The blackest black paint

[jmiyake]

I will be setting a center and 2 subs right under my front projection screen. I want to minimize reflection and illumination from the speaker surfaces. I have tried regular flat black paint, and it is still rather gray.

What is the blackest, darkest, least reflective, light sucking paint out there? Any thoughts?

Thanks,
James

"I see a woofer and I want it painted black
No colors anymore I want them to turn black..."

[Darren]

Personally I'd consider some black fabric. Flat paint will always attract dust and fingerprints that will show easily.

[Bent]

What would duvetyne look like on an exterior, if it were trimmed well?

[Jman]

Velvet seems to be the least reflective fabric available. Someone on AVS had pictures of velvet, duvetyne, black cloth, commando cloth etc and velvet was the best by far.

[jmiyake]

The cloth solution is rather interesting. However I am not sure I understand how it would work.
How would it be applied, for instance?
Or would you just drape it?

James

[Darren]

jmiyake wrote:

The cloth solution is rather interesting. However I am not sure I understand how it would work.
How would it be applied, for instance?
Or would you just drape it?

James

You apply it with Super 77 or Super 90 3M spray adhesive...you can find it at Home Depot or Lowes. Spray the box or manifold then carefully smooth the cloth out onto the surface, then cut the holes out where the drivers mount.

[F1 fan]

Some builders are using spray on truck bed liner on their subs.It has a textured finish and should not be reflective.
Anyway just an Idea.

[jmiyake]

Interesting! I rather like this idea, should be rather strong and protective too! Could deaden the walls of the speaker!

What kind of truck bed lining?
Anyone ever use this?

James

[F1 fan]

I am not sure of the brand name but if I happen to come across it I will let you know.I suspect that it would be avaiable at an Auto parts store.

[Darren]

I've used the truck bed liner and it did have a sheen, kind of like semi-gloss paint. I'd avoid it if you don't want that.

[SteveCallas]

I use a tower speaker right under my display as my center channel and I use felt on the top. What I would do is finish the top to match the rest of the speaker's finish, then just tape a piece of felt to the top. This way, if for some reason the speakers are no longer in a light reflecting position, you won't be stuck with a felt top.

[jmiyake]

You know what, THAT is a great idea! I think that is what I will do.

Thanks Steve!

James

[crackyflipside]

Black Fidelio Velvet.

http://www.bymichelle.com/fidelio.html

[Chrisbee]

I needed a dead flat, black finish for optical purposes and found the angle of incidence the critical factor in reflectivity. Neither velvet nor felt are very mat when seen at a grazing angle. Both however are probably better than common mat black blackboard paint. Just hold any samples up to the light from a window in front of you in a poorly lit room and you will quickly discover what is shiny and what is not. Look along the surface of the cloth sample.

Funky Foam is a type or thin, closed-cell foam. Found in model shops, craft shops and some toyshops. This stuff is much flatter and blacker than anything commonly available.

You can just lay it on top of your speakers rather than glue it on. Funky Foam usually comes in A4 sizes but is available in larger sizes if you are lucky.

It is really meant for kids for cut out projects with scissors and build up layers of bright 3D coloured pictures. You want the black stuff of course.

[wbassett]

The blackest paint I have seen is Benjamin Moore's INT. RM 12 Black. In the center is a 0 0 0 black for reference. The closest to that I have seen with paint is the INT. RM 12 at 46 46 46.

I know EXT. RM 4 Black Forest Green looks blacker, but it really isn't. It leans green, hence the name.

This stuff is pretty dark, but there is a way to deaden it up even more. It won't make it darker, but definitely makes it reflect less light...

The problem with paint, even flat paint is it reflects light to some degree, even flat black. There is a way to deaden flat black even more (only from a regular can though, this won’t work with spray cans). Add 4 tablespoons of cornstarch per oz. of warm water. Then 4 tablespoons of the cornstarch slurry per 2 oz. of Flat Black paint. Believe it or not this will deaden the flat black down a lot.

It sounds crazy, but is really works. So to make a quart of this black hole black you would need 24 ounces of the corn starch slurry and 12 ounces of the blackest black paint you can get and in the flattest finish possible. That will give you a bit more than a quart (36 ounces) but close enough.

The only down side is flat paints show wear and dirt easy, the plus is you can reapply a coat and it's a dead black again. I'm not sure I would do this if you want your speakers to look 'pretty', they definitely won't have any shine or have that 'piano' finish look, but it doesn't sound like this is what some are looking for anyway.

Anyway, it's worth checking into for those that don't want to use fabrics.

[ccdoggy]

I did a truckbed liner and i wouldent really suggest it unless you are doing a spray on one, as I used the duplicolor stuff with the roller and it looks pretty good for a first time, but not spectacilar. It does get hard and is pretty black black. However im pretty sure i got cancer from it as it has upwards of 5 cancer causing chemicals in it and it wasent the windiest of days when we were working on it.

Its a pain and takes like 3 coats if you are rolling it on. I think mine looks good enough for a college student so im not complaining, and i got a brushed aluminum front that looks sweet.

[smoov1444]

Well actually, I have (3) subs and a center underneath my screen, and they are black Lacquer, but there is room to push the speakers back far enough so you only see the front firing drivers (grill covers off).

[Joe L.]

As already described, you don't want the blackest black, you want the paint that reflects light the least.

I used black analine dye on oak veneer (on the speakers) and on raw MDF (on the speaker stands) It has no shine at all. I've read of india ink being used to do the same.

To protect the dye/ink the salesperson at the local woodworker.com store recommended a "dead flat spray lacquer" It has No shine at all, dries completely clear (you can't even tell where you sprayed it once it is dry)

You want a matte finish. Raw MDF when finished with water based dye has such a finish... you do need to be careful with excess glue, because the dye will not penetrate the MDF when its surface is partially sealed with glue.

Anything that makes a surface more flat will cause reflections that can be distracting. The spray lacquer I used is available by mail-order... might be worth a try.

On woodworrker.com you can find it as
934-154 DEAD FLAT SPRAY FINISH Behlen B101-0883

Here is a gamma enhanced picture showing the finish on the left/right speakers and my DIY stands made of raw MDF dyed black, and finished with the dead-flat-lacquer. I had to boost the gamma before posting this picture as otherwise you could see no detail. The rear speakers dyes with the same black dye, on the tall stands, have a clear satin water based polyurethane finish and are very glossy compared to the front Left/Right speakers using the "dead flat lacquer"


Here is link to a second picture, taken with a flash... you can see the difference between the "satin" finish on the rear speakers and the dead flat finish on the stands and the L/R front speakers.
http://i7.tinypic.com/72qz0w1.jpg

As already described, black velvet is about the least reflective as you will get.

I used a large piece of it to cover my DIY proscenium based subwoofer under the screen. It basically eliminated all reflections from the screen.

You can see it on this post: http://www.hometheatershack.com/foru...html#post64660
(old subwoofer replaced with new, center channel now mounted above screen) It also shows how the L/R speakers and stands with the dead flat finish reflect almost no light from the screen.

Joe L.