Dark room contstruction plans

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Does anyone have or know where to get or design a darkroom for developing and making prints? I have an area of my garage that I plan to convert, complete with hot/cold water/drain. Room will be something like 8x10.

Also, for developing 4x5, 8x10 and 35mm. Would like to be able to make 16x20 prints from a 4x5 or 24x30 if possible) Also, going to make contact prints for b/w. Need a good equipment list or where to find that. I found something by Kodak to start me off. Anyway, sure the question has been asked before, but would like input as I am new to developing film, not using film.

[Gary Beasley]

Other than being sure to have a wetside and dry side darkroom layouts are pretty flexible. In some cases it do what you can with what you got but in your case you have it easy. Plot your workflow and build accordingly.

[Luis-F-S]

There are probably hundreds of posts on this forum on darkrooms and darkroom design as well as thousands of books on the subject! All you need to do is search. Try google. I also have a post on my 8x10 darkroom if you look for it.

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...t-Installation


http://www.largeformatphotography.in...light=darkroom

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...1ft-room/page2

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I have been looking on Google and found some good things. I prefer to ask sometimes rather than spin my wheels figuring out the correct key words to search on. Sometimes they don't always work. I hate doing searches at work, they never work.

Thanks for the responses so far.

[Jan Pietrzak]

Steven, having built a number of darkrooms (for friend, schools, and pros).....let me ask some questions.....1) where do you live.....2) is the garage detached.....3) what kind of waste system do you have.....hot, cold and freezing can be an issue.....going out to work is nice but if it is a far distance from the house that can be an issue.....putting things into a septic system is not good.....4) can you get power and water out/into the new darkroom and can you drain your sink.....these are the first considerations I work with on any darkroom design.....5) do you plan to to do print finishing in that space???.....6) and last but not least ventilation air flow.....I know that some people may say that's to much to think about 16x20 prints that tells me that you want to be serious about this.....Jan

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Steven, having built a number of darkrooms (for friend, schools, and pros).....let me ask some questions.....

1) where do you live..... Mesa, AZ

2) is the garage detached.....No

3) what kind of waste system do you have.....hot, cold and freezing can be an issue.....going out to work is nice but if it is a far distance from the house that can be an issue.....putting things into a septic system is not good.....

The area is already plumbed with stub outs for hot/cold/drain (was thinking ahead when built house), no septic system. Regular plumbing


4) can you get power and water out/into the new darkroom and can you drain your sink.....

Have power to area, plumbed for a drain already, have overhead lights (fluorescent, but can change them)

5) do you plan to to do print finishing in that space???.....

If possible, otherwise I will have a work space upstairs for what can be done in a lighted environment.

6) and last but not least ventilation air flow.....I know that some people may say that's to much to think about 16x20 prints that tells me that you want to be serious about this.....

Will install a vent fan to the outside and use like a HEPPA filter system to bring in fresh air as well.

Yes, serious about learning and doing this for as long as I am able to. I like digital, but film is just fun and the possibilities to keep this art form alive and pass it on to my kids and others, etc is what I want to do. Leave a legacy.

Jan

[Tin Can]

Before planning study pictures of dark rooms. Most of us post in the thread show us your darkroom.

And Google images

https://www.google.com/search?q=dark...iw=320&bih=492

[Steven Ruttenberg]

There are probably hundreds of posts on this forum on darkrooms and darkroom design as well as thousands of books on the subject! All you need to do is search. Try google. I also have a post on my 8x10 darkroom if you look for it.

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...t-Installation


http://www.largeformatphotography.in...light=darkroom

Very nice work.

[Tin Can]

You live in a high dust area.

Consider making your darkroom positive air pressure.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

You live in a high dust area.

Consider making your darkroom positive air pressure.

Will consider. I may try to make my digital work area a positive flow for when I am scanning negatives, I hate dust!