Everything you need to know about Screen Goo

What is Screen Goo?

Goo System 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.

Who uses it?

Screen Goo products are being used by all levels of the video industry from do-it-yourself home theater aficionados to large scale commercial and industrial clients.

Can I use it?

Designed for easy application via spraying or rolling, screen goo products can be successfully applied by the novice or professional alike.

Is it expensive?

The cost of screen execution can be as little as the price of the coating itself -when applied to an available wall space. More dedicated videophiles can investigate the possibilities of elaborate framing systems and custom screen design.

Which product for which projector?

A seemingly simple question to which, of course, there is no simple answer. We've recently introduced a Pick Your Product section to our website. Filling in the requested data as accurately as possible will result in a recommendation of the products best suited to your projector and to your installation.

How much do I need?

The Topcoat and Basecoat work together; both are required to create a screen.Topcoat and Basecoat coverage per sq. ft. can vary somewhat, depending on the surface conditions. One liter (just slightly more than a US Quart in volume) will typically cover approximately 50 sq. ft. with two thin coats, under ideal conditions on an ideal non-absorptive surface. Starting with a primed white surface is strongly recommended for peak performance.

What about ambient light?

To realize the best performance from a projected image you should do your best to control or eliminate light which could fall on your screen from sources such as windows or connecting rooms. The lower the level of any remaining ambient light in the room, the better.

How do I Use it?

Applying Screen Goo is much like applying normal house paint, however for optimal results please follow the rolling instructions outlined in this booklet.

» Rolling Instructions:

Step 1:Surface Preparation and Determination of Screen Size

Screen Goo can be applied to any smooth paintable surface. Many materials other than the products listed below can be used succesfully. 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 basecoat. 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 basecoat. Coloured surfaces should also be primed with a flat, white latex.

We recommend mounting your projector in its permanent location before determining the actual screen dimensions. Once the projector is mounted you should project an image from onto your surface and adjust for image geometry. The width of the image at the top of the screen should be the the same as the width at the bottom and likewise the sides of the image should have the same height. Finally you should check that the image is level and square in the corners. Now you are ready to mask off the area you will be coating with a high quality painters tape. If you intend to create a border around your screen you should allow an extra inch around all sides so that the coated surface will be slightly larger than your projected image.

Step 2: Basecoat

Rolling this product is a bit trickier than rolling normal latex paint. This means that attention must be paid to application method and roller handling. Some users report improved results with a light sanding of the Basecoat; we see no disadvantage to this, but only the Basecoat layers and only after allowing for a minimum 24 hour drying period prior to sanding. Place about 200mL of Basecoat in the paint tray to do your first coat. Load the roller very lightly. Dab some on one side of the roller, rotate and dab some on the other. You should have enough paint on the roller to complete approximately two vertical columns with a bit left over. Roll the coatings using vertical strokes covering the full height of the screen. The coating density should be just sufficient to cover the underlying surface. After the first stroke, apply the second full height stroke, with a slight overlap. Place approximately the same amount of paint on the roller again, and lay down an adjacent two to three rows of coating. Then go back to the start of the screen and complete a full finishing stroke over the original first stroke, in a straight run, from top to bottom of the screen. You must go from over the top edge, to off the bottom of the screen. This is to prevent marks caused by stopping the roller on the viewing surface.

From this point, continue the screen coating job by moving across the screen, bit by bit, two rows at a time. The finishing strokes should be applied very lightly, making sure the open end of the roller (which receives less pressure) is on the just coated side, so that the overlapping layer will have a somewhat feathered edge. The wire support side of the roller mechanism naturally presses harder on the surface of the screen, so it should be oriented to the least recently coated side of the screen.Very important! The finishing strokes should be done no more than 2-3 minutes after the original paint strokes in a given area.

Attempting finishing strokes after this time period has elapsed will cause the appearance of vertical streaks. This is the result of a difference in texture caused by re-rolling coating which has begun to dry! Remember, the finishing strokes should have a slight overlap, run from top to bottom of the screen traveling past the perimeter edges. Allow the Basecoat to dry thoroughly (typically 1-1.5 hrs.) and then repeat the above procedures for the second layer of Basecoat.

Step 3: Topcoat

After allowing the Basecoat to dry, carefully repeat the above procedures to apply two coats of Topcoat. Very important! The finishing strokes should be done no more than 2-3 minutes after the original paint strokes in a given area. Attempting finishing strokes after this time period has elapsed will cause the appearance of vertical streaks. This is the result of a difference in texture caused by re-rolling coating which has begun to dry!

Your Goo kit includes a 250mL jar of Ultra Black, a specially formulated light absorptive coating, and a foam applicator brush. This is to permit the creation of an optional black border around your screen. The simplest method of creating a border is to purchase pre-cut wood trim at your local hardware store, coat it with the Ultra Black and install it around your Goo viewing surface. If you wish to apply Ultra Black directly to your wall, use a good quality painter's tape and mask out an area 2-3 inches around the perimeter of the viewing area and then apply the Ultra Black with the provided foam applicator. The topcoat surface must be thoroughly dry before applying masking tape (minimum 24 hrs). After allowing 4-6 hours for the Ultra Black to dry, slowly and carefully remove the painter's tape covering the border.

Curing Times

The product can be used immediately after rolling or spraying and will look very good after the first day, but its performance will continue to improve for up to 3 months by which time The acrylic mixtures should be fully cured and clarified. Following these instructions when applying Screen Goo will give you a uniform high-performance screen surface that will look fantastic for many years to come. Sit back and enjoy, you won't believe your eyes!

Faint vertical lines or streaks may be visible where your roller patterns overlap. These are not unusual and in almost all cases they will clear up on their own as the coating cures. If you can still see these lines 4-6 weeks after application, contact us for assistance. A rolled Goo screen will have a slightly bumpy or an 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.