Mylar VS White Paint
- Thread starter wjames86
- Start date
as far as im concerned white paint is just as good and a hell of alot cheaper.
the flat white cieling paint is the best reflects light really well plus a gallon of paint u can get for less than 20$.
i dont even wanna know how much that mylar costs lol im sticking to paint.
plus if it ever gets worn out or 2 dirty to clean properly u just rpaint and voila brand new again lmao.
but im sure ther is some1 on here who disagrees ther always is lol
svchop889
Well-Known Member
you are not supposed to have it mirror flat that's the only real way it could make hot spots.Mylar creates hot spots and thats not good for the plants. Plus White paint is so cheap and works fine. Mylar isnt a bad choice but if your on a budget white paint would be easier way to go, that what I did!
mikegolfer
Active Member
copied and pasted from another site
Foylon
A more durable version of mylar, made of spun polyester fabric and reinforced with foil laminate. Foylon is resistant to most solutions, won't tear or fade, and can be wiped or washed clean.
A great solution for growers who are interested in long term use, and though it may be slightly more expensive than mylar, its durability will more than make up for its cost. It has the ability to reflect about 95% of the light and approximately 85% of the heat energy, so a good ventilation system should be used in conjunction with folyon.
A recommended method to attach Foylon to the walls would be using Velcro, as it makes taking it down for cleaning much easier nd reduces the risk of tearing, creasing or bending it. If this is used for your walls, making sure you get it flush with the wall with no pockets of air between it and the wall to prevent hotspots.
Mylar
A highly reflective polyester film that comes in varying thickness, the most common being 1 and 2 mm thick. The 2mm thick mylar while not quite as durable as the foylon, is fairly rugged. The 1mm thick mylar tears fairly easily, so taking it down for cleaning is quite difficult without damaging it in the process. Both types of mylar are able to reflect approximately 92-97% reflective, giving it the potential to be more reflective than foylon, but because foylon is more easily cleaned without damaging it as well as it being harder to crease, foylon usually ends up being slightly more reflective. Important to note is that mylar reflects radiant heat energy just as well as foylon (around 85%), so proper ventilation is necessary if mylar is used in your grow room. Attaching this to walls can be done in a similar fashion as foylon, and the same caution should be used to avoid creating hotspots in your room. The 1mm thick mylar stands a fair chance of being creased or ripped in the process unfortunately, even if Velcro is used to attach to the walls.
C-3 anti detection film
A specialized type of mylar that exhibits the same properties as the 2mm thick mylar, but in addition to reflecting approximately 92-97% of the light, it also is 90% infrared proof, making your grow room all but invisible to IR scanning. This can also be attached in the same manner as foylon or mylar, and the same caution should be used to avoid creating hotspots in your room.
Flat white paint
Self explanatory; a great option for large grow rooms or for people who are interested in a low maintenance wall. Flat white paint has the ability to reflect between 75-85% of the light, and does not create hotspots. Adding a fungicide is recommended when painting.
Glossy and eggshell whites not reflect light as efficiently as flat white. Semi-gloss paint for example, only has the ability to reflect between 55-60% of the light. Also important to remember when using paint is that any smears or blemishes on the surface take away from how reflective the wall is so care should be taken to avoid marking or staining the walls. Titanium white paint is very reflective; however it is usually only used on reflectors due to its high cost.
White/Black plastic (also known as panda plastic or "poly"):
"Poly" is useful if you are setting up a temporary grow room or don’t want to damage the walls. Poly is easily cleaned.
The purpose of the black side is to not allow any light to pass through the plastic, which ensures your dark cycle remains dark. The white side is 75-90% reflective. Choose a 6 "mill" thickness of poly for maximum light blockage and duribility.
If this plastic is put too close to the light, you will obviously melt it so be careful!. Panda plastic does not create hotspots. Poly can be attached to the walls by using carpenter’s nails or using tape glue or similar means. This can be used as a cheap alternative to mylar if painting your grow room is out of the question.
Polystyrene Foam Sheeting (more commonly known as Styrofoam):
This is excellent for harsh environment growrooms (your attic for example), provided you have a good ventilation system and a way to keep the temperatures from rising too high (an a/c unit or similar) as it is an excellent insulator.
It is also a great material for use in a temporary setup or for use as a "travelling reflector" on a light mover, where weight is a concern. It is approximately 75-85% light reflective so it is comparable to using a flat white paint. Foam will not create hot spots. Rigid foam can be purchased in sheets, and can be used as a free standing wall or can be taped, glued or nailed to the wall, the last generally being the most successful method.
Foylon
A more durable version of mylar, made of spun polyester fabric and reinforced with foil laminate. Foylon is resistant to most solutions, won't tear or fade, and can be wiped or washed clean.
A great solution for growers who are interested in long term use, and though it may be slightly more expensive than mylar, its durability will more than make up for its cost. It has the ability to reflect about 95% of the light and approximately 85% of the heat energy, so a good ventilation system should be used in conjunction with folyon.
A recommended method to attach Foylon to the walls would be using Velcro, as it makes taking it down for cleaning much easier nd reduces the risk of tearing, creasing or bending it. If this is used for your walls, making sure you get it flush with the wall with no pockets of air between it and the wall to prevent hotspots.
