# Forum Home Renovation Home Theatres  Projector Screen

## Sybarite

Hi everyone, 
I am after some ideas on how to best build a screen for an LCD projector. 
The screen size is 2000mm H x 2500mm W. 
The wall behind the screen is not flat - part of it is a 150mm deep butress 900mm W, so the screen will need some sort of frame, alot of which will hang off the butress. 
I am entertaining a few options, such as a couple of ply sheets braced and covered with fabric but am really interested in something that is (relatively) low weight and preferably non wallet destructive. 
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. 
Cheers,

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## Wood Butcher

I made a projector screen for a church once that was about the same size as what you are after. I made a frame out of 2x2 pine, with a 6mm ply face glued on one side. The ply was sanded smooth and a matt white paint was sprayed on. Been hanging in the church hall for about 7 years now and still works well apparently.

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## Spelunx

No sure how fancy you were after, but have a look here for ideas:  http://www.homescreens.com.au/index.html 
They don't have a price list, but have a look here:  http://www.theloudspeakerkit.com/ 
I bought a sub-woofer off them, and can definately recomend them. 
They are a Perth stockist, and according to their website, prices start at around $900. 
Building my own screen is something I would like to attempt one day as well, so I did a quick Google for you, and found the following:  http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/h...jector-screen/  http://www.crazysquirrel.com/diy/projector-screen.jspx 
Have a read of these two, anyway, it will give you a few ideas. 
Cheers 
Jayson.

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## Barry_White

> Hi everyone, 
> I am after some ideas on how to best build a screen for an LCD projector. 
> The screen size is 2000mm H x 2500mm W. 
> The wall behind the screen is not flat - part of it is a 150mm deep butress 900mm W, so the screen will need some sort of frame, alot of which will hang off the butress. 
> I am entertaining a few options, such as a couple of ply sheets braced and covered with fabric but am really interested in something that is (relatively) low weight and preferably non wallet destructive. 
> Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.  
> Cheers,

  Sybarite 
Here are some pics of the one that I built for my home made projector. 
Frame is made out of 40 x 90 Meranti reinforced with three ply and all joined together with pocket hole screws. 
The screen is Triple Pass block out curtain material from Spotlight it comes in either 1500 wide or 2400 wide by whatever length you want. It is streched over the frame and stapled all around the edge.  
It makes an excellent screen just make sure you get the white material and not the creamy coloured one.

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## Pulse

if you're quick you can pick up a motorised one at grays online  
Cheers
Pulse

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## Spelunx

The one Bazza has posted is pretty much the most common one made at home. 
The next improvement is using specialist screen material for the backing, but it is a hell of a lot more expensive.

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## Sybarite

Thanks for all the great replies! 
Spelunx, that engadget link is very informative.
I will be following the path proposed on that thread, and reiterated by Barry (thanks Barry) - A timber frame with curtain backing stretched across it. 
To hang it off the wall I was hoping to use some French battening - I have a fair bit of 16mm x 100mm MRMDF sawn up into splits to hang my displays and would also like to hang the screen with it.
The only problem is the width of the screen, 2500mm, to hang off a buttress 950mm wide. 
Depending on what the final assembly weighs we will see if we can use the battens. 
Thanks again for all the feedback, I will endeavour to post an image of the result. 
Cheers,

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## Barry_White

> The only problem is the width of the screen, 2500mm, to hang off a buttress 950mm wide. 
> Depending on what the final assembly weighs we will see if we can use the battens.  
> Cheers,

  Before I made the stand I had my screen hanging off a curtain track with two wire hooks about 1200 apart. It isn't all that heavy. 
Mine is 2400 wide x 1500 deep. 
I would think if you built one you would need an extra horizontal brace in it.

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## niel.p

do you relise that the better screens have a reflective coating to make the picture brighter and thats why the are expensive

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## Barry_White

> do you relise that the better screens have a reflective coating to make the picture brighter and thats why the are expensive

  Thats probably an urban myth. Mine is pretty bright and I'm only using Blockout curtain material.  
Go here and have a look at some screens and their output.  http://www.lumenlab.com/forums/

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## Sybarite

Having now done some more research I would be inclined to agree with Barry. 
Screens with a high reflective quotient were quite important for a lot of earlier projectors due to the limits achievable with bulb brightness, contrast ratios et cetera... 
Our little machine throws out 2500 lumens with a contrast ratio of 2000:1 and will show a clear image on our rendered off white walls from 4.5m away. With the shop lights on. 
But on the other hand, it is being used as a data projector, not for home theater (except for maybe a few select sporting events...) 
If I do find myself unhappy with the reflective value of the fabric I will just have to fork out some readies for a specialist reflective paint, such as the Projection Screen Paint provided by Vogel. 
The fabric should be able to be painted like prepping a canvas - still a lot cheaper than purchasing a screen the dimensions of what I am after - 2000H x 2500W; which if I did would probably cost more than the projector!  
Great input guys, I am almost looking forward to this project now that it has been explained so clearly. 
Cheers,

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## Spelunx

Goodluck with the project, don't forget to give feedback, I have bookmarked this thread and will return to it when I get around to building one. 
Cheers 
Jayson.

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## Sybarite

Yesterday was fabrication and installation day for our data projector screen. 
I ended up using 70 x 35 Structural Pine for the frame, as I had some left over from the stud wall we recently put in, and 70 x 20 Radiata for the cross pieces, with a bit of 3mm external ply for the corner bracing. 
Knocking the frame up was pretty straight forward, although it was made a lot easier with the help of my lovely assistant holding the other end of the tape measure and backing the timber while drilling. 
Everything is screwed together using 45mm chipboard self tappers with the corner braces tacked in place (constant checking of diagonal dimensions for square essential). 
Test mounted the frame to locate the french battens that are fastened to the upright cross pieces - assistant now functioning as directable prop. 
Spotlight supplied the 2500 x 3000 triple pass blockout - white, unpatterned. 
The fabric was a bit rumpled and creased, but a low iron (No Steam!) by newly reassigned ironing assistant on the fabric side got rid of a lot of this. 
Fabric was then stapled to the frame in the same manner as one would stretch a canvas.
Advice sourced from this thread re maintainng a clean work surface was extremely appreciated. A good drop sheet in this case was perfect. 
The final hang was a real thrill - a great result for a days work.
125 inch screen size for about $150 including fasteners and an unpaid assistant. 
We are waiting for delivery of the projector mount so we can post some shots of the screen in action. 
Many thanks again for all the helpful advice. 
Cheers,

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