New darkroom

[k_redder]

Hey Everybody,
One of my favorite things to do on this forum while I've been working on getting back into LF photography has been to scour the place for all the info that I could find on what people have done to design/build their home darkrooms. I especially enjoy seeing pictures of what people have done/are doing with there space. So, since my project is starting (some imagination still required) to look like something I thought I'd post a few pics of the space so far.
Like most projects, this one grew in scope right out of the box. Our house already had a walk-up attic to work from, but I figured that if I was going to run electric, plumbing, and heat/AC to anything upstairs, then I was going to do the whole upstairs. So in addition to the darkroom itself, there's the stairwell, hallway, closets and an office/workspace to finish off. So, it's basically like finishing another whole floor of our house.The other part of it is that if I can't do the work myself, I can't afford it. So it's taking a while (almost a year since I started). Juggling this project on top of everything else (work/wife/kids/house) has been tiring but it's also been a ton of fun, and the payoff in the end will be tremendous.
If anybody else has any pics of their darkroom project that they are dreaming up, building, or already built, I'd love to see them. Thanks everybody.
Kurt

[k_redder]

... and a couple more.

[Greg Lockrey]

I'd get arid of that window in the second picture unless you are going to do a lot of alternative contact printing. Seriously, it looks like you have a good start on a nice space.

[k_redder]

Hey Greg,
The room with the window is actually an office/workspace outside of the darkroom. If you can read the floorplan pdf, you'll see where I mean.

[Greg Lockrey]

Hey Greg,
The room with the window is actually an office/workspace outside of the darkroom. If you can read the floorplan pdf, you'll see where I mean.

Oh... you expect me to read?

[Deane Johnson]

I don't see any space for print washing equipment? Or, is it not necessary to worry about that with current materials. It's been a long time since I worked in the darkroom.

[matthew blais]

Looks great! Your efforts will be rewarded soon enough.

[k_redder]

I don't see any space for print washing equipment? Or, is it not necessary to worry about that with current materials. It's been a long time since I worked in the darkroom.

The wet side will have a sink (7 1/2FT) that is built on top of two base cabinets.
Should look something like this (attached) when it's done.

[Clay Turtle]

Looking at the pdf file I noted that the door opens into your work area which has the window? So if you are working with photographic material you may want to isolate the entrance. Some b&w labs use dark curtains over doorway facing a wall which forms a parallel hallway. Closing the end toward the light source (window) adding another curtained doorway near the adjacent wall in the corner, would form such a double blind rather than having to light seal the doorway & hope you never need to leave nor anyone enter the while working?
Either that or put the door at the other end leading into the storage room . . . .
PS Chemistry can be somewhat overwheling at times, have you included a bathroom tyoe vent fan & exhaust vent?

[k_redder]

Looking at the pdf file I noted that the door opens into your work area which has the window? So if you are working with photographic material you may want to isolate the entrance. Some b&w labs use dark curtains over doorway facing a wall which forms a parallel hallway. Closing the end toward the light source (window) adding another curtained doorway near the adjacent wall in the corner, would form such a double blind rather than having to light seal the doorway & hope you never need to leave nor anyone enter the while working?
Either that or put the door at the other end leading into the storage room . . . .
PS Chemistry can be somewhat overwheling at times, have you included a bathroom tyoe vent fan & exhaust vent?

I expect to have to take steps to light proof the door into the darkroom. That window faces to the east and only sees direct sunlight first thing in the a.m. (when these pics were taken) so what you are seeing is worst case.
As far as ventilation, the openings you see in the ceiling on the left side of this pic is for inlet air running through a baffle arrangement in the ceiling joists which will probably be go through a filter media as it enters the darkroom. The air is exhausted through the 2 openings inside the darkroom which are located directly above and behind the area where the sink will be located (second pic), through an in-line exhaust fan behind the wall. One of these: http://www.rewci.com/fafrincefan4.html
The nice thing about this fan is it is extremely quiet. I actually have to stand still and not breath just to hear if it's on.