# Foil vs white paint



## Pete (Jan 13, 2019)

Another question I have been unable to resolve is the issue of reflective materials in the grow area.  Much of what I've read claims that foil is a poorer choice than flat white paint because it reflects light something like 30 to 40% less effectively. Having said that... every portable grow room they make is foil lined. So... ***?


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## umbra (Jan 13, 2019)

flat white paint is easier to apply and touch up


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## Pete (Jan 13, 2019)

umbra said:


> flat white paint is easier to apply and touch up



I think to narrow it down, ... the entire portable room industry uses foil or mylar lining. Makes no sense if the foil story is true. Which means everybody using them is getting somewhat diminished results?


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## umbra (Jan 13, 2019)

yes


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## pcduck (Jan 14, 2019)

Depends on what type of "foil" you are talking about. Aluminum "tin" foil is terrible.


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## zigggy (Jan 14, 2019)

I asked this ??? a while back ,,,I was thinking of using mylar in both of my rooms,,popular opion was use flat white paint ,,,I had used mylar before but it was a pain in the neck ,,,always falling off the wall,,,also made a strange noise with the fans blowing on it freaked me out ,,I used the flat white paint and I am happy I did so ,,what pcduck said is true DO NOT USE TIN FOIL


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 14, 2019)

When people say not to use foil, they are speaking of aluminum foil, not mylar.  There is a world of difference between aluminum foil and mylar.  However, with that being said, I find mylar very hard to use.  You only keep those great reflective percentages if it is hung pretty much perfectly straight with no wrinkles.  It is also very hard to clean and it tears easily.  Overall if you are looking for something for your grow room walls, FLAT white paint is aa close second to mylar, with the added bonus of it being cheap, easy to clean, and durable.


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## Pete (Jan 14, 2019)

I finally decided on the flat white. Aaaaaand because I had a can in the house. Glad I did too, because my initial crappy idea was to spray glue the foil to the walls.  So, at my screeching wife's behest... I have a lovely flat white interior now, life is normal again and my lunches turned back into tasty human food again....


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## Pete (Jan 14, 2019)

The Hemp Goddess said:


> When people say not to use foil, they are speaking of aluminum foil, not mylar.  There is a world of difference between aluminum foil and mylar.  However, with that being said, I find mylar very hard to use.  You only keep those great reflective percentages if it is hung pretty much perfectly straight with no wrinkles.  It is also very hard to clean and it tears easily.  Overall if you are looking for something for your grow room walls, FLAT white paint is aa close second to mylar, with the added bonus of it being cheap, easy to clean, and durable.



Spot on.


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## Pete (Jan 14, 2019)

Begs the question then... is that foil or mylar they line the portable rooms with? It doesn't look like any mylar I ever saw. I have only made a half-hearted attempt to find out. I'm getting addicted to talking here... you get so much more than flat answers.


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## Rosebud (Jan 14, 2019)

Don't piss off your wife.... food is important.LOL


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## Pete (Jan 14, 2019)

Rosebud said:


> Don't piss off your wife.... food is important.LOL



She likes you already.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 14, 2019)

LOL--you can learn to cook....there are a lot more important reasons to not piss off the wife.

About 15 years ago I used sticky backed mylar on part of a closet I turned into a grow space.  It ws a nightmare to remove and took forever.  Good call on the flat white paint.


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## Pete (Jan 14, 2019)

The Hemp Goddess said:


> LOL--you can learn to cook....there are a lot more important reasons to not piss off the wife.
> 
> About 15 years ago I used sticky backed mylar on part of a closet I turned into a grow space.  It ws a nightmare to remove and took forever.  Good call on the flat white paint.


Haha! The problem here is that she's a professional chef, so it's not that I won't eat, it's that I will be relegated to eating stale TimBits and coffee grounds then instead of the usual hunks of perfectly seasoned and prepared everything and garnished with lots of totally unpronounceable things they do to asparagus and stuff that starts with scary letters like "q"..... so imagine the carnage I would leave in my wake making sure I'm on time for dinner in this house...


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## Pete (Jan 14, 2019)

And she just reminded me that, given my propensity for being led astray, I should sit a while and imagine what life would be like if I didn't get to have any of the Orange-Pistachio stuffed grilled scallops and Boozey Cranberry creme brulee she'll be rolling in tomorrow like a dog in it's own sick.


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