NOTICED A MYTH RUNNIN AROUND GROW FORUMS whether to use FLAT OR SEMI-GLOSS paint

tintala

tintala

Active Member
People are recommending to other people to use flat instead of semi. This is a myth and I'm here and qualified to discuss this issue. I have been a pro-house painter for 20 years , also just been signed by the HOME DEPOT to be a painting contractor for them. I am also a medical grower, Had to get certified and everything for HD... one thing i have noticed when discussing grow room setups is ppl are recommending flat paint.. THis is not right! First flat paint ABSORBS lighting, hence the NON REFLECTIVE characteristics.. The more gloss the more reflective qualities. Semi gloss reflects light , thats why it has a sheen so that when we look at it it's shiny,,, so is mylar and so is panda plastic. The point is, if your trying to setup a room and wonder which to use, FLAT is NOT they way to go! Semi gloss reflects the light not flat , panda plastic isnt FLAT, mylar aint flat either!!!!!! BUt if you have a choice between semi or plastic , I would recommend the PLASTIC, you can seal up a room with it and keeps odors from seeping out.. paint is economical but very messy. Plastic can make doors and barriers, paint canot. anyway just wanted to let anyone know that is settting up a rooom and cant decide which to use. I say go for the plastic or the semi-gloss paint , NOT FLAT. that would be rediculous.
 
platypusmann

platypusmann

Well-Known Member
What about elastomeric roofing paint?? I read somewhere it is highly reflective, and it is definitely not flat sheen.
 
C

Cyphen

Well-Known Member
Can you offer any actual evidence or fact to back up your claim?
Until then the people on the other side of the debate have alot more credibility, as well as a better laid out argument.

Personally, everything I've ever heard or read has indicated that gloss paint diffuses too much visible light energy to be as useful as flat paint for our purposes.

I don't know that there has been any conclusive testing done however, so as soon as you have a better argument than "gloss is shiny!" I'd love to hear it.
 
panhead

panhead

Well-Known Member
platypusmann said:
What about elastomeric roofing paint?? I read somewhere it is highly reflective, and it is definitely not flat sheen.
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If your talking about something like "cool coat" then your all set,there is another paint product made by Tremco called "Double Duty Aluminum",its a very watery paint,it has ground aluminum flake in it,when it dries it looks like straight up chrome.

I have been on top of roof's that had these type paints on them & both paints will blind your ass with reflectivity.
 
Blink

Blink

Well-Known Member
It's sad that Home Depot hired you with such a lack of knowledge of varnishes, and gloss paints. Almost as sad that the soon to be US president has only served 143 days as a politician.

Gloss paints are made up of spherical particles, while the flat white remains a flat plane. Think about it. Imagine a spotlight strong enough to burn your skin. Now, to last the longest without being burnt, would you rather be placed in front of a wall of disco balls, or a mirror? I know it's easy to think, SHINY!!!....REFLECTIVE!!! But what meets the human eye, isn't always true. You see glares from the gloss/finish, which makes you think it's brighter, but it's not.

Even if I didn't know that ^, I've spent a good chunk of time on roofs. There's been a couple that were add-ons, putting metal roofs on flat roofed building. Every flat roofed building I've been on, was white.........flat white. Not only does the gloss base not reflect as well, the gloss absorbs heat, so then you have lost light as heat. My grow cab is painted flat white. There's been times I check on the grow right when I wake up, and the flat white reflection is blinding. I have to let my eyes adjust before I just pop in my grow room.
 
speedhabit

speedhabit

Well-Known Member
tintala said:
People are recommending to other people to use flat instead of semi. This is a myth and I'm here and qualified to discuss this issue. I have been a pro-house painter for 20 years , also just been signed by the HOME DEPOT to be a painting contractor for them. I am also a medical grower, Had to get certified and everything for HD... one thing i have noticed when discussing grow room setups is ppl are recommending flat paint.. THis is not right! First flat paint ABSORBS lighting, hence the NON REFLECTIVE characteristics.. The more gloss the more reflective qualities. Semi gloss reflects light , thats why it has a sheen so that when we look at it it's shiny,,, so is mylar and so is panda plastic. The point is, if your trying to setup a room and wonder which to use, FLAT is NOT they way to go! Semi gloss reflects the light not flat , panda plastic isnt FLAT, mylar aint flat either!!!!!! BUt if you have a choice between semi or plastic , I would recommend the PLASTIC, you can seal up a room with it and keeps odors from seeping out.. paint is economical but very messy. Plastic can make doors and barriers, paint canot. anyway just wanted to let anyone know that is settting up a rooom and cant decide which to use. I say go for the plastic or the semi-gloss paint , NOT FLAT. that would be rediculous.
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My god......

