david shelden
Active Member
do you crinkle your tinfoil, to give it different reflecting surface, or leave it as flat as possible?
tin foil
- Thread starter david shelden
- Start date
mogie
Well-Known Member
Aluminum Foil:
Aluminum foil is no more than 55% reflective - if used, make sure that the dull side is the one that is used to reflect the light. When it becomes creased its reflectivity is even lower (around 35%.) It is also very dangerous to use because it creates hotspots easily, is electrically conductive, and is a fire hazard when it is in close contact with HID lighting. Attaching this to walls is a pain and usually using aluminum tape or glue is the best way. This should only be used as a last resort, and even then its usefulness is questionable.
Aluminum foil is no more than 55% reflective - if used, make sure that the dull side is the one that is used to reflect the light. When it becomes creased its reflectivity is even lower (around 35%.) It is also very dangerous to use because it creates hotspots easily, is electrically conductive, and is a fire hazard when it is in close contact with HID lighting. Attaching this to walls is a pain and usually using aluminum tape or glue is the best way. This should only be used as a last resort, and even then its usefulness is questionable.
mogie
Well-Known Member
Choosing the right surface for the walls of your grow room is very important, as up to 40% of your total yield comes from the edge, and the right wall surface can increase the amount of light those plants receive by up to 30%! Artificial lighting diminishes exponentially with distance, so it is important to ‘contain’ as much of this light as possible, and direct it accordingly. Reflective surfaces also help illuminate the lower portions of the garden, providing lower buds with light and heat energy.
To get the best results with your light and walls, it is important to get the walls as close as possible to your garden to ensure the least amount of light is wasted. As a caveat, the percentages provided are only useful as a general guideline, as they present the range of reflectivity of the particular surfaces. The high percentage presents the best possible circumstances for that material (for example a 99% reflectivity rating for mylar sheeting would be under ideal conditions - no creases, completely flat, no discoloration, etc).
The best way to determine how well your grow room walls reflect light would be to purchase a light meter and measure your light directly; then take an opaque board and hold it a few inches off one of your walls with the light meter below the board in such a fashion that the light reflects off the wall and onto the light meter. You can then compare the difference between the two and determine a percentage from those numbers, the closer the two numbers are, the better your wall reflects light. It is important that in both measurements, your light meter is the same distance from the light, otherwise your results will be skewed.
Also important to note is that radiant light energy refers to electromagnetic (EM) radiation with a wavelength between 400-700 nanometers (nm) and radiant heat energy correlates to EM radiation with a wavelength between 800-2000nm.
Listed below are some of the most commonly used materials used for grow room walls:
To get the best results with your light and walls, it is important to get the walls as close as possible to your garden to ensure the least amount of light is wasted. As a caveat, the percentages provided are only useful as a general guideline, as they present the range of reflectivity of the particular surfaces. The high percentage presents the best possible circumstances for that material (for example a 99% reflectivity rating for mylar sheeting would be under ideal conditions - no creases, completely flat, no discoloration, etc).
The best way to determine how well your grow room walls reflect light would be to purchase a light meter and measure your light directly; then take an opaque board and hold it a few inches off one of your walls with the light meter below the board in such a fashion that the light reflects off the wall and onto the light meter. You can then compare the difference between the two and determine a percentage from those numbers, the closer the two numbers are, the better your wall reflects light. It is important that in both measurements, your light meter is the same distance from the light, otherwise your results will be skewed.
Also important to note is that radiant light energy refers to electromagnetic (EM) radiation with a wavelength between 400-700 nanometers (nm) and radiant heat energy correlates to EM radiation with a wavelength between 800-2000nm.
Listed below are some of the most commonly used materials used for grow room walls:
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.
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.
C3 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.
Elastomere paint (info by furun)
A rubberized roofing paint with 90% reflection. Good for growboxes. Mildew resistant. Highly reflective.
Kool Seal White Elastomeric Roof Coating ~ $15.00 (1 Gallon)
Ultra high reflectivity
Forms a rubber-like blanket that expands and contracts
Adheres to almost any surface (very good on wood and metal)
Available @ Lowe's Home Improvement
mogie
Well-Known Member
Contributed by: Stickydank
I've discovered the cheapest Mylar around-- only 2 bucks$! You save 18 bucks$ a roll! It?s a Christmas present wrapping Mylar called Polywrap
- Waterproof
- 50 square ft. a roll
- 1 mil (@ .001 inch) thick X 3 1/2 ft. wide X 20ft long.
Note: Only buy the very Bright and shiny Mylar-type wrapping!
This stuff works this is what I am using in my grow rooms. Go to your dollar store. Get the stuff that is water proof. It works great!
