ken

Gee, just like I said in the beginning, offwhite walls work well in the darkroom.

cliveh · Feb 1, 2021

The relative illumination v location in a darkroom is very important and although I and many advocate white walls, round the enlarger you need black. This aids focus, but when processing you need more ambient light.

Sirius Glass · Feb 1, 2021

How about chameleon walls that automatically change color to meet you needs. Much like self cleaning kitchens and bathrooms.

cramej · Feb 1, 2021

DREW WILEY said:
white FRP fiberglass panels (FRP = fire resistant panel)

This is not correct. FRP is 'fiberglass reinforced plastic' and will burn, as most home center FRP is only Class C rated - about the same as untreated plywood. Some panels can be had with a Class A rating which would be considered 'fire resistant'.

DREW WILEY · Feb 1, 2021

What thhhh ... FRP = Fire Resistant Panel. ORDERED AND SOLD AS SUCH, LABELED AND SPECIFICALLY RATED AS SUCH, RECOGNIZED BY THE FIRE MARSHALL AS SUCH. I was one of the buyers for the corporation which sold it for many years, including to the military. You're confusing this with something else, apparently more generic, cramej. I meant it in a specific manner, according to actual rated fire specifications. Please be aware that consumer and web outlets like Home Depot make up names for lumber and products that deviate from actual engineering specs, basically marketing BS terminology. We did it by true engineering standards, specifically stamped on the item. It was a pro and Govt clientele. No BS allowed. And FRP in that context meant fire resistant, not just any kind of plastic. Our biggest customer was the US Navy; but that later gave way to defense contractors, in relation to that particular line of items. No relation to plywood or ornamental plastic, though it makes a fine washable surface if one is willing to pay a premium for fire resistance too. Please don't confuse my own meaning with products like Marlite, which does use "FRP" in the same sense you did. There are also things like specially fire-resistant drywall, mandated in relation to new construction or remodels on fire-prone hillsides around here. Analogously, sure, it's drywall in a generic sense, but is something different in a specific sense.

Darkroom wall color?

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