This is why people are sad that mom and pops are being raped by Home Depots...pappy knew you needed flat white for that reefer.

Oh and blink, funny analogy
 
2

20$oz

New Member
I've never had much faith in home despicable, even less now.

Tintala.....I'm sure you mean well, but you need to study your trade a little better.
The science is on the flat side of the fence. This can be easily tested with a light meter.(and has been many times, in past debates)
So there should be no argument
 
thelastpirate

thelastpirate

Well-Known Member
Blink said:
It's sad that Home Depot hired you with such a lack of knowledge of varnishes, and gloss paints. Almost as sad that the soon to be US president has only served 143 days as a politician.

Gloss paints are made up of spherical particles, while the flat white remains a flat plane. Think about it. Imagine a spotlight strong enough to burn your skin. Now, to last the longest without being burnt, would you rather be placed in front of a wall of disco balls, or a mirror? I know it's easy to think, SHINY!!!....REFLECTIVE!!! But what meets the human eye, isn't always true. You see glares from the gloss/finish, which makes you think it's brighter, but it's not.

Even if I didn't know that ^, I've spent a good chunk of time on roofs. There's been a couple that were add-ons, putting metal roofs on flat roofed building. Every flat roofed building I've been on, was white.........flat white. Not only does the gloss base not reflect as well, the gloss absorbs heat, so then you have lost light as heat. My grow cab is painted flat white. There's been times I check on the grow right when I wake up, and the flat white reflection is blinding. I have to let my eyes adjust before I just pop in my grow room.
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Blink, You're pretty close. White is reflective, gloss or flat. Titanium white being the most reflective. The difference between Gloss and flat is the QUALITY of light. Flat reflects a "soft" diffuse light where Gloss reflects a harsher light that could have "hot spots" where any light planes converge. I aint a painter, but I DO have my 4 year degree in photography.
I had my reflectors powder-coated flat titanium white. What most folks don't realize is that although you have 5000 deg K (for example only) from the bulb, the reflector surface can CHANGE the color temp of your light. You want a pure white that reflects all wavelengths equally. Titanium white comes the closest to true white.
 
2

20$oz

New Member
thelastpirate said:
Blink, You're pretty close. White is reflective, gloss or flat. Titanium white being the most reflective. The difference between Gloss and flat is the QUALITY of light. Flat reflects a "soft" diffuse light where Gloss reflects a harsher light that could have "hot spots" where any light planes converge. I aint a painter, but I DO have my 4 year degree in photography.
I had my reflectors powder-coated flat titanium white. What most folks don't realize is that although you have 5000 deg K (for example only) from the bulb, the reflector surface can CHANGE the color temp of your light. You want a pure white that reflects all wavelengths equally. Titanium white comes the closest to true white.
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Excellant explanation! Makes perfect sense, the gloss being prismatic disrupting the color spectrum..
 
P

Phinxter

Well-Known Member
boy howdy it takes real balls to pop onto a forum and clear up a "myth" like that when not only is the "myth" true but 100s of people are repeating the same true information and not only is it grow forums but its photography forums and paint manufacturers
i almost feel sorry for someone that knows so much better the reflectance of a paint better than the company that makes it and 1000s of forum users ... and this guy just holds his breathe and dives in head first
 
thelastpirate

thelastpirate

Well-Known Member
Phinxter said:
boy howdy it takes real balls to pop onto a forum and clear up a "myth" like that when not only is the "myth" true but 100s of people are repeating the same true information and not only is it grow forums but its photography forums and paint manufacturers
i almost feel sorry for someone that knows so much better the reflectance of a paint better than the company that makes it and 1000s of forum users ... and this guy just holds his breathe and dives in head first
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I was gonna give him an A for balls, 'till he went away. I think we pissed in his Wheaties.
 
NewGrowth

NewGrowth

Well-Known Member
Flat paint diffuses the light more evenly preventing hot spots. High gloss paint actually reflects less total light and can cause hot spots in your grow room.
 
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