CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

JustGreg · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 3098 Location: Kenosha, WI

Somebody told me in PM (?) about a screen material they used that was sub $50 for a 4x8 sheet and I've forgotten who it was or what exactly the material is. For the amount of time I have available to get to the HT it just isn't worth it to spend alot. Open to all el-cheap-o suggestions - except for anything involving paint! Laughing

greg_mitch · Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 5321

Wilsonart Laminate??

Blackout Cloth from Jo-Anns Fabrics??

White sheet??

ecrabb · Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 10:33 pm Post subject:

Spanky Ham was probably talking about Gatorboard or Sintra; he seems to think it would work well for screen material. It certainly may, but I think he's dreaming about getting a 4x8 sheet of any of those materials for $50 or less. Supposedly, he had a great price on some , but I'd guess at least $100/sheet for any sort of Gator or Sintra in 4x8, and then then you're well into Wilsonart DW ballpark... The Wilsonart is also MUCH less susceptible to damage.

The only thing I can think of that's über-cheap - like under $50 - would be something like the old Parkland Plastics material guys used to use from Home Depot or Lowes, but I couldn't even find any last time I looked.

SC

jkruger · Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Posts: 2435 Location: Carlsbad, CA

Parkland plastics Plas-Tex waterproof wall covering in bright white. Cheap and available at any home depot or the like and very similar to Wilsonart.

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

I didn't PM you, but Crabb is correct in that I have tried Gatorboard and love it. I bought a 4x8 piece for $60. I would probably buy a thicker piece next time, but this one is not that flexible. It is also one piece, so it doesn't need to be mounted on anything like DW. It is also very light. It isn't as durable as DW if that is a concern, but it isn't fragile either. I am going to send some samples of Gatorboard, Gatorplast, Sintra and Durabond to the guys at the shack for some measurements, if you want to wait.

JustGreg · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 3098 Location: Kenosha, WI

akajester · Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 934 Location: Wisconsin

Greg, I mentioned that to you in a PM once. It's called Melamine and it's available at Home Depot. It was $35 for a 4x8 sheet a little over a year ago. It's 3/4" thick with a white laminate on both sides. You just rip it to 16x9 and mount it with some "L" brackets.

Dale

MikeEby · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 5238 Location: Osceola, Indiana

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

The problem with Melamine is that it is usually to glossy. I haven't seen a piece yet that didn't hotspot. As for Parkland, I guess it is good if you can get it. Unfortunately, availability is/was limited.

akajester · Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 934 Location: Wisconsin

My melamine screen doesn't hotspot with my barco, unless I crank up the brightness too high. If you do a proper grayscale adjustment you should have it dialed in nice, which you should do with any new screen really.

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

You may have been lucky in that you got one that doesn't have a lot of gloss or your ft/lmbs are so low that it doesn't have the issue. Either way, the Gatorboard is a great screen. You can get it in 5x10 and it is light. I think it weighs around 8 lbs. I was going to just hang it like a picture.

akajester · Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 934 Location: Wisconsin

Good tip SH. I'd be curious to see some. Not sure where to get it around these parts.

Dale

ecrabb · Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 4:43 am Post subject:

I still say a 5x10 piece of 1/2" Gatorfoam should be well over $100. That's still not bad, of course if you can do a 10'-wide scope screen for anywhere near $150-200.

Has anybody measured or even just tried to compare the gain on the gator vs. DW? The idea of a piece of foam that's 10-15 pounds is VERY attractive. In fact, I have an acquaintance starting a project now, and the Gator screen would save him a day or so of work in the garage...

SC

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

I need to PM mechman and the others over at the shack to get their addresses. I was going to let theme do the testing. I was also going to send some samples out to Darinp. Darin brought up the negative of transporting it. Yes, you would probably need a van or truck, but you would need either of those two for MDF or plywood to back a DW.

I did my own testing and found the Gator to be pretty good, but it is low gloss. So, the gain is probably around 1. Sintra is higher gloss and probably around DW, so it probably has the same sort of gain. Dibond is to glossy, but would be the absolute best screen if they could do a barium sulfate low gloss finish.

As for cost, I got mine from Parkland Plastics. There are several around the US mostly east of the Miss. I paid $60 for 4x8 and I forgot to ask the price on 5x10. I think Sintra was $15 more for 4x8.

To me, the best part is the fact that there is no work involved. Put a mask around it, hang it and you are done.

akajester · Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 934 Location: Wisconsin

Very cool. I'd love to see a sample of the gatorboard stuff. Would parkland send out samples?

dale

Ile · Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2010 11:01 am Post subject:

mechman · Joined: 21 Jun 2010 Posts: 30

mechman · Joined: 21 Jun 2010 Posts: 30

Ile · Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2010 3:03 pm Post subject:

mechman · Joined: 21 Jun 2010 Posts: 30

Makes sense. All glossy materials that I have seen hot spot as well. Designer White though, is used by several CRt users and all of them love it. Clarence is/was one of the biggest fans of DW.