White paint in flower chamber of cab; advice needed please.

I am just about to the point where I will be painting my flower/grow chamber of my cab. It is constructed from an old office cabinet that is particle/pressed board with a laminate on it. I intend to scuff up the surface for a better paint adherent. What are the best choices of white paint to use. I was thinking some Kilz since it is a primer and should stick better. But is it a bright enough white? Also is flat preferred over glossy and why?

I know some may prefer mylar over paint but I am not concerned about light distribution since I might be over kill with the 400w HPS cooltube/reflector already. Also I am on a budget that has already been over shot.

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.

Flat white. I'd use the kilz as a primer then a good flat white paint.

I just made a cab and painted the inside flat white, and it seems to be working great, although I don't have anything to compare it to. As was said already, highly reflective and no hot spots.

A word of advice on painting the laminate however - I used melamine panels with laminated edges and had a hard time getting the paint to stick. I heard to use Bullseye 1-2-3 primer because it sticks well to smooth surfaces. I tried to cheap out and use the primer I already had after scuffing with an orbital sander. After priming, painting, and curing I knocked a panel and chipped the paint. I tried to pick off the chip and all the paint just started peeling off. After all that work I had to peel and sand everything down again. I went to the store to get 1-2-3 primer, but the paint person told me to use Z-Prime, as it was better in her experience. I used the Z-Primer and now I can't scrape the paint off with my fingernail. I know you said you were over budget already, but I recommend not trying to be cheap with the primer - It only cost me more time and money in the end.

yeah my ikea drawers are flat white saved me a couple $, works great too.

Brick Top said:

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.

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LOL...Okay Ill be nice since I actually sell industrial coatings. Flat does NOT reflect better than gloss. Thats an old wives tale and it needs to be removed from grow books. On the sheen index flat reflects 0% that is the index architects use to determine the reflection of light. And ADDing a mildewcide? Unless you bought paint 10 years ago it is built in to premium finishes, such as an acrylic latex enamel, with a satin or semi-gloss finish. Most finishes are breathable and anti-fungicidal, so they used in kitchens and schools. Paint is not as old school as most grow books claim. ANd people always bitch why is my ceiling painted flat then??? Because its the cheapest paint made...flat is primer, that what you are paying for, so if you JUST prime and then cover it with flat, you are a fool. flat 0-3% eggshell 5-16% satin 25-60% semi 70-85 gloss 80-95

Caregivin said:

LOL...Okay Ill be nice since I actually sell industrial coatings. Flat does NOT reflect better than gloss. Thats an old wives tale and it needs to be removed from grow books. On the sheen index flat reflects 0% that is the index architects use to determine the reflection of light. And ADDing a mildewcide? Unless you bought paint 10 years ago it is built in to premium finishes, such as an acrylic latex enamel, with a satin or semi-gloss finish. Most finishes are breathable and anti-fungicidal, so they used in kitchens and schools. Paint is not as old school as most grow books claim. ANd people always bitch why is my ceiling painted flat then??? Because its the cheapest paint made...flat is primer, that what you are paying for, so if you JUST prime and then cover it with flat, you are a fool. flat 0-3% eggshell 5-16% satin 25-60% semi 70-85 gloss 80-95

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You do understand light diffusion, don't you? Flat/matte surfaces reflectivity is more uniform than eggshell or gloss surfaces; radiation is reflected in all angles equally or near-equally.

Glossy paint and eggshell paint will give someone more specular reflection but for even light distribution, meaning in part, no hot spots, someone wants and actually needs more diffuse reflection. Flat paint provides more diffuse reflection.

As for the mention of a fungicide, that was included in the section of the piece I copied and pasted the information from. It might be old enough now that what was possibly needed to be done by some no longer would need to be done due to it already now being added to paints.


Below is the complete piece.


GrowRoom Reflectivity 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:

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.

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.


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.

Emergency Blankets:

These are ultra thin polyester blankets that are sold in most camping stores and are constructed of a single layer of polyester film that is covered with a layer of vapor deposited aluminum.

It is not very effective at reflecting light because it is so thin. Holding it between you and a light source, many small holes are noticed at the intersections of creases and the entire blanket is translucent to begin with, this coupled with the many creases that are in it when you purchase it takes away a significant amount of it reflectivity. It is very easily creased as well which also detracts from its ability to reflect light. And while it is reflects nearly 90% of radiant heat energy, it is only able to reflect around 70% of the light.

The largest advantage of using this type of material is that it is very cheap and therefore easily replaced. Emergency blankets can create hotspots if not attached flush to the wall so it is important that no air gaps exist between it and your supporting wall. The easiest way to attach this is to use tape (Aluminum or metal tape is recommended), as it tears very easily once it is cut or punctured.

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.

Caregivin said:

LOL...Okay Ill be nice since I actually sell industrial coatings. Flat does NOT reflect better than gloss. Thats an old wives tale and it needs to be removed from grow books. On the sheen index flat reflects 0% that is the index architects use to determine the reflection of light. And ADDing a mildewcide? Unless you bought paint 10 years ago it is built in to premium finishes, such as an acrylic latex enamel, with a satin or semi-gloss finish. Most finishes are breathable and anti-fungicidal, so they used in kitchens and schools. Paint is not as old school as most grow books claim. ANd people always bitch why is my ceiling painted flat then??? Because its the cheapest paint made...flat is primer, that what you are paying for, so if you JUST prime and then cover it with flat, you are a fool. flat 0-3% eggshell 5-16% satin 25-60% semi 70-85 gloss 80-95

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I agree, I am aware that flat whit is a primer; but isn't Kilz and 1-2-3 primer different in some ways?

Kilz is a primer made to block stains. 1-2-3 is specifically made for sticking to a smooth surface. I am no expert, this is just what I've read. You want to use a good primer to stick to your laminate surface ( I imagine laminate would be hard to paint, like my melamine / laminate panels) and then top coat with a good quality flat paint. I don't intend to expose my cab to moisture through the use of custom sheet metal pans, so I am not too worried about adding an antifungal - if your conditions are so moist as to resemble a steamy bathroom, an area where you would need to add an antifungal, your paint job is going to be the least of your worries, imho. As a recommendation for flat/gloss, my flat works for me, but again - I'm no expert.

sparkabowl said:

Kilz is a primer made to block stains. 1-2-3 is specifically made for sticking to a smooth surface. I am no expert, this is just what I've read. You want to use a good primer to stick to your laminate surface ( I imagine laminate would be hard to paint, like my melamine / laminate panels) and then top coat with a good quality flat paint. I don't intend to expose my cab to moisture through the use of custom sheet metal pans, so I am not too worried about adding an antifungal - if your conditions are so moist as to resemble a steamy bathroom, an area where you would need to add an antifungal, your paint job is going to be the least of your worries, imho. As a recommendation for flat/gloss, my flat works for me, but again - I'm no expert.

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Well I guess we'll see what happens. I just got done priming w/ 1-2-3-Primer and it's drying as we speak. I was looking at paints at the hardware store and saw Rustoleum makes a clear reflective paint. HERE is it's link. I may buy a can and test it on a "test panel" to see how reflective it is. Ever heard of it?