[vij]

Silver Grey Laminate Screen for small room ? - Help!

Hi guys

I am considering a laminate screen. I am from India and decent screens cost a lot here compared to DIY solutions. Moreover, laminate screens are easier to maintain and my house is pretty dusty.

I am getting the BenQ 1070 projector for a fairly light controlled room with 100% dark ceiling and 30% dark walls(5 feet from projector, rest of the room light color).

For a 98" screen, I am considering silver grey(milder grey basically) laminate shown here for a - http://www.greenlam.co.in/greenlam-laminates/popular-colors/silver-grey/176-394,

I am considering this because I hope
1. It will improve contrast and black levels (1070 needs some help there I hear)
2. My room is small just 13x10ft - I am thinking the BenQ will output a lot of light and the grey screen will help tone things down for the small room.
3. I have read some people stating it also brings the rainbow artifacts down.

However, I am also considering the "Designer White" laminate because of the following reasons
1. I'll be using Eco mode, will this cause the image to not give optimum brightness with silver grey screens?
2. After 1000 hours or so, when the lamp dims a bit, maybe I'll regret having a slightly darker screen.

Kindly advice guys.. Complete noob here. Will be using a carpenter to get stuff done.

 

[Ftoast]

The w1070 outputs 900lumens in eco-lamp cinema mode BC-off(dimmest preset), on a 98" screen of 1.0gain that gives 31ftL on a fresh lamp..about 18-19ftL after several thousand hours at eco-lamp.
You should have enough brightness to use a light grey at 98" and eco-lamp.

 

[Adult Beverage]

Has anyone had any issue with hot-spotting using this material with the brightness of the chosen PJ? How matte is the finish? If it is a problem, you could paint over the designer white with a mix from here a lot easier than priming then painting the gray.

 

[MississippiMan]

Yes...Hot Spotting is a potential issue, and with much less brighter PJs than the W1070....even on Economy. One of the singular reasons it was never a "go to" application except fpr those with CRTs and low lumen PJs.

Even the WA-Designer Grey had such issues befall it's users

The laminates have a degree of surface sheen that creates the issue. Dependent upon PJ placement and viewing position, people with far less bright projectors stood a chance of having in the least, mild Hot Spotting. With a PJ such as the W1070, it may very well be considered a given.

Unless you can ascertain that the Laminate is a true Matte finish...and you set the W1070 on Economy lamp and tweak down the Brightness and Gamma, I fear you might just have to consider a pai9nted coating.

And if so, don't fret...many have used Laminate for such a "canvass".

 

[vij]

Yes...Hot Spotting is a potential issue, and with much less brighter PJs than the W1070....even on Economy. One of the singular reasons it was never a "go to" application except fpr those with CRTs and low lumen PJs.

Even the WA-Designer Grey had such issues befall it's users

The laminates have a degree of surface sheen that creates the issue. Dependent upon PJ placement and viewing position, people with far less bright projectors stood a chance of having in the least, mild Hot Spotting. With a PJ such as the W1070, it may very well be considered a given.

Unless you can ascertain that the Laminate is a true Matte finish...and you set the W1070 on Economy lamp and tweak down the Brightness and Gamma, I fear you might just have to consider a pai9nted coating.

And if so, don't fret...many have used Laminate for such a "canvass".

Thank you for the inputs. Really helpful.
I have to state here that viewing angles will not be a problem - the room is just 10 feet wide.. so
So, I guess I should steer away from the grey laminates and try the standard designer white laminate. I have 2 concerns

1. Grey might bring hotspots but white screen(laminate or not) in my small 13x10 room could give glare due to brightness with the 1070 even in Eco mode maybe? This is my first experience with projectors and screens. Viewing distance 11ft - throw 11feet on 98" screen. Please note, my walls upto 5ft from projector is in maroon fabric and my ceiling is wood particle based black acoustic tiles with dark grey carpet tiles- but 70% of the walls thats towards the seating is light grey fabric.

2. Should I even consider the light grey laminate shown here http://www.greenlam.co.in/solids/solids/light-grey/20-417 Btw the laminates available in India - almost nothing is marked matte - they are all either suede or glossy.. Will suede be ok?

The w1070 outputs 900lumens in eco-lamp cinema mode BC-off(dimmest preset), on a 98" screen of 1.0gain that gives 31ftL on a fresh lamp..about 18-19ftL after several thousand hours at eco-lamp.
You should have enough brightness to use a light grey at 98" and eco-lamp.

Thank you Ftoast.. You seem to have lot of experience with grey screens Kindly advice - white or grey? - no ifs and buts

 

[MississippiMan]

With Suede or Glossy your only choices, it doesn't sound like either laminate would be a good choice.

When I wrote about "viewing position" I was referring to the height of the viewers eye level in relation to the screen & Projector.

