mylar substitute?

[lehua96734]

go to your Dollar store and buy a metelic window shade for you car windshield. way cheaper.

[the image reaper]

Mylar sucks, big-time ... trust me, it loses reflectivity very quickly, the coating 'dulls' ... use flat white paint

[Rusty Trichome]

I'm with IR on this one. Plus, plastic sheeting can trap moisture between it and the wall. (mold)

Why not a white sheet hung with some push-pins? Does cotton-fiber white reflect less than wood-fiber white, or any more than cotton-polyester white? Is the difference worth worrying about?

[reworgallirog]

does anyone think that a solar blanket would work better than mylar considering the dullness mylar can get and that the shiny layer can rub off? also would a solar blanket help insulate to keep it controlled. cuz i use the insulation foam stuff and its awesome

[Rusty Trichome]

The heavier the reflective material, the longer it will last before scratches, folds, bends and tears, render it useless.

If you measure the distance from the bulb to the wall (or the mylar if that's what you use) and add that to the distance from the wall (the mylar) to the plant...the total distance is beyond the range of fluoro tubes or mini CFL's.

In other words...if you are not using HID lighting, (MH or HPS, or Mega-CFL's) you are basically wasting your money on something reflective, that won't do any good. :jointsmile:

[stickyinsalem]

Its a shame i cant ask for all of your peoples info...cause i make plastic sheeting and i can get all the FLAT white plastic the whole state would need to use....shame its not legal yet

[SAtown]

hello, i couldn't find mylar anywhere and i can't paint the walls of my growcloset, so instead I bout this shiny metallic silver paper at an arts and crafts store. Was this a waste of money? should I even hang it up? and for some reason I feel like if i use this paper im gonna start a fire or something, has anybody else used metallic paper like this?

also is there anything else i could use for the walls besides mylar and white paint

Get yourself some of that shiny gift wrap, the inside is as reflective as mylar, and it is wayyyyy cheaper and easy to use.

[SAtown]

I'm with IR on this one. Plus, plastic sheeting can trap moisture between it and the wall. (mold)

Why not a white sheet hung with some push-pins? Does cotton-fiber white reflect less than wood-fiber white, or any more than cotton-polyester white? Is the difference worth worrying about?

if there is a possibility that water is getting on the wall, it's going to mold with or without plastic. Control the humidity and overspray or u definitely will end up with a mold issue.

And emergency blankets trap a lot unwanted of heat/humidity especially in small grow areas.

& as far as the smell, if you can, the best way is to use a blower and vent it out of the top of the wall, to the outside, or more preferably, an exhaust fan thru the roof. High enough so nobody walking by can pin-point where the smell originates. Remember, heat rises, and with it, the smell. So pull the hot, moist air from the top out and let fresh, cool, dry air in from the bottom.

[the image reaper]

I still suggest flat white paint, but, if ya want to be a little more fastidious, check out the white 'tileboard', at Home Depot ... it's cheap (about $8-$9, for a 4'x8' sheet), and should last a lifetime ... I took a light meter with me to HD, and compared it to other white, and reflective surfaces there ... the tile board reflected the best :thumbsup: ... totally waterproof, it's made for damp areas, like laundry rooms, shower walls, countertops, etc. ... it's 1/8" thick formica, with one side glazed with a white, porcelain-like coating ... it's also what they make those 'dry-erase' marker boards with, sometimes ...
check out the 'tileboard', I think you'll like it, too :thumbsup:

[VapedG13]

I love mylar....I use the 2 mil x 50ft for $30 (bought off ebay) I have 48ft to cover (4 - 12ft long walls)

I have been using the same mylar for about 4 years now...couple hints..use duct tape where you are going to mount the mylar to prevent tearing....dont let it get wet or have condensation on the mylar.... that dulls the reflectivity