[anticowboyism]

People were recommending this as a nice gray screen color. But I can't seem to find it. It's not listed in the complete Behr color book at HomeDepot. Nevertheless I grabbed about 30 different swatches of gray while I was there and am proceeding to evaluate them.


Tell me if I am correct on my basis of comparison:

When projecting on it, trying to find the best black level within my range of brightness compromise, without any color shift from pure white.


So far, a nice gray seems to be Behr Minnow.


One thing I noticed that was strange. The Behr Ultra Pure White Exterior is a completely different shade than the Interior type. It (Exterior) actually looks much much brighter and whiter in side by side comparison. Anyone else notice this? And which one is everybody using?

 

[gks]

Odd. I think Grey Tropics get mentioned because it's normally found in the glossy "interior" pamplets. Makes it easy to hand to the service desk and say "give me quart - pronto!" No need to look through swatches. The code is PIC-56

 

[pcdoctor]

Here is how to make gray tropics.

I can't type this exactly the this is found on the paint can because you need to have spaces.

I'll try to explain the best way as possible.

Gray Tropics was on one of the info sheets at my home depot.

This is the paint color that I'm using on my screen.

I'm using gray tropics in flat.

Also, I took a can of Behr ultra pure white flat and told the paint person to turn it into gray tropics.

I'm also pretty sure this was Behr "ultra pure white" flat interior paint.


Since I can't do the spacing properly, each option after the color must line up under OZ 48 and 96.

I hope this is clear.

I tell you what, I'll scan the picture and post to the forum too!


The top of my paint can has this:


Colorant OZ 48 96

B Lamp Black 0 3 1 (remember the 0 goes under OZ, 3 under 48 and 1 under 96)

C Yellow Oxid 0 1 0 (remember the 0 goes under OZ, 1 under 48 and 0 under 96)

L Raw Umber 0 4 0 (remember the 0 goes under OZ, 4 under 48 and 0 under 96)

 

[pcdoctor]

I have attached the scanned image to this email.

The image looks kinda fuzzy because I change the resolution to 320xsomething from a higher resolution.

 

[anticowboyism]

Hey thanks alot guys. I knew someone would know this color. How does that color Gray Tropics (since I haven't been able to see it) compare with say, the Glidden Universal Gray that is also used alot? Also, how is it's color balance? Looks like they added yellow and red to it, does it come out as a very neutral gray?


I'm also still wondering about the Interior/Exterior mismatch. Is there any reason I shouldn't use the exterior flat as a base rather than the interior? All the samples I've seen keep showing the Exterior version to be much brighter and whiter.


Another option I'm thinking of is getting some extreme black like Darkroom Black or Stage Black and mixing it myself with some Gesso or the Ultra Pure White Exterior. Comments?

 

[pcdoctor]

I'm not sure how Gray Tropics compares with Glidden universal gray but I put a can of white primer from Home Depot nex to the can of Gray Tropics and I could tell that it was a very light gray.

To the naked eye my screen looks white.

This is what I did.

I painted, the left half of my wall with Behr ultra pure white untouched and Behr ultra pure white mixed with a little gray.

I went with the gray tropics because this seemed to be a nice shade of gray when looking at the Behr color samples at Home Depot.

 

[anticowboyism]

So you mixed the Gray Tropics with more white? What would you say was the end ratio of gray to white paint?

 

[pcdoctor]

Anticowboyism,


This is what I did:


Had a small can of Behr "ultra pure white" (untouched) and used it on the left of my screen.

Poured some of the Behr "ultra pure white" (untouched) in a jar and put a little of Glidden "black" in this same jar.

Put this mixture on the right side of my screen.

Powered up my projector and compared the left and right side of my screen.

The right side of the screen looked better than the left but the right side was a dark gray.

Since the colors from my lcd projector looked better on the right side of the screen, I decided to go to Home Depot and look for a light gray paint.

Waited a few days.

Went to Home Depot and had the paint guy convert Behr "ultra pure white" to "gray tropics".

Got home and painted the entire screen with the Behr "ultra pure white" that was converted to "gray tropics".


Hope this helps!

 

[anticowboyism]

Oh I see, for testing. Hehe, I thought you mixed white with gray tropics and then left each half different... Ok, where can I see a sample of this color? I want to compare it with the Glidden Universal Gray and Behr Minnow.

 

[Cilent1]

anticowboyism, If you go to Home Depot and grab one of the BEHR "THE INTERIOR COLLECTION" foldout catalogs the "GRAY TROPICS" is in the bottom left of the first page. I also picked up a sample of Glidden's "UNIVERSAL GRAY" and compared the two. The GRAY TROPICS is indeed a lighter shade of gray and would seem to be an ideal color for a screen.


Regards,

Anthony

 

[anticowboyism]

Thanks! That's just what I wanted to know.

 

[xamphear]

Quote:

Originally posted by pcdoctor Since I can't do the spacing properly, each option after the color must line up under OZ 48 and 96.

Watch this:
Code:

Colorant        OZ  48  96
B Lamp Black     0   3   1
C Yellow Oxid    0   1   0
L Raw Umber      0   4   0

 

[shstevens]

I have two Home Depots within a few blocks of me in Chicago. Both of them knew about the color off the top of their head. Seems strange if someone has trouble finding it - they are all computerized I believe.


Based on this thread and others I painted my previously flat white wall (from the contractor's spray gun when my house was built, not even sure the exact color) Gray Tropics and I really like the result. A new and even coat of paint could have had as much to do with it as the color. All I know is I like it better and my wife does too :^)


Shawn

 

[joebwan]

Quote:

Originally posted by Cilent1 go to Home Depot and grab one of the BEHR "THE INTERIOR COLLECTION" foldout catalogs the "GRAY TROPICS" is in the bottom left of the first page.

Would anyone consider picking up a BEHR colour chart, as mentioned above, and posting overseas?


I would like to try the painting option, but have nothing to reference the trade name colours with. Please PM me if interested, and I give further details. I would be eternally grateful.

 

[ClaudeD]

Does this painting work on screen material, or only on walls?

 

[kenh]

Go find a sample of 18 % kodak gray and take it to home depot and they will match it. I did this and had excellent results. good luck.

 

[WatchThis]

Quote:

Originally posted by joebwan Would anyone consider picking up a BEHR colour chart, as mentioned above, and posting overseas?

 

[shstevens]

He meant MAILING it overseas. "Posting" is foriegn talk for mailing :^)


You can't do a color match from a computer image, well... not realistically.


Shawn

 

[WatchThis]

yeah i realize that... but i'm not going to go to all that bother (are you?)

because it's not rocket-science to paint a screen grey. that pic will let anyone see how "grey" a screen should be relative to the white background.


gray tropics is not some magical color to be matched with precise accuracy..it works if u have a home depot nearby. otherwise, close enough is fine..

 

[shstevens]

100% agreed. Was just pokin' the fire :^)


Shawn