Partitioning part of a room for Darkroom Use

[christopher walrath]

So, I have a walk-in closet that is just sitting there attached to a 16x16 bedroom that has a door into the bathroom. My plan is to use the closet for my dry side. I would like to partition off about a 6x10 portion of the room between the closet and the bathroom to use as my wet side. Running water will be in the bathroom. I can use a slop bucket in the 'wet' room. All the floor is carpet and I rent. I am doing this so I can start to develop and print again. I had been setting up and breaking down in the downstairs half-privy (22 sq ft) and no LF enlarging. After doing this I will be able to lug home my monsterous Neseler 57MT and put it to the good use I had anticipated wwhen I got it.


So, how do I darken the walls without painting them? What can I hang on them?

What do I do to darken out the windows?

How do I build a partition to divide the room, wood or frame and cloth? How do I build a light safe door to enter this partition?

What do I put down in order to protect the carpet from splash?

What have I not thought of?


These are all things I could figure out for myself. But I am sure there are those on here with a simpler way than my at-times overly complex mind will come up with. All suggestions are welcome.

[D. Bryant]

What have I not thought of?

That you will be breaking the terms of your lease.

Carpet produces enormous amounts of dust.

Eventually you have to explain to your landlord why the carpet smells like fixer.

And you will curse your self for having to forever jerk water especially after spilling a few buckets(there's a reason why jerk water towns are called ... wait for it ... Jerk Water Towns.)

Just to name a few.

[Jim Jones]

I agree with the above. If you must darken an ordinary room, farm or garden stores should have rolls of heavy black plastic. It may take two layers for total darkening. Half of my darkrooms have had walking water rather than running water: I walked in with gallon milk jugs of fresh water and walked out with buckets of waste water. However, there were never carpets to worry about.

While trays are usually spread out in a darkroom sink, they can also be stacked vertically. Richardson Tray-Raks may occasionally be available on auction sites. These stack three trays vertically, and have a footprint little larger than one tray.

[Steve Smith]

I personally would not darken the walls. White or a tinted shade of white would be a better choice.

At my last house, I built a darkroom in the roof space and eventually put in running water and drainage. It was a pain getting up there though as it had a pull down aluminium ladder and I had to pull the ladder up and close the hatch when I wanted to use it. Invariably I would forget something and have to go back down for it.

In my current house I have some space in a spare room (just the corner of a 12' x 10' room) where I have the enlarger and if I clear some space, an area of worktop where I can put some trays. I no longer have running water or drainage but to me, this current setup is preferable to the previous one as it is easy to come and go as I please. There is toilet with a hand basin across the landing where I get the water from and prints are washed in the archival print washer (which my wife refers to as the shower) in the downstairs bathroom.

It would be nice to put running water and drainage into this room but I don't think I will. However, as soon as one of my children leaves home, there will be a dedicated darkroom built!


Steve.

[Stoogley]

I agree on with the above....what you propose is likely a lease violation and don't alter the walls.

Porters has some materials for making light tight things. A cloth and a static cling.
Here's the link to the window cling:
http://www.porters.com/black-out-sta...4-ft-roll.html

[Steve Smith]

I agree on with the above....what you propose is likely a lease violation and don't alter the walls.

It would be possible to build a lightweight partition wall which is just clamped or wedged against other walls and the ceiling and floor without attaching to or modifying the existing walls.


Steve.

[ic-racer]

So, how do I darken the walls without painting them? What can I hang on them?

A large piece of black poster board can be set up behind the enlarger.

How do I build a partition to divide the room, wood or frame and cloth? How do I build a light safe door to enter this partition?

There are numerous manufacturers of modular walls. I'd like to get something like that to partition my darkroom. However, I have yet to find a web site that actually sells them to you. Mostly spam and "contact us for quote" BS.

[Roger Thoms]

There are numerous manufacturers of modular walls. I'd like to get something like that to partition my darkroom. However, I have yet to find a web site that actually sells them to you. Mostly spam and "contact us for quote" BS.

Ic-racer, Just curious, any reason you haven't contacted any of these companies for a quote? The reason I'm wondering is that requireing a quote doesn't necessarily make the company bad. My girl friend buys mold and casting supplies from a company that operates this way with it's smaller customers. Both the company and their products are excellent and well worth the extra effort of sending the request in.

To be sure we were initially hesitant and approached we caution. I think in most cases you'll figure put pretty quickly if the company is for real or not.

Roger

[Greg Lockrey]

My darkroom is in the garage which I partitioned off with black plastic that is used for gardening. Two layers did the trick. I cut some fiberboard strips and used it to staple the plastic to the overhead and floor. Works on the widows too. You can do it for about $20.00.

[ic-racer]

Ic-racer, Just curious, any reason you haven't contacted any of these companies for a quote? The reason I'm wondering is that requireing a quote doesn't necessarily make the company bad. My girl friend buys mold and casting supplies from a company that operates this way with it's smaller customers. Both the company and their products are excellent and well worth the extra effort of sending the request in.

To be sure we were initially hesitant and approached we caution. I think in most cases you'll figure put pretty quickly if the company is for real or not.

Roger

I thought that if they really were 'modular panels' they would NOT be made to order to your specs. If I want a 'custom' wall, I'd just make one with 2x4s like anyone else doing a remodeling job. But I do admit ignorance to how these modular wall companies operate. Plus I have not seen any mention of how these panels do or do not satisfy residential building codes.