Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Notices

Go Back   Film and Darkroom User > Articles > Articles

  ***   Click here for the FADU 2015/2014 Yearbooks   ***

Comment
 
Article Tools Search this Article Display Modes
Converting a garden shed into a darkroom
Dave Miller
Dave miller
28th September 2008
Many of us don’t enjoy the luxury of having a spare room in our house which can be converted into a darkroom. When I moved to my present home I was faced with the question of where to set up a new darkroom, as my house is small, but the garden I inherited was a wildness; did the answer lie there...
  #10  
By Dave miller on 7th November 2008, 07:31 AM
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike O'Pray View Post
Great article Dave. I remember reading it a while ago It must have been on EMMG, I think.

Have you worked out the cost of what appears to be a constant heating system which is on 24 hrs a day to enable you to use the darkroom at a moments notice? I must say that as a Jock this would worry me a little

Secondly I think you don't have piped water from the mains. So how do you get the water into the 5 gallon tank and if you wash FB can you fill the tank and forget for at least one darkroom session?

Why ask all these Q's you may say as I have a converted bedroom for a darkroom. Well strangely enough I was telling the wife that my velcro-stuck darkroom blind was inclined to leak on sunny days and one thing led to another and she hinted at a darkroom shed in the garden. I have reservations - no extra heating and it's just too easy to get to the toilet but it's as well to be prepared.

Thanks

Mike O'Pray
It's been on the EMMG site, my own web site, and featured in B&W magazine.

The heater is small at 600w, it's controlled by a room thermostat as opposed to the heaters built-in thermostat, and as the shed is very well insulated it does not operate very much, I've not notice any increase in electricity consumption since I started using it, but then if I'm in the darkroom I'm not on this machine burning electricity. When I'm working in the darkroom it is rare for the heater to operate, in fact the temperature generally rises a couple of degrees; and that's not just me swearing at the prints I making.

I have got a mains water supply that feeds the break tank.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
By Mike O'Pray on 8th November 2008, 09:26 PM
Default

Thanks Dave. I think I read somewhere that in a well insulated relatively confined and closed space that one body there for a couple of hours is enough to raise the temp by a couple of degrees Certainly once I shut the darkroom door and am in there for a couple of hours the temp will regularly rise by 2 degrees.

They report no increase in electricity consumption overall in garden shed darkrooms in Scotland but that's because they turn off the heating in the house as they leave it

Oh and wipers blades when travelling under bridges!

Mike
Reply With Quote
  #12  
By soerenDeleted on 15th April 2009, 08:20 AM
Default Oh where have all the pictures gone, the.........

Noooo Where did the pics go? now I have spend the easter enlarging (hmm pun? ) a shed in our carport (right word?) to make a darkroom and I need to ni.. eh borrow some of your good ideas. It will be fairly long and narrow ( by my standards at least) around 1,3m X 2,6m and Ill arange the dry/vet space in a L.
Best regards
Søren
Reply With Quote
  #13  
By Dave miller on 15th April 2009, 08:26 AM
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by soeren View Post
Noooo Where did the pics go? now I have spend the easter enlarging (hmm pun? ) a shed in our carport (right word?) to make a darkroom and I need to ni.. eh borrow some of your good ideas. It will be fairly long and narrow ( by my standards at least) around 1,3m X 2,6m and Ill arange the dry/vet space in a L.
Best regards
Søren
We was robbed.

I guess they have been cast adrift on the old database, and await rescue.

I'm pleased you have found the article of help.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
By soerenDeleted on 15th April 2009, 08:35 AM
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave View Post
We was robbed.

I guess they have been cast adrift on the old database, and await rescue.

I'm pleased you have found the article of help.
Yes It has been great inspiration so far and hopefully more when I get further into the project.
Kind regards
Reply With Quote
  #15  
By Bob on 15th April 2009, 08:52 AM
Default

Pictures restored
Reply With Quote
  #16  
By Andrew Bartram on 15th April 2009, 11:24 AM
Default

Looks fantastic Dave
I've built two darkrooms in the last 15 years both in the corner of my Garage but did consider the garden shed option.
If I ever need the garage to put strange things like cars in then I will use your template as a model for a garden darkroom.

Andrew
Reply With Quote
  #17  
By les dix on 7th September 2009, 11:56 AM
Default

Dave

Can you recall how much it cost to get an electricity supply installed?

Les
Reply With Quote
  #18  
By Dave miller on 7th September 2009, 12:14 PM
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by les dix View Post
Dave

Can you recall how much it cost to get an electricity supply installed?

Les
Not much, as an ex-electrician I did it myself.

It would pay to get a couple of quotes, particularly as the regulations are now quite stringent. You should first decide the load you will require, that will depend primarily on water and space heating wattages.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
By Peter Hogan on 9th September 2009, 08:09 AM
Default

Lovely job Dave. Having seen it in the flesh I can testify as to how good it is.
Just need some pictures now...
Reply With Quote
Comment
Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Article Tools Search this Article
Search this Article:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Article Article Starter Category Comments Last Post
To Dave and his shed darkroom alfie Darkroom 2 12th May 2009 07:19 PM


All times are GMT. The time now is 09:17 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.

Article powered by GARS 2.1.9 ©2005-2006