What to Use to Line a Light-Leaking Room?

[mellowmama]

My grow is in a small room in the basement of a very old house. The room was thrown together by nailing vertical planks to a few horizontal 2 x 4s. Who knows how old this structure is, or what its original purpose was.

Concurrent with its use as my grow room is its use as storage. I have one wall lined with heavy duty pegboard and two and one-half walls lined with shelving. The blank half wall and some of the shelves are dedicated to the grow.

The problem is that light leaks everywhere from this room. The vertical planks have thin and not so thin cracks from which light shows. There are gaps where the verticals don't meet with the floor joists above.

I don't want to take the trouble and expense to knock the room down and start over. When this grow is complete, I'd like to just take all the stuff out/down and line the interior walls with something to cover the cracks, and stuff the gaps at the top with something.

The main grow is in a turnkey closet system, which leaks a little light but not much when closed. When open, it's like staring into the sun! The mother and seedling/clone areas are on the shelves, so those T5s are not enclosed.

Question is, what to line the interior walls with? Does tar paper stink? Will plastic cause temperature or humidity issues? Any ideas? I'd like to use something lightweight and flexible due to all the structures I'll have to work around and behind.

Thanks for any ideas.

 

[JimmyKing]

There are so many things you can do to seal in light. It really depends on how much work and money you're willing to spend. Now I work on a smaller level than a room. I use a PC box, but I have found in my working career many different things that work perfectly.

If you're interested in spending money:

Flex Seal. Yeah i know the commercials are annoying but the shit works. It will not only stop a light leak, it will help seal in the temps.

If you're interested in looking, you can also talk to hotels. In a hotel room they put these blinds up that are quite literally called "Black Out Drapes." Too bad you don't live near me, my hotel is replacing them and we have a ton left over. They work the same as the flex seal. The only difference being you would need to hang the drapes. And the Flex seal is in spray form so it would have a slight smell. Nothing too harmful tho, kind of like plastic to me.

If you to not want to go that far into it. Duct Tape and lots of it. You can also try Weather stripping and spray paint. It's easy to cover those leaks. Just be creative mate.

 

[mellowmama]

Thanks for the ideas. I went to Lowes and found what I think will be a good solution. A black heavy paper, in two weights, in the roofing section. I don't know what it was called or used for, but it was not the nasty heavy asphalt stuff. Should be able to just staple it to the walls. Plan to try the lighter weight. I tore off a small corner and tested it - it does block the light.

And the good part is that every project requires a new tool! This one calls for an electric staple gun!

Thanks again.

 

[Muttt]

It's called tar paper or roofing paper,

It will work very well for blocking light. You can easily hand it with a stapler. The problem is reflectivity. You are going to have to hang mylar or something over it to allow the light to reflect.

 

[mellowmama]

Thanks, Mutt. I just happen to have a big roll of mylar!

 

[JimmyKing]

Nice find. That stuff works like a charm. I still like my Black Out drapes though, for me they were free. Can't beat free haha.

 

[HiTimes4Me]

Panda film works great black on one side to keep light from penetrating and white on the other to reflect it back into the grow. But I see you found a solution just thought I would add my two pennies incase other new folks find this thread and are looking for answers.

 

[mellowmama]

HighFlyin5,

I actually did use Panda film instead of the paper I mentioned earlier!. And it worked great. I can't find one light leak anywhere.

Thanks!

 

[Muttt]

After thinking about it for a while. I think you may not have liked the tar paper. I forgot about how much that stuff smells. Not sure how that smell would effect the taste of your herb.

 

[mellowmama]

Yeah, I was worried about the smell, but I didn't know what else to use. Then someone on another forum suggested the panda film. I had never heard of it, but I found a website selling it for a very good price and they shipped it same day and I got it the next (no extra charge, they were just on the ball and happened to be next state over). I happened to have a couple days off scheduled, so got it done. Whew, one less thing to worry about.