View Full Version : Building a SERIOUS darkroom
So here goes -- DarkroomGuide.com (http://www.DarkroomGuide.com) -- I leased the space and am finally moving out of my garage, bathroom, guest bedroom, part of the living room, most of the kitchen and all of the walk-in closet.
I'd appreciate tips and feedback as I tackle this job. The website itself is buggy and incomplete but I'll be posting updates on the construction of the darkroom and studio as I go along.
Greg Blank
17-Jul-2010, 16:18
Wow nice big space, but so much to do. Painting walls is cheap. Paint the floors? Or hard wood for the studio.
Plumbing, sinks, electrical.
Lots of $$$
So here goes -- DarkroomGuide.com (http://www.DarkroomGuide.com) -- I leased the space and am finally moving out of my garage, bathroom, guest bedroom, part of the living room, most of the kitchen and all of the walk-in closet.
I'd appreciate tips and feedback as I tackle this job. The website itself is buggy and incomplete but I'll be posting updates on the construction of the darkroom and studio as I go along.
Brian Ellis
17-Jul-2010, 19:43
Having that much space is great but it sounds like a lot of work and maybe money for a space on which you only have a one-year lease. Good luck, I'd have killed for that much space when I used a darkroom. I had three darkrooms over the course of about 15 years, the biggest was the second one, probably about 6'x10' but that space was shared with a washer and dryer.
36 X 20 I'm envious !
My observation is that you should divide the space 2/3 and 1/3 with 2/3
being your stage, you'll want the room to swing lights and position your camera.
Congrats & good luck !
Cheers!
Not as grand but I also just bought a studio (70 sq. feet room plus a small kitchen/tiolet, about 40 sq. feet). Could not affect any more fitting works. But I hope that I can get my 4x5 enlarger (which I got it from here from Canada which much hard work of posting of the previous owner). Other than that it would mainly for housing my Jobo gears.
Schedule to use it twice a week as like this, it is off from work and home!
Mike of TOP is also building one. It seemed it is a new world wide "trend" :-) after all those abandonment.
Good luck to you and I am looking forward to see your finished one soon.
36 X 20 I'm envious !
My observation is that you should divide the space 2/3 and 1/3 with 2/3
being your stage, you'll want the room to swing lights and position your camera.
Congrats & good luck !
You may be right. I could use a giant white drop cloth on the floor when shooting and remove it when I need to make space. Certainly a lot less work invovled.
aduncanson
18-Jul-2010, 09:46
I built a 10x17 foot darkroom in my basement a couple of years ago. It is large enough for my 4x5 Omega and my floor standing 8x10 Elwood enlargers. It also contains a wet side sink about 8 ft long. It includes storage and work space for filing negs and a large plastic clothes wardrobe for drying them away from dust.
In addition to the large dedicated darkroom sink, I put in a simple inexpensive utility sink which turns out to be the best and worst decision I made. Worst because it is totally inadequate for my needs. It is too small to wash 16x20 trays or a large Jobo drum. It has my single faucet when I wish I had one for a print or film washer, one for washing utensils and perhaps one more always available for rinsing hands. If I had a film processor, I might need yet another faucet. It was the best decision I made because I invested all of about $30 in the sink and the faucet combined. I literally said "Let's get this. It might not be what I need, but I don't really know what I need right now."
After using the darkroom for two years, I am thinking about building a custom sink large and deep enough for washing trays with a shallow section next to it for either a print washer or a holding tray with a tray siphon. It will have three faucets including one with a foot operated valve for rinsing hands.
I also did not think ahead to provide dedicated space for drying prints on screens. I stack up screens on old film developing tanks over my long wet side sink. It is probably not the best solution, I would like to keep more distance between my washed prints and the place where chemicals are spilled, but it is not crying out for an immediate fix.
You may be right. I could use a giant white drop cloth on the floor when shooting and remove it when I need to make space. Certainly a lot less work invovled.
When I shared a studio, all I could think of was that I needed more space, once I had
light stands etc set up, folding sturdy tables are good too, easy to get out of the way
when you need the space.
The building looks familiar, is in Greenpoint, Brooklyn ?
I updated the site with more details and a video that shows the space
http://www.darkroomguide.com/2010/07/more-on-my-darkroom.html
Stephen Willard
18-Jul-2010, 21:41
A big darkroom speaks to big stuff. I am finding that my market is with big prints. People who buy my kind of photography have lots of money with big houses and big walls that cry out for big prints.
If I had a space like that I would install both a vertical and horizontal 10x10 enlarger. I would also have some kind of big table for cutting big paper sizes from roll paper. Currently, I built such a table in my 11x11 basement that I share with my workbench and the furnace. I can cut up to 20x50 panoramic print sizes and 30x40 rectangular print sizes from 40 inch roll paper. Because I work with color materials, all cuts have to be made in total darkness.
