Darkroom wall paint colour

[eddym]

Mine is white

 

[KenM]

I went with flat black on the wall diretly behind the enlarger. The rest of the room is pale green. The other walls are far enough away, that very little light is reflected, so color doesn't matter.

 

[copake_ham]

Hmmm...leaving aside the "tartan" and the "lime green" (the latter of which probably first encountered by the proponent thereof by learning in a darkroom in a school with similarly painted cinderblocks!) the "colors" seem to be m/l evenly divided between White and Black.

Guess that's why this thread is in the "B&W: Film, Paper, Chemistry" forum!

BTW: Ever think about how odd it is to say "White and Black" or "W&B"? :confused:

 

[KenM]

If you're referring to my dark room, I didn't choose the wall color!! It was already there - why repaint something that's mostly in the dark?

 

[randyB]

My walls are 18% gray. I took a new gray card to Home Depot and had them match the color. Had to use the high dollar paint but it looks good with the white cabinets, countertops. I used black and white tile in a checkerboard pattern as a backsplash behind the sink ( black Delta ). When the paint dried it matched the gray card perfectly. This is my 4th darkroom and I decided to spend a few extra bucks on it. Randy B.

 

[greybeard]

White.

If the lights go out, it will automatically change to black, and when you turn on
the safelight, it will change to that color. What more could you ask of paint?

(But make all work surfaces gray--if you get a fingerprint or two of chemistry on the bench, you will at least be able to see it after it dries!)

 

[Pim Warnars]

mine is black, everything, and I love the place, sound system, heater nothing wrong with it.

 

[mmcclellan]

I've always had white walls -- I want as much light as I can possibly get, as long as it's "safe" (i.e., the right color). In fact, my dakrooms have sometimes been so bright I could read in them without having to turn on the white lights. I always try to minimize exposure of the paper to ANY light, though, by keeping it face down after exposure, developing it quickly, etc.

My enlargers usually sit out on a table, so reflections from the enlarger on the wall are not an issue. However, when I've designed school darkrooms, I always put the enlargers into three-sided booths that were painted flat black, so adjacent enlargers would not interfere with each other -- especially when some student raises the lamp while it's on. At home, though, I've had a booth or flat black and never had a problem; it really depends on how close the wall is.

With a good sound system and a small fridge (with a red light or no light), it's the perfect piece of Paradise!

 

[Steve Smith]

the floor was brown last time I saw it, it's usually covered in empty paper boxes, paper towels, used gloves and discarded prints...

That sounds tidy compared to mine at the moment.

Mine is all a light cream colour which was left over from decorating another room. I did have a matt black sheet pinned up behind the enlarger once but I can't tell any difference with or without it.

The loft hatch, at the other end of the room to the enlarger, lets in a bit of light during daytime but, again, it does not seem to affect anything.

Steve.

 

[kjsphoto]

Hot pink and neon yellow...


Just kidding... Black around the enlarger and ceiling area where it sits with flat paint then everywhere else white.

 

[PeterB]

White...The only exception is that the area immediately behind the enlarger (or beside it if its in a corner) could be flat black to minimize reflected spilled light.

Rather than paint that section black, I have hung some black cloth material on the wall instead. I haven't actually proven that it makes a difference yet, but it was quick to do.

Peter

 

[jeroldharter]

I have white walls and ceiling. Bright is good. Dark darkrooms are depressing and unpleasant to work in. If the lights are out, the room is black regardless of what color the walls are painted. If the lights are on, I like a pure, bright white so that it does not impart a color cast on prints that I am inspecting.

Around the enlarger, I use black paint to minimize the effects of light leaks and reflections whil printing. Before you paint black, you might get some sheets of black fome-cor from Staples and use Blue-Tack to adhere it to the walls around the enlarger to see if you like black.

Also, flat paint is hard to clean and dust tends to adhere to it. I prefer semi-gloss paint which wipes down easily. Flat paint is less reflective and might be better around the enlarger

 

[patrickjames]

Let me just say the same as mostly everyone else. Paint it white and flat black around the enlarger. Make sure your safelights are actually safe. "Dark" darkrooms are very unpleasant to work in. It is much better to be able to see what you are doing. Good luck and have some fun printing!

Patrick

 

[fotch]

BlacK
Call me old fashion...there has to be a reason that the inside of cameras are black. When the lights go out, I still remember where everything is...and its not to difficult to find things in total darkness. When I use safe lights, I have many spread out to give even illumination where I want. Reflecting off of white walls may be ok for this use unless its hard to control. However, when total darkness is needed, you cannot get better than Black.

I am building a new darkroom and may try a combo of both light and black, I am not there yet so I have time to give it some thought.

If I could, I would make my studio black also. A while back, while visiting a top commercial pro in the big city, his studio was all black. Much easier to control lighting when you don't get reflections.

JMHO

 

[Stephen Frizza]

Black Out

Hello

Ah yes this debate! I had it when constructing my pro lab The Lighthouse
in bondi, All the previous Pro Labs I had worked in were painted with a super matte black paint which ate up any spilling light. White walls may offer more visability in a black and white print dedicated darkroom, however if you are running a darkroom with high volumes of film materials and colour papers which are in an open environment, I would suggest a darkroom be painted black because you need an environment which spill light even if its from a small LED on a machine or a pin point break in a wall seal will not have an opportunity to reflect or disperse.

In saying that I do have my floor a light colour which does assist in illumination when I have my black and white printing safe lights on.
I am very happy with this setup. I say black walls and ceiling and lighter floor.

~Steve

 

[adariusbelly]

Currently all the walls in our house are neutral cream, mostly because that was the paint supplied by the builders,i used to develope 35mm film in this room as well. I have an orange color light bulb i use to see and also a stand alone enclosed light that uses an orange plastic cover.

 

[Dermot99]

Better go to any light color walls for which you are safe and it gives us brightness to the room..

 

[fotch]

Better go to any light color walls for which you are safe and it gives us brightness to the room..

Ah, a new Oxymoron. A bright darkroom. :rolleyes: