Remember that geeky kid in high school, the one that ran the projector, or sat in the dark controlling the lighting for the school play?
Best Paint for Projector Wall (Updated December, 2020)
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Best Projector Screen Paint Reviews
1. Paint on Screen – Best 4k Projector Screen Paint
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General impression
Supporting up to 4K high-density resolution, this paint is specifically formulated for areas with high ambient lighting and projection from high-end entertainment systems. The high gain performance reduces reflection rates, resulting in a bigger, brighter image.
Installation and technical details
Easy to apply on drywall and other surfaces, there are minimal special preparations needed, and the gallon covers 170 square feet. Paint can be applied by roller, brush, or spray. Two coats are necessary for the final finish. The paint is water-based for easy clean-up and has a low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) rating.
Best features
This paint is part of a large family of complementary products, including primer, frames, and special application tools. While it is a fairly simple process, professional application is also available through Amazon. With its special formulation of binders and particle size, it provides graphic detail within the realm of 4K resolution.
- Specifically formulated to support 4K, 1080-pixel resolution
- Dries to a smooth finish for excellent image clarity
- One-step application, no mixing
- Several comments about the difficulty to stir and dissolve solids into solution. It must be completely mixed for best results.
Conclusion
If you want to project high-quality 4K images, this is a top-quality paint for that purpose. It reduces the effect of high ambient lighting, even to the point where some reviewers say you can watch with the lights on. If you have ultra-HD capabilities in Blu-ray or other video devices and want 4K clarity reflected throughout, you can have a commercial quality projection screen with this paint.
2. Digital Image HD – Best Washable Projector Screen Paint
General impression:
This paint, from Digital Image, is designed for use in both commercial applications and in-home theater. Advertised as providing 40 square feet of two-coat coverage, it’s also 50% brighter than a normal white wall, and can be rolled on or sprayed.
Installation and technical details:
This is a one-step product, with no mixing of chemicals required. It’s a water-based acrylic paint, completely VOC free. The paint claims a 1.5 gain and works with a high-density resolution at up to 1080 pixels. No indication is given with how well it works with 4K imagery.
Best features:
This paint is the clear winner in the category of washable. If you have children and can envision sticky fingerprints on your screen, then this is the right paint for you. It has comparable specifications to other similar products. Expert installation is also available.
- Having the durability to be washed occasionally is a major selling point
- Acts as its own primer; no additional preparation needed
- 1.5 gain will give somewhat clearing viewing from an angle than higher gains
- Lower horizontal screen resolution than 4K solutions
- Quart size only, so a potential lot to lot variability
Conclusion
Given the no-VOC environmental friendliness of this paint, and the capability to clean it, the Digital Image product is very well suited to a family surrounding. You’ll get no odors during installation, the ability to remove small marks and spots as needed, and all the while enjoying 1080-pixel clarity.
3. Digital Image Ultra HD – Best Overall Projector Screen Paint
General impression
This screen paint, also from Digital Image, moves up the price ladder a little bit, but it also delivers very solid quality ratings from user reviews. The “Optiperfect” reflection gives a 1.5 gain, and provides high-level brightness without hot spots or reflections, and gives the user a great view from virtually any angle.
Installation and technical details
This is a water-based acrylic latex paint, with no mixing of compounds required, and provides two coats of coverage over a forty square feet area. It can be installed with either roller or spray gun, and professional installation is also available through Amazon.
Best features
This product gets very strong customer reviews on the 1.5 gain improvement over standard white paint. With an ultra-high-definition 4k projection system, you’ll get great viewing at 1080-pixel detail. The paint is also washable, but with mild detergent and no scrubbing.
- Users claim greatly improved visibility and clarity over standard painted walls
- Recommended for consumer and professional screens
- High clarity when viewing from angles
- The highest price of the four different screen paints reviewed
- Only twelve customer reviews
Conclusion
If you are a believer in “you get what you pay for,” then this is probably the paint for you. Yes, you are paying somewhat more than for other brands and qualities, but you will also see a real difference in your application. Markedly improved clarity, detailed 4K imagery, each combined with all the standard features of other paints included here, make this the Best Overall Projector Screen Paint.
4. Pro Screen Projector Screen Paint – Best Budget Projector Screen Paint
General impressions
With this Pro Screen brand screen paint, we move from the highest end of the price spectrum to the lower end. This paint is a two-part system, with components that must be mixed together. It is also a gray-scale, where all the others reviewed here are white or even ultra-white. Reviewers feel this gives clean contrast, especially to very light colors when compared to white screens.
Installation and technical details
Even with the gray color, this paint offers a 2.0 gain value, double the brightness of a standard flat white paint. The added is a powdered glass, which helps reduce ambient lighting to provide a clearer picture, even when viewed from an angle. The result is a 1080-pixel, 4K ultra-high-definition picture, and the paint is even compatible with 3D viewing.
Best features
The 3D compatibility is a nice touch, not specifically detailed by any of the other paints in this review. While there is an extra step involved in mixing in the additive, the resulting clarity makes this incidental to the total package. A one-quart can cover up to 80 square feet of coverage; most users say a single coat is sufficient.
- Budget price, high-end results with this paint
- Reviewers claim excellent picture clarity, even with light in the room
- Two-step process; not fully mixing can yield poor results
Conclusion
Don’t get hung up on the gray color of this paint, when all the others run from white to ultra-white. It offers clear results for a projection system, with good clarity and light tolerance. The one-coat coverage offsets the time to mix the components. If you are looking for a high-performance, budget-priced projector screen paint, this is one of the best.
Buyer’s Guide – How to Choose Best Wall Paint for Projector Screen
In this section, we’ll present some of the key terms, specifications, and features of the best paints for projector screens. Having a little extra knowledge in these areas will give you a leg up in making the best buying decision based on your individual needs.
Gain
Gain is a measure of the reflection of light off the projector screen. A gain of 1.0 is neutral – gain is measured against a standard of a white (magnesium oxide) coated board. Therefore, a gain of 2.0 will reflect twice as much light as the standard; a gain of .8 would be 80% of the standard. Gain is measured at the brightest spot of the screen – directly in front of it, and perfectly perpendicular. So, is more gain then better than lower gain? Not necessarily. See the next section.
Gain vs. viewing angle
The higher gain will give you a better look from directly in the front of the screen, but viewing from angles will not give the same clarity. Conversely, a lower gain will not look as good from directly in front as a higher gain, but you will have better views from an angle. This is because lower gain screens (around 1.0) will diffuse light much more evenly over a wider angle of view.
Restated, a high gain screen will be clearest directly in front of you, but not so clear from an angle, where the opposite is true of a lower gain screen. So, to summarize, the gain should be thought of in the context of the seating arrangement in your home theater. More seats off to the sides – try to stay with gains of 1.0 to 1.5. Seats centered on the screen, such as tiered seating – higher gains for you. The three pictures below represent the impact of the gain on the best seating:
Matte White Screen 1.0 Gain
Angular Reflective Screen 1.3 Gain
Angular Reflective or Retro Reflective 2.0+ Gain
Pixel
A pixel, or picture element, is the smallest visible unit that can be displayed on a display screen. Large numbers of pixels are joined together to form a complete image on the screen. An example of a pixel is below (courtesy computerhope.com). This image is zoomed in at 1600%, and you can see the individual color squares within it. Each of these blocks represents 1 pixel.
4K vs. 1080P
Each of these terms is used to define the quality of the resolution on a viewing screen. Both are expressed as the number of pixels, which we defined above. First, let’s think of these two numbers verbally; consider 1080P as high definition and 4K as the ultra-high definition. In terms of pixels, 1080P resolution consists of 1920 pixels X 1080 pixels. 4K is 3840 X 2160 pixels, and the 4K refers to the almost 4000 horizontal pixels, and 2160 refers to the vertical pixels.
Water-based paints
All of the paints reviewed here are water-based, meaning that the colors, fillers, and binders are all contained within a water mixture. Water-based paints offer two main advantages over oil-based. First, they give off little to no volatile organic compounds (VOC), meaning less odor. Second, clean up is much easier, complete with soap and water rather than the special solvents required to clean oil-based paints.
