Topic: How light-tight for a darkroom?

[Karl]

I'm looking at putting a room to use as a temporary darkroom and have been looking at a few 'blackout' options. One good method seems to be velcro and blackout material cut to size. This would be for a standard size, wooden framed glass door and you can buy kits to achieve this.

How light-tight does it have to be for printing? I've read on a few darkroom sites that it is not as imperative for prints as it is for film developing. It would be good to have total blackout but it's a shared study and I want it to be removable and the velcro might still let some light in, albeit marginal. And if I print at night then it might not let much in at all.

I've still got the cupboard under the stairs and a changing bag option for film.

Thanks

[Karl]

Doh, I've just seen the rest of the I am a Lucky Girl thread which may answer this

[LT]

not very is the answer really - I've got light holes all over the place in mine, and get no fogging problems.

The main issue is reflections - provided the small light beams don't fall directly onto your paper areas and don't get reflected onto them, you'll be fine.

[Karl]

sounds hopeful. I've just found some old black felt material that I think will work if I double it over. Could be up and running sooner than I hoped 

[LT]

exciting stuff karl.  Keep us posted 

[Diane Peterson]

Good luck Karl!!  My huband actually cut a piece of plywood that overlaps the outside of our bathroom/darkroom and put a strip of wood to hold it in place outside...because we get some terrific winds up here on the prairie.....however we do have the black foam core cut to size for the inside..the combination works perfectly..I prolly don't need the outside plywood but ever little bit helps..Foam core is amazing stuff...and so cheap!!

[Karl]

thanks and I'll let you know how I get on. I've got 2 enlargers lying idle in the garage so dusting them down will be fun. I am hoping it will reinvigorate my filmwasting, although with a massive backlog of negs perhaps I could start a paperwasters forum.

[Francois]

Don't forget, paper is something like 3 ISO... not very sensitive when you think about it.
Since my darkroom is inside another room, I just turn out the lights outside and it's dark enough for film. Else, it still works fine for paper.

[LeonY]

Yeah dont stress, my darkroom has a slight leak at the top window, you can barely see it(only after spending 10 minutes in pitch black) i have never noticed any fogging.

[Late Developer]

For prints, Leon is spot on. Some years ago, I turned my third bedroom / box room into a darkroom and spent ages getting it virtually 100% light-tight. However, by default, I also produced an almost 100% hermetically sealed room where ventillation / air flow was almost non-existant and heat and humidity achieved levels capable of growing tomatoes.

I did away with the draught excluders which "protected" the paper against stray light coming under the door from the hallway and never had any problems.

As I always used a changing bag and drum combo for developing film, I can't comment on if / or how much of a problem a little light is for film but my guess is that, as it's a load more sensitive than paper, complete darkness is a necessity.

[LT]

a few non direct/ reflected small light leaks shouldn't affect film.  They don't in my darkroom - even when doing sheet film in trays. 

[Karl]

How exciting is this...I have been ferreting around in the garage and cleaned up a Meopta 6 and a Durst Modular 70. All bought a few years ago and never seen the dark of the day as it were. I'm checking all other bits and bobs. I am sure I had a red safelight, can't find it under all the garage stuff.

[Mike (happyforest)]

The recent darkroom tent has reminded me that I did see this

http://www.growell.co.uk/total-blackout-reflective-sheeting.html

and thought it might be useful to provide a temporary black out.

Cost effective too.

Mike