Mylar
A highly reflective polyester film that comes in varying thickness, the most common being 1 and 2 mm thick. The 2mm thick mylar while not quite as durable as the foylon, is fairly rugged. The 1mm thick mylar tears fairly easily, so taking it down for cleaning is quite difficult without damaging it in the process. Both types of mylar are able to reflect approximately 92-97% reflective, giving it the potential to be more reflective than foylon, but because foylon is more easily cleaned without damaging it as well as it being harder to crease, foylon usually ends up being slightly more reflective. Important to note is that mylar reflects radiant heat energy just as well as foylon (around 85%), so proper ventilation is necessary if mylar is used in your grow room. Attaching this to walls can be done in a similar fashion as foylon, and the same caution should be used to avoid creating hotspots in your room. The 1mm thick mylar stands a fair chance of being creased or ripped in the process unfortunately, even if Velcro is used to attach to the walls.
C-3 anti detection film
A specialized type of mylar that exhibits the same properties as the 2mm thick mylar, but in addition to reflecting approximately 92-97% of the light, it also is 90% infrared proof, making your grow room all but invisible to IR scanning. This can also be attached in the same manner as foylon or mylar, and the same caution should be used to avoid creating hotspots in your room.
Flat white paint
Self explanatory; a great option for large grow rooms or for people who are interested in a low maintenance wall. Flat white paint has the ability to reflect between 75-85% of the light, and does not create hotspots. Adding a fungicide is recommended when painting.
Glossy and eggshell whites not reflect light as efficiently as flat white. Semi-gloss paint for example, only has the ability to reflect between 55-60% of the light. Also important to remember when using paint is that any smears or blemishes on the surface take away from how reflective the wall is so care should be taken to avoid marking or staining the walls. Titanium white paint is very reflective; however it is usually only used on reflectors due to its high cost.
White/Black plastic (also known as panda plastic or "poly"):
"Poly" is useful if you are setting up a temporary grow room or don’t want to damage the walls. Poly is easily cleaned.
The purpose of the black side is to not allow any light to pass through the plastic, which ensures your dark cycle remains dark. The white side is 75-90% reflective. Choose a 6 "mill" thickness of poly for maximum light blockage and duribility.
If this plastic is put too close to the light, you will obviously melt it so be careful!. Panda plastic does not create hotspots. Poly can be attached to the walls by using carpenter’s nails or using tape glue or similar means. This can be used as a cheap alternative to mylar if painting your grow room is out of the question.
Polystyrene Foam Sheeting (more commonly known as Styrofoam):
This is excellent for harsh environment growrooms (your attic for example), provided you have a good ventilation system and a way to keep the temperatures from rising too high (an a/c unit or similar) as it is an excellent insulator.
It is also a great material for use in a temporary setup or for use as a "travelling reflector" on a light mover, where weight is a concern. It is approximately 75-85% light reflective so it is comparable to using a flat white paint. Foam will not create hot spots. Rigid foam can be purchased in sheets, and can be used as a free standing wall or can be taped, glued or nailed to the wall, the last generally being the most successful method.
mikegolfer
Active Member
hope that helps
SupraSPL
Well-Known Member
Flat paint is especially useful on irregular surfaces and in grow rooms where excess heat tends to be a problem.
If building a grow room in an area that has temperature problems in general like an attic, you can build from mylar covered foam. 4'X8' sheets sold at LOWES for $13 each.
If building a grow room in an area that has temperature problems in general like an attic, you can build from mylar covered foam. 4'X8' sheets sold at LOWES for $13 each.
lifted02350
Member
54"x25ft foylon is like 20 bucks by me anyways
Attachments
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justparanoid
Guest
how do you attach the emergency blankets? spray adhesive?
dank nug
Active Member
assuming they have it at your wal-mart. they dont have it at mine. or at the lowes in my town
Yeah! Reflectix rocks! It's a bit pricey though.I like using reflectix on my walls...
Mylar is a little bit better. Paint is quite a bit cheaper (plus, you wont need a gallon, trust me!).
br!ck
Member
sweet ass plants what kind r they?I like using reflectix on my walls...
Pipe Dream
Well-Known Member
I recently went out and bought some mylar and I have to say I wish I saw a thread like this sooner. I have some wallpaper in the inside of my closet for some reson and I don't want to paint the walls so I thought mylar. It is working well for me but I have to say it was hard to set up all by myself because it's so flimsy. I got it up using tape but it's not very efficient. I have to retape the side where the fan blows on it all the time. Like mentioned it is hard to clean. I spray with water a lot and the hard water leaves a residue as it drys and I have to clean it off a lot. Anyways my point is that I paid 30$ for a roll and I'm sure the white/black plastic would have been more affordable and more durable. It can be used to line stuff to keep water and light in or out and can be applied with less precision with similar resilts.
Ole Budheavy
Well-Known Member
Paint a piece of plywood with flat white paint and see for yourself how reflective it is under your HID or outside. IMO unfinished surfaces are harder to clean and could harbor pests in bare wood in the grow room. I thought about reflectix, but I'd rather use a black and white poly. 
Hammondhansen
New Member
There is a huge difference between image reflection and lightreflection. Morrors, foil and shiny/glossy surface do not nessesairly reflect light very good. As the color white is the sum of all colors reflected -I'd most definately go for white matte paint. It's simply the best, most costefficient and the easiest to maintain reflector there is out there.