Sorry probably could've searched for this but was lazy :| Ok, so I'm planning on making a grow box and putting it in my closet. So I went out and looked in places like Home Depot, and hydro stores for stuff i might need (dont have a set list of materials.) When I went to the closest local hydro store and a roll of mylar was like $90 I don't have that kind of money yet so is there anything else i could use (besides painting white).
I have heard a lot of people saying you can use emergency blankets for it. I know you can pick them up in the camping area in walmart.
Flat white paint, foil, emergency blankets... I would go with paint. The problem with foil and emergency blankets is they end up all crinkled up and I think that really cuts down on the light that gets back to your plants. If you can't paint the walls of your grow, you could grab some flat white mat board and tack it up around your plants. Check out mylar online. http://www.htgsupply.com/products.asp?categoryID=6&subcategoryID=165 25 foot by 50" roll is 13.95$
Emergency Blankets are the best bet, common size is 2'-3' x 5'-6' & they're cheap $4-$6 each but they're micro-thin & tear easy. Any place that sells outdoor gear K-mart, Hardware Stores,Wal-Mart,etc.I've recently had to move my growing inside & I'll probably line a closet with emergency blankets.
panda film ( aka black&white poly) runs about a 1$ a foot X10'(see thumb) lots of hydroshops sell it by the foot or in rolls. or any of those "shiny" ballons you see in supermarket check-out lines..those are made of mylar...cut em open and use em inside out.
If it's that cheap ill definitely buy it. Idk the rolls at the hydro store were huge and those were the only ones they had. Thanks everyone for the ideas though if i don't get Mylar I'll probably use emergency blankets or white paint.
Flat bright white paint is the best alternative to mylar is keeping costs down is your goal. Don't use emergency space blankets -- they are essentially mylar but are so thin that you can see through them when you hold them up to the light. If light is passing through then that is light not reflected. If a $3 space blanket was just as good as a roll of mylar then no one would be selling rolls of mylar. Google 'mylar roll' and you'll find tons of vendors.
best thing i found is at walmart the car windsheild reflectors, its like mylar and 2.99 and its not thin like emerency blankts that rip eaesy thats what i use
Personally I would go with flat white paint or you could also use white poster board. avoid foil tho. if you use it you can expect temps to be at least 10 degrees F higher than with paint
If you use white paint, get a 'Ceiling White' it's an industry standard & is Brighter than a regular wall paint. Another painter's trick to brighten a white is to add the smallest drop of blue colorant. a .25 of a 1/32 or 1/64(about an 1/8'' diameter)
I wouldn't reccomend emerg. blankets. when i had them in my cab, they trapped in all the heat (it's what they are made to do). took them out, used some flat white, temps dropped 5-10 deg.
I had the same experience with emergency blankets. At the very least a 10 F drop after they were gone. Same issue I ran into with emergency blankets. White Paint gets my vote.
A semi-gloss white would reflect more light than a flat, Flats tend to Absorbant.Most places that sell paint will have a Super or Bright White & a White, usually The 'White' will have more of a gray tone.
Yes I mix paint for a living I am a Benjamin Moore Authorized dealer. Anytime you go up in sheen level from Flat to Eggshell to semi/gloss to Hi gloss You'll get a harder, more reflective finish. sheens with a noticeable shine(Satin,Semi/gloss,Hi/gloss) are smooth & level, A flat finish is rough & rigid & tends to absorb anything that hits it. Smooth & Level finishes reflect & repel moisture & stains
