Goo Systems, Screen Goo, Projector Screen Paint - Tips & FAQs

Goo Systems' Screen Goo products are specially formulated, color corrected, screen coatings in liquid form. They are designed to achieve the highest performance levels possible for a given display situation.

Below is a YouTube video showing Goo Systems' Kevin Nute exhibiting at LDI 2011 in Orlando Florida briefly and graphically explaining What is Screen Goo.

Wall paint is designed and engineered principally to cover an underlying surface and to provide color in a room. These are relatively straightforward objectives and they are accomplished by paint manufacturers through the use of an inexpensive dispersion medium (typically, water-based acrylic or an oil-based medium) to which a pigment or pigments are added to provide color. Usually, relatively small amounts of pigment are used and then supplemented with extenders whose main purpose is to reduce the amount of expensive pigment required to produce the desired color. This can be done because the quantity of light reflected by wall paint is relatively unimportant.

By contrast, Screen Goo has been specifically engineered to accurately reflect and disperse the complex colored light patterns produced by video projectors. To that end, Screen Goo starts by employing a premium acrylic dispersion with very low light absorption characteristics and excellent durability. To minimize light loss and to ensure color fidelity, Screen Goo uses much greater concentrations of pigment than those found in house paint. These pigments are carefully chosen to accurately reflect the full spectrum of color produced by video projectors as opposed to house paints where the goal is to reflect that portion of the light which produces the single desired color. In addition, Goo Systems employs proprietary dispersion and pigment treatment techniques to maximize the reflective properties of the pigments employed. These techniques require custom built machinery and are very time and labor intensive.

Lastly, unlike wall paint which involves the application of a single product, a Screen Goo application consists of two different products. Screen Goo Reflective Coats provide an ideal reflective surface to which a diffusive, color correct Finish Coat is added. It is the combination of the reflective Reflective Coat and the diffusive Finish Coat which gives a Screen Goo screen its remarkable qualities of high reflectivity, color accuracy, wide viewing angles and excellent contrast. The icing on the cake is the very special sense of image depth, or feeling of looking into the picture that only a Screen Goo screen provides.

Recommended Substrates
Front projection Screen Goo can be applied to any smooth paintable surface. Many materials other than the products listed below can be used successfully. For best results the surface should be flat and smooth. If this surface to be coated is not smooth, it should be sanded down and wiped off prior to applying the Screen Goo Reflective Coat. Porous surfaces such as drywall, gyproc, and wood based materials such as plywood, particle board, MDF, should be sealed with a flat, white latex primer prior to applying Screen Goo Reflective Coat. Colored surfaces should also be primed with a flat, white latex.

Try to avoid using Solvent-based or coated surfaces such as plastic, fiberglass etc. as they are not suitable for water-based acrylic coatings such as Screen Goo. If you have to use such Solvent-based or coated surfaces make sure you first seal the surface using a Urethane-based primer sealer such as XIM UMA

Sintra Board - Sintra is an excellent material to apply Screen Goo front projection coatings to. It is very hard and durable and requires no priming prior to being "Goo'ed". It is, however, somewhat floppy and should be supported to ensure a flat viewing surface. We suggest choosing white and a minimum 6mm thickness.

Gatorfoam - Gatorfoam is another excellent choice for "Goo'ing". It is light weight and rigid enough to be self-supporting. It is, however, prone to denting and should probably not be used in high traffic areas or to stop hockey pucks. No priming is required. We suggest choosing white and a minimum 1/2 inch thickness.

To find a Sintra or Gator distributor near you, click here: http://www.lairdplastics.com/locations-list

Blackout Cloth - 3 pass foam, sometimes called blackout cloth, is an excellent fabric substrate for a front projection Goo application. No priming or special preparation is required before "Goo'ing". This material can be used with a stretcher frame to make a lightweight, portable Goo Screen. It is sold by the yard and available in widths up to 110?. Rolled Screen Goo applications are not recommended for blackout cloth. Spraying will give optimal results with this substrate.

Several factors affect the drying time of latex paint. The humidity and temperature when the paint is applied has a significant effect. The method of application makes a difference, as does the sheen and even paint color. The directions on the label give you a general idea of how long latex paint needs to dry between coats, but sometimes you need to wait longer than suggested.

