When you’re trying to set up your own home cinema, then there are different ways that you can do this. The most popular method is to use a screen for your projector. But, this isn’t the only way that you can set up a projection screen for your own home theatre.
You can also look at using a specific type of paint designed to be used with a projector in mind. It is specially made to minimize any kind of reflection, which is the most common issue with projecting directly onto a wall in your home.
We know that it can give a good viewing experience, with projector screen paint being more used. But with screens being the more popular choice, is it worth evening thinking about using a projector paint? Well, let’s take a look.
Is projector paint worth it?
The correct answer to this is that projector paint is worth it for a few reasons. It’s a good choice if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to a screen that takes up no space in your house. However, painting on a wall with a certain texture might distract you when you’re trying to watch a movie.
With many of us having textured walls in our home, this is a key problem you can face when using projector paint. If you don’t have a smooth white wall to paint on, then this might put you off from using paint as opposed to another solution.
There are other things that you need to take into account when choosing whether to opt for paint or for a screen. So, let’s look at some more information about which paints are good for use with a projector.
What colour projector paint should I use?
If you’re not entirely sure what colour projector paint you should be using, then there is a general rule of thumb that we use. This is that if you’re going to be project in a very dark room, then you’re fine going with a white paint.
But, if you’re planning to use your projector during the daytime or evening where some ambient light might get into the room, then you’re going to want to opt for a greyer colour.
Grey is also known for being high contrast, which means that it can enhance the contrast of the image and make it easier to see the difference between blacks and whites in your picture.
It is also usually worth giving your wall 2 coats of paint as opposed to just a single coating. This is because generally is makes your wall much easier to clean. When you give it the once over with a cloth, you don’t want to have any effect on the paint on your wall.
So, if it’s fully dark then opt for a white paint, but if it’s going to be used in brighter conditions, then a light grey is the better choice.
Why projector paint is a good idea
Cost
One of the main benefits of using projector paint is that typically, it’s available for a pretty cheap price. You don’t need to spend a fortune to get yourself some projector paint, especially if you’re only looking to paint a small section of your house.
Whilst at one point in time projector screens were very expensive, nowadays you can get a good one for relatively cheap. So, the difference between the two, in terms of cost, is smaller now than it ever has been.
Space
Although you might not have thought of this advantage, another reason why using projector paint is a good idea is that it doesn’t take up any more space in your house. If you get a screen that you have to have mounted, then it’s going to take up room that you might not have to spare.
However with projector paint, most of the time you can find white or grey colours that will blend in with the rest of the wall. So if you’re looking for a disguised way to have family movie night, then using projector paint won’t take up any more room in your living room.
This is also worth taking into account if you’re looking to paint somewhere outside your home. Paint is often a popular choice for classrooms, as again, you won’t take up any space and you won’t need to fold out a screen every lesson.
Why using paint might not be a good idea
Although using projector paint is a good idea in many cases, there are some arguments against projector paint which you should probably take into account too.
Imperfections
The biggest argument against using a painted wall as your projection area is that it’s not going to be as smooth as using a screen. This is definitely true, as the majority of walls out there will have little bumps across them which makes them imperfect.
Only you’ll know whether or not this is going to be a problem, because the likelihood is that you’ve got a wall in mind for your surface. And, the texture of the wall itself is going to best the key to whether it’s suitable or not.
So make sure that the wall is as smooth as can be, because any scratches will be much more noticeable when you’re projecting a bright image onto it.
Portability
Another main downside of using projector paint is that obviously, you can’t move it. With a projector screen, you have the ability to move the screen wherever you want to. This means that if the weathers nice, in the evening you could use your screen in the garden, or you can take it camping with you.
Projector paint is fine if you only want to watch films in one space every week. But if you need some portability then a projector screen is the better choice of the two.
Conclusion
All in all, the best choice of the two is always going to be using a high quality projector screen. This way, you’re undoubtedly going to get a smooth surface, and you’re going to be able to use your projector portably as well.
However, there are benefits to opting to use projector paint as well. It’s a cheaper alternative than purchasing a screen, plus the paint job will take up no extra space in your cinema room or lounge. So, it really depends on what you’re looking to do.