I've discovered the cheapest Mylar around-- only 2 bucks$! You save 18 bucks$ a roll! It?s a Christmas present wrapping Mylar called Polywrap
- Waterproof
- 50 square ft. a roll
- 1 mil (@ .001 inch) thick X 3 1/2 ft. wide X 20ft long.
Note: Only buy the very Bright and shiny Mylar-type wrapping!
This stuff works this is what I am using in my grow rooms. Go to your dollar store. Get the stuff that is water proof. It works great!
david shelden
Active Member
oh... ok. darn.
videoman40
Well-Known Member
Dude, you got some great advice!
I think you put up the wrong poll, shoulda been to use or not to use.
Peace.
I think you put up the wrong poll, shoulda been to use or not to use.
Peace.
david shelden
Active Member
will this be a serious problem? i haven't had any trouble yet. i have light, to moderate, crinkled tinfoil.
Seedlessone
Well-Known Member
foil reflects only 70% of light. if you paint the walls FLAT white you will get 85-93 reflection. foil all around sucks ass...dont use it EVER. you can reflect more light using a flat yellow than foil.....just my 2cents
foil also creates hot spots.....
foil also creates hot spots.....
Brokenhope420
Well-Known Member
I use foil...
I have nothing else its paper or tin... and I didnt want to waste a bunch of sheets of paper so I just chose tin.
you never ever crumble though, keep very flat and smooth, the very few creases I got I smoothed out on a table before taping. I was very gentle had 1 piece of tape ready where it was placed and just set it on the tape and lightly pressed, in places that would never get touched [because its so delicate]. then theres nice smooth panels that reflect... very brightly, without hotspots.
Not the best, or even close, but for a noob like me im satisfied -_-.
I have nothing else its paper or tin... and I didnt want to waste a bunch of sheets of paper so I just chose tin.
you never ever crumble though, keep very flat and smooth, the very few creases I got I smoothed out on a table before taping. I was very gentle had 1 piece of tape ready where it was placed and just set it on the tape and lightly pressed, in places that would never get touched [because its so delicate]. then theres nice smooth panels that reflect... very brightly, without hotspots.
Not the best, or even close, but for a noob like me im satisfied -_-.
david shelden
Active Member
should i at least switch it with uncrinkled foil then?
Brokenhope420
Well-Known Member
yes get fresh foil keep it PERFEctLy [damn broken keyboard] smooth.
green_nobody
Well-Known Member
as mogie said
i'm not a fan of the stuff
and crinkled up like shit, damn hot-spot all over the place, that cant be any good!
i'm not a fan of the stuff and crinkled up like shit, damn hot-spot all over the place, that cant be any good!Seedlessone
Well-Known Member
You should not use tinfoil!!!! Why are you guys not listening.....just buy a $2 can of flat white spray paint....fuck the foil....LOL you guys kill me
green_nobody
Well-Known Member
NO, go with cheap non-glossy plain white paint for 5bucks a gallon, that is the best stuff
NO tin foil, maybe mylar if you have to have it shinny in your grow
david shelden
Active Member
would the plant have to be out of the grow area while the paint dries? the fumes and stuff...
green_nobody
Well-Known Member
invest 6bucks in paint and get water based one, stinks not at all and you can leaf everything in your grow so no-one stumbles over your plants by mistake
that paint just takes a bit longer to dry but not much longer, after 6 hours you normally can touch it and it is less glossySeedlessone
Well-Known Member
you want a flat white paint. dont get a regular white. it will say it on the can of paint. just get a spray paint, as its only like 2 bucks a can. save you from getting a paint brush also
but remember it does not matter what kind of paint, as long as its flat white.
but remember it does not matter what kind of paint, as long as its flat white.
NBKA
Active Member
Ok lets break this down a bit......
Aluminum foil is no more than 55% reflective then you say: It is also very dangerous to use because it creates hotspots easily how can 55% cause burn spots?
I have 95% reflectivity and I have no burn spots on my plants...........
I have used tin foil in the past and have had no problems.......Its not the greatest reflector, but does work!
jawbrodt
Well-Known Member
^I couldn't agree with that, more! There is no freakin way it can burn your plants, even if you're using 1000 watt HIDs, let alone, lesser light sources.
Think about it.... If you're plants are positioned directly below the light, are are perfectly fine, being positioned in the most intense area of lighting...how is there any risk of them getting burnt by light being reflected from something, much further away, especially something with such low reflective qualities? There is no risk, because that's an impossiblity.
Think about it.... If you're plants are positioned directly below the light, are are perfectly fine, being positioned in the most intense area of lighting...how is there any risk of them getting burnt by light being reflected from something, much further away, especially something with such low reflective qualities? There is no risk, because that's an impossiblity.