Darkroom in a shed?

LinhofM

LinhofM

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I have a very modern and waterproof shed. It is adjacent to water and power. With insulation, it looks to me like a good candidate for a dark room. Does anyone have any experience of such a conversion? What are the gotchas and tips?
 
I Googled this and there are plenty of first-person accounts. Too many to list.
As well as water and power, you need some kind of ventilation and some provision for waste. Obviously you’ll have thought of heating but in our future world, cooling might become more important. Painting it white might help.
It would be convenient, but not essential, to have some sort of air-lock light-tight door, but if this isn’t possible, some kind of signal that you are “in” will be useful. You don’t want your masterpiece on your last sheet of 20x24” ruined because some kind soul brings you a nice cup of tea. (Although it’s much better to avoid eating and drinking in any darkroom.)
As you will be standing for most of the time, a comfortable floor covering is needed.
If you have space, a chair, or even a stool will be welcome.
It doesn’t have to be painted 100% black.That creates a very gloomy environment. Black where white light might be reflected onto the paper, but lighter elsewhere. This makes better use of the safelight and you will be able to use less of it and still have better visibility.
You will almost certainly need more shelves, more than you think.
And a radio. Absolutely vital.
Plus, if possible, some way to communicate with the house. Baby intercom, perhaps? The door should always be openable from outside when you are inside, in case of any accident.
A man called Shane Dignum, both a skilled woodworker and a Large Format photographer, has done an account of building a darkroom on You Tube.
 
I insulated my shed, it's part old farm walls and breeze black, I battened lined the walls and floor with polystyrene sheets (polythene sheet underneath on the floor.

1719089030645.jpeg

The floor is important in cold weather, then I used flooring grade chipboard, and plasterboard on the walls. The roof is also well insulated, there was already power, I just needed to add water and drainage. The window was already double-glazed, and I insulated the door as well.

1719089310113.jpeg

It's cool in the Summer as long as the door isn't left open, and warm even with a hard frost. I do have a small freestanding radiator I keep set low in the winter.

Ian
 
LinhofM said:
I have a very modern and waterproof shed. It is adjacent to water and power. With insulation, it looks to me like a good candidate for a dark room. Does anyone have any experience of such a conversion? What are the gotchas and tips?
Click to expand...
lets see some pics, I am in the process of thinking about the same :)
 
Roger from SFLAB youtube channel uses a shed as a darkroom, good channel no nonsense photography.
 
Ian Grant said:
I insulated my shed, it's part old farm walls and breeze black, I battened lined the walls and floor with polystyrene sheets (polythene sheet underneath on the floor.

View attachment 4805

The floor is important in cold weather, then I used flooring grade chipboard, and plasterboard on the walls. The roof is also well insulated, there was already power, I just needed to add water and drainage. The window was already double-glazed, and I insulated the door as well.

View attachment 4806

It's cool in the Summer as long as the door isn't left open, and warm even with a hard frost. I do have a small freestanding radiator I keep set low in the winter.

Ian
Click to expand...
Ian, what sort of dimensions are your shed? I think mine might just be a bit tight….
 
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LinhofM said:
Ian, what sort of dimensions is your shed?
Click to expand...

It was 13ft x 12ft, but I guess I lost 3" by insulating each wall.

1719225092871.jpeg

The actual layout is slightly different, the benches are as in the drawing, but the bench with the two Durst enlargers is now a computer bench with dual screens, a V750 scanner. My A3+ Epson printer has not been used since before I moved 10 years ago. The bottom right wall has a bookcase with technical books and my collection of BJP Almanacs & annuals.

Yes, there are still 5 enlargers, 3 are for sale. I need to declutter.

Ian
 
I only have room for an 8x6 Pent, I am still planning it out on paper, its tight but mught be do-able
 
For a short time in the late 1980s I had a darkroom smaller than 8ft x 6ft with a 5x4 and Durst M601 enlargers. It was an old coal shed and more like 6ft x 5ft, so it is possible. I didn't have room for a sink, but there was a toilet next to it with a Belfast sink.

Just look at images of darkroom layouts on Gogle. Plenty of ides and quite a few are 6ft x 8ft. A shed has an outward opening door, which is an advantage.

What orientation with respect to the door position. You will need the enlarger positioned in the apex of the roof or if a single slope near the door has the highest roof.

You need one bench around 24" wide, two 24" benches on opposite sides, if 6ft wide, is a touch cramped, but at 8ft long is enough for an enlarger and all processing trays, and some spare space on one bench.

Ian
 
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