Understand Drying Time and Curing Time: While latex paint usually dries to the touch within an hour (meaning lightly running your finger over it does not mar the paint) it can take up to a month to cure to its final hard finish. This is because latex paint forms a dry skin on the surface but the underlying paint is still wet. The liquids in the paint must completely evaporate through the dry skin to be considered cured.

Re-coating too soon can affect the look and performance of your paint job, both in drying and curing rates.

Average Re-Coating Times: The general recommendation for drying time between coats is four hours for both interior and exterior latex (water-based) paints. However take the temperature and humidity levels into consideration. For ideal drying times, the temperature should be 70 degrees F with 70% humidity or less, and a light breeze or sufficient air movement to help the paint liquids evaporate.

In cooler temperatures, or when the humidity is high, allow more time between coats. Re-coating too soon can result in an uneven sheen and very long curing times, causing doors and windows to stick. Applying too many coats too close together can also make the paint bubble and blister as the underlying paint liquids force their way through the paint film.

Some properties in the paint itself affect drying time. Deep colors may take longer because of the higher amounts of tint in the paint. Flat paint dries slower than shinier paint. Latex dries more quickly on porous surfaces like drywall, and paint applied with a sprayer or heavy-napped roller usually produces a heavier, slower-drying film.

When in doubt, it's wise to allow a little extra time for the paint to dry between coats. If the humidity level is very high, put a dehumidifier in the area to speed dying time. At humidity levels at 90 percent or higher, the paint may never dry and will certainly never cure.

Painting Over Latex Primer: Many primers are latex and some require different drying times than regular paint. Always read the label. Some latex primers should re-coated within 48 hours for maximum performance, while others can be re-coated any time after the recommended drying time.

Our first suggestion is that you hire a drywall company/contractor who will have experience in taping, mudding and preparing a joint surface for painting. If this isn't possible, then online instruction would be advised; something like this:
Taping and Mudding Drywall Video

Our second important suggestion is that the mudding or putty or compound or any other material that covers the joint between the substrate pieces is NON-SOLVENT-based. Solvent-based materials will come through the paint and will destroy your work.

In any case you will need to make sure that the mudding that covers the joint between the pieces has COMPLETELY DRIED and CURED, BEFORE you apply your Screen Goo Reflective Coat and then Finish Coat, otherwise the wet mudding may come through the Screen Goo coatings and be visible when you throw your projector's strong light on it.

You also may need to seal the surface with a flat, white latex primer prior to applying Screen Goo Reflective Coat followed by the Finish Coat.

As a troubleshooting exercise, run your fingertips very lightly across an area where the surface transitions from a lighter to darker area. If you feel a change in the texture of the surface then you'll need to apply one more coat of Finish coat to correct the problem. If the texture is uniform then the surface will cure to a uniform appearance.

If you can still see these lines 4-6 weeks after application, please contact us for assistance.

A rolled Goo screen will have a slightly bumpy or "orange peel" texture to it. This is entirely normal. Do not attempt to sand or otherwise smooth the surface as this will compromise the performance of the screen.

Should your screen surface require cleaning beyond keeping it dust-free, these are the steps to follow:

1. Vacuum the surface using a soft brush attachment, removing any dust and debris.
2. Prepare a bucket of warm, mildly soapy water. A tablespoon of dish soap in a 5 gallon bucket is suggested.
3. Using a soft, well-wrung sponge, to avoid any drips, gently daub and rub any sticky dirt off the surface.
4. Still avoiding drips, gently sponge wash the entire surface.
5. Using a bucket of clean water and a fresh, well-wrung sponge, rinse the surface of any remaining soap residue.
6. Dry the surface with soft, lint-free cloths. Gently daub the rinse water off the surface, again avoiding scrubbing.
7. You can also go here for a video on how best to clean a Screen Goo coated surface.

BIM Files for Screen Goo

Building Information Modeling (BIM) Files included in this download are Screen Goo - Reference White, High Contrast and Max Contrast Coatings.

NOTE: You will need to have Autodesk Revit Architecture/Building Information Modeling (BIM) software installed and opened in order to open these files after you download and unzip them.