Just some alternative considerations...
A big darkroom speaks to big stuff. I am finding that my market is with big prints. People who buy my kind of photography have lots of money with big houses and big walls that cry out for big prints.
If I had a space like that I would install both a vertical and horizontal 10x10 enlarger. I would also have some kind of big table for cutting big paper sizes from roll paper. Currently, I built such a table in my 11x11 basement that I share with my workbench and the furnace. I can cut up to 20x50 panoramic print sizes and 30x40 rectangular print sizes from 40 inch roll paper. Because I work with color materials, all cuts have to be made in total darkness.
Just some alternative considerations...
Thanks. I suspected that big prints have a breed market. That's part of the reason for this project. I already have an 8x10 enlarger but I think I'll draw the line there though! PLEASE don't tempt me!
John Powers
24-Jul-2010, 15:47
You might want to look at this thread on APUG, “Darkroom portraits.” At this writing it has 1033 posts, a lot of good ideas and photographs of examples.
Over five years with permission from “she who must be obeyed” as the kids moved away, my work area has grown from 143 sq. feet to 347 sq. feet. This has allowed a wet dark area and a dry lighted area. The dry area is also convertible to a very basic studio.
One simple discovery I have learned is that over time I needed at least four times as many electrical outlets as I originally planned. In the wet area make sure these are ground fault or gfi so we get to read more about your adventures. Good luck and enjoy.
John
jonathan_lipkin
1-Aug-2010, 19:41
Two recommendations:
1. Put rubber mats on the floor and in the sink, the kind with holes in them. You can get them at restaurant supply stores. On the floor they save your feet when you stand for long periods. In the sink, they keep your trays off the bottom of the sink and protect the sink.
2. For ventilation, put the exhaust behind the trays not above them. If you put them above, it will draw fumes into your face as you lean over. If you put them behind, it will draw fumes away from you. When I had my darkroom I also had a vent blowing in positioned near the enlarger, where I spent most of my time. This way I got a face full of fresh air to breathe.
A big darkroom speaks to big stuff.
I actually found the opposite to be true... The bigger my darkroom the smaller my prints... :)
My only advice would be that you can't have enough sink area - I have two sinks, one is 2 1/2 ft x 7 ft, the second is 3 ft x 8 ft... the first is for developing film, second is for prints, and I wish I had a third for toning (and another washer for toned prints, as well)....
Dan
Steve Sherman
2-Aug-2010, 04:31
Like with anything being built within an already built space existing physical limitations have to be considered.
Taking a lesson I learned from the kitchen layout person who referred to the "golden triangle" a term used to locate the stove, refrigerator and sink with a limited amount of steps between them. I would apply that philosophy to the enlargers, sink and work surface.
In my new home (kids gone) and coming from a 6' x 10' second darkroom I wanted a dream space. So while the new home is being built roughly 6 months would go by before we could move in. During that time I was able to acquire some equipment which had become obsolete due to the dig@#*^ age and also figure out how to place the equipment within the confines of the alloted space.
That equipment now became the physical limitations which my space had to be designed around. I had roughly a 25' x 25' area which had be reserved for the DR. Final layout is just about 21' x 21'.
I knew I would have one large room with a smaller room set aside for a UV printing area which would be connected to the large area by a short hallway.
With the acquisition of two sinks, one a 10 footer and one a 7 footer I would begin to layout how they could fit within the alloted space where I still had to find a way to bury two lolly columns in the walls.
I arranged the sinks in an L shape, the larger 10' sink would be used exclusively for making prints while the smaller 7' sink would be used for film development. The sinks were arranged in a manner where they butt against one another leaving a space where they intersect for a countertop which is used for a print washer and several other essentials to the printing process. This sink arrangement sits within a 21' x 14' area, enlargers are on a far wall (one enlarger moveable on wheels). Within the remainder of the space sits a 4 x 8 work surface with large flat files underneath and sits on wheels so it can be moved anywhere in the remaining open space.
I've been able to keep the space small enough so that I can be efficient while working alone and also large enough for when larger groups (25+ to date) will visit for workshops or demos by myself or visiting instructors.
I believe in the end that becomes your challenge, to have almost an unlimited space but to still keep the size efficient and workable for just yourself to work in. In my case, when I develop film that is all that I do, when I print I never use the film area, in your space you could make those areas completely independent of one another so long as running water and a sink were available in both.
Pix available if you'd like.
Graham Patterson
2-Aug-2010, 12:21
I have a much smaller space ( 8-) ), but my solution to the drying rack issue was to put some rails over the sink at just above head height. My drying screens slide onto those. Decent air flow, the dust is likely lower in the room, and the space over the sink was otherwise unused.
I had roughly a 25' x 25' area which had be reserved for the DR. Final layout is just about 21' x 21'.