Ambient light
Ambient light refers to any light in the theater that is not directly coming from the projector, or the images coming off of the projector. Ambient light will reflect off the screen, and wash out, or reduce the clarity, or the projected image. Ambient light can be countered by having a brighter projecting device or using a darker projector screen.
FAQ
Conclusion
The projection capabilities of equipment on the market today are amazing. What’s more amazing is that a can of paint can turn any room in your house into a home theater. Simple enough that anyone with a modicum of handyman talent can install, it can take what you are viewing on an iPad screen and project it into a 5’x8’ screen.
These paints are relatively inexpensive, almost foolproof in their simplicity, and give great results for your viewing. By selecting one appropriate for your particular requirements, you’ll have a home theater to rival the professional ones. We hope this review has been helpful in giving you some projector screen paint options, and the additional knowledge needed to select the one perfect for you. Happy viewing!
Can paint for projector screen be rolled on?
Sure, it can. However, you are going to need to use a teflon coated microfiber roller. I can advise a good roller kit you can get.
I must say that those who are looking for the best paint for the projector wall should definitely consider Paint On Screen. It is an incredible product, and once you use it, you will certainly realize what you are paying for
It is not always true that the price dictates the quality. However, it is hard to deny the obvious with Paint on Screen.
My situation is the following – I am looking forward to creating my own outdoor cinema. I need the best projector paint and the surface it suits well. I wonder if it is worth the investment or should I just think about buying a regular screen.
Paint on Screen is one of those quality paints that can be painted almost on any surface as long as it is smooth enough. The truth is that the surface you are going to use is supposed to look smooth from the distance that you are going to view a movie. In case you see any imperfections such as holes, cracks, and other related issues from average viewing distance, I would suggest you get rid of them or consider another surface. Paint On Screen is a long-lasting paint, but if you are going to use the Screen outside for a long time, the chances are that you are going to need to repaint it in a few years.
Hi, I’m interested in a high-quality projector screen paint to use outside. Can you please suggest a proper brand that can be applied on concrete blocks? I’m looking for something long-term that looks really good on concrete.
Digital Image Ultra HD is one of the best options for concrete blocks. You could, of course, go with the more affordable Digital Image HD paint (the one with no Ultra), but the quality won’t be as impressive. Now, I have to warn you, that even with the most expensive paint, the concrete blocks will have a huge effect on the image quality. If they’re pretty rough, you probably won’t be satisfied by the result. So, my advice would be to go with smooth blocks.
I’m a bit confused: there are a lot of paints out there, but I can’t quite figure out which one will help me turn the wall white. Now, my wall isn’t particularly white – it’s more grey-ish. I already had disappointing experiences with cheaper paint that doesn’t cover the grey the way it should and leaves traces behind.
I feel your pain, my friend! Paint On Screen will be money well spent for your problem. First of all, it’s pretty thick, and that means none of that grey will be “poking” through. Plus, it was specifically designed to completely block and cover the original color. It is reflective, too, and feels like a proper projector screen. Keep in mind, however, that you might have to apply several coats. Three to five layers should be enough to turn your grey wall into bright-white.
Great review! I like how you’re pinpointing the pros and cons of each brand and what their paint is good for. I have a spacious living room with lots of windows and like the bright, natural light. You claim the Ultra HD paint is no-reflection. So, should I buy it, or maybe there’s a better option?
You’re absolutely right: the Ultra HD paint by Digital Image is, indeed, low on reflections. While it is fairly bright – 1.5 gain, to be exact – you won’t have to close or block those windows to be able to enjoy your projector. In my experience, a projector with +/- 3K lumens works great with this paint, no matter how bright the room is.
The picture is nice and clear, even when there’s a lot of natural light coming in through the window(s). Ultra HD was formulated with home theaters in mind. It is 100% white, that’s true, but it’s almost as reflection-resistant as grey. On top of that, compared to contrast grey, it isn’t at all harsh or dull, which is a known problem with the commonly-used grey paint.