Do I use paint or Mylar
- Thread starter mrcisco
- Start date
Gastanker
Well-Known Member
I would recommend paint. You want a highly reflective flat/matt white. Many paints will have a reflectivity measurement on the can - in general titanium white is one of more more reflective. If you choose to use mylar make sure to get better quality verus cheaper mylar and to completely adhere it tightly to the walls - if there is a gap the reflectivity drastically decreases.
grandpa 1949
Well-Known Member
Not to disagree with anyone but I tried the paint for a while then the mylar. Mylar won for me. But as stated it does have to be put up correctly.
I agree with you there grandpa 1949 .. thats why I said mylar as a first choice ... but it has to be done right like you say
MyndMy
Active Member
other matters do come it to play does the area need extra insulation if so mylar is best. But if you're not interested in learning how to hang mylar then just use paint plain flat white. Just fyi the mylar is worth the effort good luck with your grow.
P.S you need to consider controlling environment from step one humidity temp air-flow
P.S you need to consider controlling environment from step one humidity temp air-flow
grandpa 1949
Well-Known Member
Marlar not hard to put up. I just put socks on my hands, cause you can't wash off hand prints. Use double sided tape every so often to keep it tight.
Just a fan of paint to allow for decontamination/cleaning with more ease. Size of space and your own comfort level comes into play. Accidents can happen for some of us more impaired folks for instance. Not being able to grab a wall or losing control of a foliar application sprayer occasional with a non-cleanable surface is a major headache.
Also, Mylar is wonderful, but in larger spaces it can hide/harbor pests and the like with the way it tends to be applied.
Sometimes the practical solution is the better one is my line of thinking. Not the best solution, just easier to live with.
$.02
Also, Mylar is wonderful, but in larger spaces it can hide/harbor pests and the like with the way it tends to be applied.
Sometimes the practical solution is the better one is my line of thinking. Not the best solution, just easier to live with.
$.02
Hucklberry
Well-Known Member
I agree with Tank although mylar is nice is does not hold up to the wear and tear. Kilz makes a good flat white paint the will have a 95% reflectivity it's hard to beat. When things get covered in grow room reside, you just apply a new coat and your good to go.
Happy Growing!
Gastanker
Well-Known Member
You want mylar a bit tighter to the wall than this. I recommend spray adhesive or glue and a roller.
Light in reflector:
Light with a piece of white paper on top:
Light with a sheet of mylar with no backing:
mylar with the same sheet of paper backing it:
1/4 just paper, 1/4 with white paint, 1/4 with white paint and mylar, 1/4 with just mylar:
Notice along the edge of the mylar where it isn't flat up against the paper? Light goes through it and the paper. But when right up against backing near nothing escapes.
Gastanker
Well-Known Member
Correct. .
Some light will penetrate the mylar and then be partially absorbed by the wall and partially reflected back at the other side of the mylar where once again some will penetrate but the majority will just bounce back to the wall. This repeats over and over until it all turns into heat and is absorbed by the wall.
The larger the gap the longer the period between bounces which drastically effects the rate at which light degrades.
^Wall ^mylar
Well I think that depends on what thickness of mylar your talking about gastanker .. I agree with the 1ml the light penetrates it like you say , but if you use the 2ml, which is much stronger with no light penetration, you dont have to worry about a gap behind it and its easier to work with.
happy growin
happy growin
MyndMy
Active Member
scroglodyte
Well-Known Member
i painted flat white and put mylar over it
scroglodyte
Well-Known Member
just looks like mylar. i had flat white around, so i used it. then i added mylar as an afterthought. wasn't planned
MyndMy
Active Member
just looks like mylar. i had flat white around, so i used it. then i added mylar as an afterthought. wasn't planned
Do you have any pics would love to see your setup
