Building my Darkroom What color should I paint the walls?

[aduncanson]

As the originator of the thread that Merg referred to, I can update you that in the end I did paint the walls Kodak yellow (gave the store part of a film box to match.) The color is not terribly annoying. I do use strong direct white lights for evaluating prints so the wall color does not greatly influence my judgment either in exposing or toning prints.

I have decided that the theory that reflecting off of a yellow-orange wall will render safe any white light that spills out of the enlarger, is probably only partially true, not absolutely true. Even a red surface can reflect some blue. With two 25 Watt amber globe safe lights on the ceiling, the room still has some dark corners. I think that brighter walls would make the room easier to work in. Were I to do it again, I would probably go for a significantly brighter yellow, if not white, and consider using black near the enlarger, as is frequently recommended.

[ic-racer]

Gray for me.

[GabrielSeri]

All great advice. I think I will paint a flat off white and flat black behind the enlarger. I will also look at any light leaks.

Funny story.. when my parents first moved into the house in the 80s this room was a darkroom! The previous owner was a photographer.. my dad threw away or recycled the sink. I wish I still had the sink, since I'm going to be using a work bench with trays instead. It's a work in progress, I'm sure I'll get a sink one day.

Thank you.

[cowanw]

Nothing wrong with white (mine is) but just to make the point that if it is red and you use a red safelight then the illumination will be exactly the same as if the walls are painted white (white can only reflect what is being beamed onto it). and red walls have the advantage of absorbing more of the bad wavelengths (should there be any) than white does (which doesn't absorb any colour)

[Juergen Sattler]

Mine is 18% gray:-)

[Ron McElroy]

Mine is painted gray. To do is again I will use white paint.

You mentioned needing a sink. You can build one out of plywood or MDF. There are lots of threads here discussing how to finish them.

[BetterSense]

When I was trying to copy a print last fall, and was having a heck of a time keeping the camera reflection off the glossy print surface, I sure wished I had painted the room black.

[Scotty230358]

My enlarger wall is painted flat black. The same goes for half the ceiling. Everything else is flat white.

[Jay DeFehr]

One more for flat white. I use a cheap red spiral fluorescent bulb for a safelight and my darkroom is both bright and safe.

[Fred L]

White around the wet side and close to 18% gray around the enlargers. None of the newspaper labs I've visited or printed in had black around the enlargers, most were a mild,creamy yellowish colour scheme throughout.