This sink arrangement sits within a 21' x 14' area,
36 X 20 I'm envious !
Well, my 12x18 doesn't seem so big now! :p
largeformat apt
2-Aug-2010, 14:36
I have just completed my 10 x 20 ft darkroom, two 4 x 5 enlargers on a bench. L 184 on the floor then a 8 ft dry area. Opposite is two fridges then a 12 ft wet bench. between the dry and wet is a 6 ft bench where the Jobo lives. I have placed the tray area directly opposite the enlargers. The fridges hold film, and wine, the other for paper. Have fun with your project, I built mine myself. It ended up costing about 15K AUD. There are some pics on my website
Tracy Storer
2-Aug-2010, 18:30
For a 1-2 year darkroom, think about lightly framed walls and cover it with heavy gauge opaque black plastic....almost more tent than "room" instead of 2x4 stud-walls, use 1x4 on 24" centers with plywood gussetts at joints for rigidity. Frame in a cheap, hollow-core, prehung door. It will be fast to build, and easy to tear down when necessary.
I had a friend who insisted on building a "modular" darkroom a few years back so he could unbolt the wall panels (which were 2x4 framed and skinned with 1/2 Plywood) and relocate if needed. It took forever to build, and the panels weighed a ton when I helped him take it apart a couple years later...he had to rent a storage space for all those panels which took up a lot of room when not in use as well.
$00.02
Thanks for all the input! Well, things have been slow in the last 2 weeks as I wrestle with the ventilation issue, the biggest problem with the space. I've managed to clean up and paint the floor with garage floor paint, and I had a nice chat with several HVAC contractors about my options on ventilation --- which aren't all that good since I don't want to invest thousands of dollars considering that have only a 1-2 year lease! I have essentially two 5-inch vents connected to the space for ventilation purposes (in addition to the door which opens up to the rest of the building) The best I can do is place a inline vent fan in each of the vents, and have one act as an exhaust and the other as intake since they're directly connected to the building exterior. With only a 5 inch vent, there isn't going to be a lot of fresh air coming and going! But since the space is so large, and I'm going to be pretty much the only person in there, it is just barely workable (I can always just leave the door open when I need more fresh air.) The trick is to have a couple of circulating fans to ensure that the air moves and doesn't stay still. So I ordered a large industrial fan which will also come in handy when shooting photos on the other end of the room, opposite the darkroom side, to stimulate wind. I might augment that with a rotating pedestal fan later. Thats the best I can do on the ventilation issue.
I have also been exploring my options on sinks and benches. I've decided not to build my own tables and instead use industrial workbenches that come in a variety of sizes. They go for around $200 each, and they're super-strong and height-adjustable. They also conveniently break down into pieces, which will come in handy when I move out of here. Considering the risks of using powertools, and the time and effort involved in making your own enlarger and work tables, I think it is a good option to simply use industrial work benches.
I also drew a scale map of the space and am trying to figure out where to put everything.
The same will probably go for the sink. I decided to purchase a stainless steel sink instead of making my own from wood. This is a bigger investment but I think in the long run, worth it. For a base, I will place it over one of the industrial work benches.
This weekend I will be painting the walls. I understand that most studios and darkroom walls are supposed to be a dull dark color but I jsut don't think I can live with that! I will be going with white, and save the dark paint for the area around the enlargers only. I should have ideally painted the walls before the floor, but oh well! There are still some holes in the walls around the piping that goes all over the ceiling, which the landlords are supposed to fix.
A little late to the party as usual, but you may want to look at this article, A Darkroom Portrait (http://www.rangeoflightphotography.com/news/A+Darkroom+Portrait), I wrote on the requirements and construction of my darkroom (with plenty of pictures and diagrams).
Ric Johnson
3-Aug-2010, 10:53
I painted my darkroom as 18% gray and love it.
A little late to the party as usual, but you may want to look at this article, A Darkroom Portrait (http://www.rangeoflightphotography.com/news/A+Darkroom+Portrait), I wrote on the requirements and construction of my darkroom (with plenty of pictures and diagrams).
Excellent!
Wow a 20ft sink! I can't do that because I am trying to keep about 1/3 of the space dedicated to a shooting area, and another 1/3 for a work table and lounging space (and maybe a place to put my intaglio press.) So the actual darkroom area will be about 15ft by 20 ft. Based on the location of the water pipes, I can only fit a 10ft sink on one side of the wall. The 20ft sink will have to come my next darkroom! I sitll think I can make really large prints though relatively easily with a 10 ft sink.
I like the idea of poly sheeting as splash guards and a squeegee board. I was considering having a stainless steel squeegee board made.
I love the idea of coiled hoses attached to the ceiling to keep things tidy. My ceiling is 11 feet high though, but I think I can simply attach my hoses higher up against the wall instead.
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