New 'Winter Mist' screen paint a success

[Barney Fife]

I painted over my Behr UPW screen with Winter Mist, and it was definitely worth it. Although my room is a dark cave, I wanted to improve the black levels of my HD1000 projector, and it did. The first thing I noticed during tonight's movie was the "black bars" now look black, instead of dark gray. The black levels were definitely improved by this gray paint. Thanks to everybody that gave me advice in my other threads.

[Harpmaker]

[wbassett]

Good deal Barney and welcome to the world of neutrals!

[mechman]

mech

[cynical2]

Nice, Barney! (You know, I really find it weird talking to Barney Fife )

[Prof.]

cynical2 wrote:

Nice, Barney! (You know, I really find it weird talking to Barney Fife )

LOL!!..I was just thinking the same thing..
How about some pics..Barney Fife..

[Barney Fife]

I've got some nice pics of Thelma Lou and I, if you know what I mean !!!!!!

[southsound]

Barney,
Your post has inspired me to take out the roller and do the same. I built our theater several months ago and have still not finished the trimout, etc. When the drywall folks did their work, the area where the screen was to go had only one seam - the horizontal one where the top and bottom sheets met - and since it was a tapered edge, it finished perfectly flat. I had them leave an area 93 x 70 untextured. After a little cleanup of some minor defects in the flat area, I had a painter friend come in an paint the room. We used SW Latte (it looks like coffee with cream) on the walls and Kilim Beige on the ceiling. Since he was doing the ceiling in a color other than white, he tinted the primer just a little to the beige side and sprayed the entire room. I masked off the 115" screen before he painted the Latte on the walls. We have been using the slightly off-white primer for a screen since early December and didn't really even notice the color shift. I've had a quart of SW Gray Screen and a quart of Winter Mist since the original paint went on the walls. About a month ago I did a sample panel of both the N8 Gray Screen and the N8.5 Winter Mist. I decided I liked the Winter Mist best. Both were mixed at Lowes from Valspar Signature Matte. But in the closet they sat. As all of us know, good enough is the worst enemy of excellent.

After reading your post I got out the supplies, de-linted the roller, masked the edge and it's finally done! We have been watching a lot of movies lately (146 hours on our Sharp XR-30X since December) but tonight we have a meeting so the theater will be dark. Right now there are some marks due to the drying process but I can't wait until tomorrow to see the screen dry! I bought some 2" wide Duve-Pro tape for the border but will probably wait a week or more for the screen to cure before putting it up. The tape is the same stuff they use to repair Duvetine curtains in theaters - black felt with a self-adhesive backing. It isn't quite a wonderful as velvet, but still drinks up the light and is much easier than wrapping a frame. And at less than $25 (with shipping and tax) for a 75' roll, the price was right.

I'll post a report on my results when I recalibrate and watch our first movies Tuesday night.

[Barney Fife]

I'm so glad I inspired you. What's weird is, the day after I painted the screen, I re-checked the contrast and brightness(twice) and neither needed to be changed. After going from Behr UPW to the light gray, I thought I'd have to raise one or both a little. I was told the Winter Mist is an N9 paint though, not 8.5.

[southsound]

It has been about 3 hours since the paint went on and the screen has already evened out colorwise. I wish I was going to be home tonight to try it! I used a 3/16" roller and the Valspar paint right from the can. It didn't cover as well as I had hoped as I used the whole quart on the screen and I thought I might get two coats out of it. Oh well, no runs and a perfect surface so I guess I just saved myself some work.

Just a tip from my painter friend for others using a roller to paint their screens. Rollers will typically lose some of the fuzz on the beginning part of the surface you are painting unless you deal with it while the roller is still dry. That means picking off the little pieces of fuzz and rerolling the area. Happens even with professional rollers. Here is what he recommended: Stick the end of a quality roll of 2" package sealing tape to the bottom of your shoe. Unroll the tape to waist level and cut it from the roll. With the tape stretched out away and up from your foot, roll the mounted roller up and down against the tape. Roll at an angle so the entire roller passes over the tape. You will be amazed at the little pieces of fuzz that come off on the tape. Fuzz that would otherwise end up on your screen.

As to the Munsell value of Winter Mist. Munsell N9 = 229,229,229 while Munsell N8 = 202,202,202. With Winter Mist at 220,220,220 it is not quite as light as an N9 but lighter than an N8. I guess you could call it an N8.6. At any rate, it is a great color for home theater screens if you want an image to really pop but don't need the extra contrast of the N8 Gray Screen.

[Barney Fife]

WOW. You used a whole quart with 1 coat? I got 2 coats out of 1 quart, and I still have about 1 " of paint left in the quart can. I used a 1/4" Purdy roller. Home Depot didn't have any 3/16" rollers, but the 1/4" one worked great.