3 ways to to make your own black borders on your retractable projection screen
There are many reasons why you would want to make your own black borders on your projection screen.
It can be too big. It might not have any black borders at the moment. Or it might be the wrong aspect ratio.
Whatever the reason, once the screen has been made, the manufacturer can not and will not change it for you.
So all you have left, is the following advice and your own skills.
There are 3 ways to create your own black borders:
1. Use black tape
Sticky tape comes in wide rolls (50 millimeter or 2 inches). This isthe exact width of the black borders produced by manufacturers.
Another advantage of tape is that it is easy to apply. Theself-adhesive back makes it easy to stick it to the projection screenfabric.
The disadvantage is its finish. Tape is quite shiny. And a shiny finishis not ideal as a black border. That is why the best tape is one thatis a matt black, not a shiny one.
Another thing to keep in mind is when making horizontal borders, youare adding a layer to the projection fabric. When the screen is rolledup, this layer may cause horizontal lines in the fabric.
The biggest chance of this happening is when you make a top border.That's because once rolled up, this border is at the beginning of thefabric and thus creates an imprint on all the following material.
So when choosing the tape, go for the thinnest one.
2. Paint the fabric
You can use a matt black paint to make your screen borders too. Thisgives a great, deep black finish. But only if done right. And that'swhere the trouble starts.
It is not easy to do, because you have to paint in a straight line forquite some distance. So it takes patience and a steady hand. If thosequalities do not apply to you, don't even start. Painting isirreversible and can ruin your fabric.
Another thing worth mentioning is the quality of your paint. It shouldnot crack once dried and rolled up. Plus, it should fix well to theprojection screen fabric. Test this on a sample (which you can get frommost manufacturers) before working on your screen.
Most types of fabrics can be painted, but coarse fabrics, like glass beaded ones, can not.
3. Use black velvet
Black velvet combines the ease of application from black tape, with thedeep black finish of the paint. It absorbs light and as such evenoutperforms fabric.
So it's the best option.
But, it's not easy to get and you need to cut it to size. Especiallycutting it to the right width over a length of 6 to 8 feet ( 180 to 240cm) can be tricky.
And remember that as with tape, it adds a layer to the fabric, which can cause horizontal lines.
So there you go, 3 options to create your own black borders tocustomise your screen as you want. All methods have their advantagesand for all of them, caution is necessary. Making these modificationsvoids the warranty, so make sure you want to take that risk.
Plus, it pays to practice on other materials before starting on your proper projection screen.
good luck,
Otto
