Building a Grow Box - Need help with mylar/emergency blankets

enclaved

Active Member
I am building a grow box and am trying to line the walls with emergency blankets. They are extremely thin and flimsy so I was wondering if anyone had any tricks or tips to help me cut and get this one the walls. i am currently trying to use aluminum foil tape.

I already ruined half a blanket in my attempts so any suggestions would be welcome.
 

Attachments

newb101

New Member
i would measure you walls then, lay the blanket down and cut with a surgical knive or something very sharp making it a lil bigger to make sure you got your corners covers!!
 

vh13

Well-Known Member
Yeah, measure and cut slightly over-size first.

Some people put velcro on their mylar sheets. I use double sided tape.
 

KaleoXxX

Well-Known Member
i used staples to secure 1 part of the blanket to a wall and removed the trim with scissors. then did the same on the other walls, and top

double sided tape or Velcro sounds easiest tho
 

enclaved

Active Member
cut with a surgical knive or something very sharp
I use double sided tape.
i used staples to secure 1 part of the blanket to a wall and removed the trim with scissors. then did the same on the other walls, and top
Between those ideas I think I'm gonna be able to do this when without ruining anymore. I don't think my scissors were sharp enough so I'm gonna stop and get some new ones and one of those 'wrapping paper' trimmers on my way home.

Thanks Guys
 
I thought that the mylar was to thin to really reflect the light? When I was going to use it I held a peice up at warlmart and saw the light from the roof through it
 

RanTyr

Active Member
I thought that the mylar was to thin to really reflect the light? When I was going to use it I held a peice up at warlmart and saw the light from the roof through it
While not the best choice the emergency blankets are a valid cheap reflector to get yourself going. It may only reflect roughly 55% of the light, but the walls are much worse :)

I will add though that using the blanket as a permenant solution will greatly reduce how effective your light setup is.
 

vh13

Well-Known Member
I thought that the mylar was to thin to really reflect the light? When I was going to use it I held a peice up at warlmart and saw the light from the roof through it
I've noticed this too, but white poster board wasn't as effective a reflector as mylar for me. I've considered trying flat white primer soon, gonna have some left over from another project.
 
I've noticed this too, but white poster board wasn't as effective a reflector as mylar for me. I've considered trying flat white primer soon, gonna have some left over from another project.
I painted my walls with flat white rostellum paint. just make sure you get some fresh air if you use that stuff. works like a charm, my 1000w hps makes the room glow unbelievably
 

enclaved

Active Member
While not the best choice the emergency blankets are a valid cheap reflector to get yourself going. It may only reflect roughly 55% of the light, but the walls are much worse :)

I will add though that using the blanket as a permenant solution will greatly reduce how effective your light setup is.

Yeah, I agree after opening and seeing what the 1mm mylar is all about. Hopefully I'll get a roll of white poly in time for my second grow, but since I already spent the whopping 3 dollars on emergency blankets, I'll see how it goes with my bagseed grow, see if this cabinet I'm building actually functions before I drop even more money into it.
 
Yeah, I agree after opening and seeing what the 1mm mylar is all about. Hopefully I'll get a roll of white poly in time for my second grow, but since I already spent the whopping 3 dollars on emergency blankets, I'll see how it goes with my bagseed grow, see if this cabinet I'm building actually functions before I drop even more money into it.

I think it would be worth your time to say screw it with the blankets and throw ten bucks worth of paint up.

Any loss of lumens (light) is a huge loss. You gain so much by being efficent.

my .02
 

enclaved

Active Member
My cabinet is coming along nicely, I got the mylar up. I used a wrapping paper cutter and it worked pretty well. Taped it up with double sided tape and aluminum tape around the edges. And a shot of the CFL lightbar I made with mylar on a tin cookie sheet for a reflector.
 

Attachments

Top