There really is no need for back & forth here....with a PJ such as the W1070 set where it must be, and a screen the size of what you are considering set at any normal height to the viewing position, using raw laminate you will have at minimum some degree of hot spotting unless you mute the surface.

That said:

You best choice would be to use the White laminate and then paint it a light Flat Grey using a good quality Interior Enamel, one that can be dusted clean with a Feather duster when simply "dusty" and lightly wiped clean using a soft cotton cloth that is slightly dampened if it get anything more aggressive on it.

 

[vij]

With Suede or Glossy your only choices, it doesn't sound like either laminate would be a good choice.

You best choice would be to use the White laminate and then paint it a light Flat Grey using a good quality Interior Enamel, one that can be dusted clean with a Feather duster when simply "dusty" and lightly wiped clean using a soft cotton cloth that is slightly dampened if it get anything more aggressive on it.

Thanks for the confident straight answer. Helps make up the mind

Flat Enamel is the same as Satin Enamel right?
Descriptions for both are same. Both are described as having soft sheen - Asian paints has only satin enamel.

Edit: Asian paints say "Satin Enamel" is a soft sheen - but some general definitions state satin is a pearl like finish. confusions confusions.... have to talk this out at the shop.

 

[Ftoast]

The flat enamel and satin enamel should be different (enamel will have a naturally "matte" finish in flat, but a satin grey will risk hotspotting). I would use flat instead of satin. The enamel should give some added scrub-safety and any smoothly painted surface (that holds paint decently) should dust as much or more easily than your surrounding walls.
A light grey will be better than a white at that size. "Snow Field" (OONN 72/000) or "Universal Grey" (OONN 62/000) would be good choices.

It could be worse..you could be an indoor smoker.
The featherdusting that Mississippi mentioned is gentle enough for even a finicky manufacturer screen, so that's an excellent way to go for keeping it clear.

 

[vij]

Hmmm, fine - I'll go with designer white laminate - use Eco mode and see how it goes - if needed Il primer it and try light grey paint.
Damn, I wish I could try out 'light grey' laminate - I am tempted but.... ah never mind - designer white for starters.

 

[MississippiMan]

Hmmm, fine - I'll go with designer white laminate - use Eco mode and see how it goes - if needed Il primer it and try light grey paint.
Damn, I wish I could try out 'light grey' laminate - I am tempted but.... ah never mind - designer white for starters.

If you spray paint the screen using the Duster technique as described in many threads on here, no Priming will be required.

You can save yourself some time and go ahead and plan on painting the DW Laminate from the get go. It will need it, especially given the w1070s lack of effectively and satisfying deep black levels as well as the DW's tendency to hot spot with brighter PJs.

 

[vij]

If you spray paint the screen using the Duster technique as described in many threads on here, no Priming will be required.

You can save yourself some time and go ahead and plan on painting the DW Laminate from the get go. It will need it, especially given the w1070s lack of effectively and satisfying deep black levels as well as the DW's tendency to hot spot with brighter PJs.

I am starting with a flat neutral white Greenlam laminate. Its a pretty dull white and a shade darker than 'designer white'. Will keep this posted.

 

[MississippiMan]

Well that sounds like a acceptable start. Much like Black Out Cloth can actually help Black Levels slightly because it is seldom over 0.9 gain, and dull white with no sheen should do likewise. Just be sure to leave your options open and do not trim the screen until your certain your happy with the results.

A few other things you have not asked about / addressed is how are you planning to size/cut the laminate, how the Frame is to be made/used, attaching it to said Frame, and how you plan to hang the screen.

Laminate requires no small amount of care...it's brittle enough to crack or break if not treated gingerly.

 

[Ftoast]

I feel kinda dumb asking this so late, but would simply painting a wall work alright?
Are any of the walls where you'd like to hang a screen fairly smooth?
Flat/matte paint is very forgiving of any smaller wall textures as well as painting mistakes (it hides most so well that you can't see anything besides a perfect image) and a mooth-ish painted wall will be easy to wipe clean.

 

[MississippiMan]

I feel kinda dumb asking this so late, but would simply painting a wall work alright?
Are any of the walls where you'd like to hang a screen fairly smooth?
Flat/matte paint is very forgiving of any smaller wall textures as well as painting mistakes (it hides most so well that you can't see anything besides a perfect image) and a mooth-ish painted wall will be easy to wipe clean.

Actually, a true Flat paint is not conducive to keeping clean, and should anything beyond a Dusting Wand be used, it will quickly develop either a sheen or a dull spot where any degree of rubbing or even wiping has occurred.
(...of course for all that matters, so would a Laminate... )

If the OP was to consider a wall as a surface, and the wall was in fact smooth enough...he'd be best served by using a Interior Flat Enamel