Did you just buy a projector?
Are you looking to set up a great background?
Are you worried about which color to use?
Well, this article is for you.
Although you can use a projector on almost any colored wall, some are better than others. The image quality of your projection will depend heavily on what color you select. Therefore, you must pick the best color available in the market.
I’ve gone in-depth in this article, offering you everything you need to know about how color affects a projector, which colors are the best, and which one is suited for you.
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Why Does Color Matter?
There are many options for projector screens, but why exactly does color matter?
Well, you might assume that picking a color is a simple task. Just pick out a color, setup, and voila — you’ll have your projector up and running.
As much as we wished it would be, it’s not that easy. There are a lot of elements to consider before selecting a color. A brief on how projectors work can help.
A projector screen’s primary function is to reflect light from the projector back to the audience. The brightness, contrast, and viewing angle can all be influenced by the screen’s color.
Red, green, and blue colored lights are emitted from the projector to produce color, but the screen also affects the color.
The visible light spectrum is made up of all of these colors. Blue is an excellent example of a color that can obscure other colors, like orange. The use of blue causes the audience’s perception of light to be blue. All of these colors combine to form the color white.
Speaking of white, let’s check out how good white-colored walls are for projectors.
White Colored Wall
A white projector screen is considered one of the best colors out there. There is no doubt that they are the greatest choice for a home theatre setup because they are the best at reflecting light.
While this is true in some cases, white displays can be a nuisance in other situations.
Why? Because of something called gain.
No, not the gains you get after a hard day’s work at the gym, but something else entirely. Gain is a measure of the reflectivity of a surface. So let’s say you have a lamp in your living room, well, that has a gain number.
The gain number represents a ratio of light reflected from the surface of a light source like your projector; the higher the gain, the more light reflects off the screen. The more light reflects off the screen, the worse the projection will be.
If you have too much natural light entering your room, the video output will be inferior.
Another important thing worth mentioning is that screens with a higher gain tend to have a narrow field of view. Colors might quickly become distorted and washed out if you have not placed the projector in the front.
Next, it is essential to consider how the projector displays black color if selecting a white-colored wall.
Because black is the absence of light, white displays that reflect the most light don’t show them as accurately as other colors. As a result, the viewing experience is less than optimal.
Before utilizing a white screen, consider things like ambient lighting, viewing angles, and the contrast between the black on the screen and the natural contrast.
Even though white walls can provide gorgeous visuals, they are only suitable for usage in extremely dark environments, which means if you’re looking for an outdoor or morning time experience. Unfortunately, white walls won’t work well.
Gray Colored Walls
For a better viewing experience, consider using gray instead of white.
Gray, unlike white, does not reflect the entire amount of light emitted by the projector. Instead of reflecting light, it will instead absorb it. Rooms receiving a lot of natural light need not worry about the quality of the projection, making it a great and versatile option.
Another benefit gray walls have are better viewing angles. Gray walls tend to have lower gain, which allows for better viewing.
So, for example, let’s say your home theater setup is a bit scattered. The chairs and sofas are placed all over the room. The position of furniture results in the farthest seats not being able to see what’s being projected.
Having gray-colored walls can help you deal with this problem as it gives better dark and light contrasts. The use of gray walls will allow viewers to see what’s going on from seats outside the “cone of sight.”
The grayer the surface, the sharper your projection will appear. However, using gray walls could affect white regions being projected on the wall.
Projectors displayed on gray backgrounds can cause the white regions to appear slightly gray, but this is common.
Typically, you can see bright and vibrant colors, but here you might see a duller color scheme with a slight gray overtone. However, this greatly depends on the type of projector you have.
Our recommendation? Get a lighter gray background. With lighter gray, you’ll have the best of both worlds; both sharp white and pitch black. Even if you still see some gray tones, they won’t be as noticeable as if you used a darker gray tone, closer to black.
So, whether a room with ambient light or just completely pitch black, gray-colored walls can manage everything, making them one of the most versatile and visually pleasing colors on this list.
Can a Projector Work on Colored Walls?
Colored walls, as in other than black or white or gray, are a whole different ball game, but there are two main things to consider:
- Color Creation
- Contrast
Color Creation
It is important to note that white and black are regarded as basic colors in color creation as they create other different colors; therefore, black and white play the most crucial role. Whatever color you choose for the background will have a different effect on black and white.
So, for example, if you choose a red-colored wall, the whites will appear reddish as the underlying color tints them. The same goes with black. Blacks will also appear reddish in tint.
Whatever color you have as your background, that color will appear more distinctively.
In that case, what are the best color backgrounds to have? Something dark.
Contrast
As a rule of thumb, the more light-absorbing colors you use, the less contrast you will have, and the heavier absorbing colors you use, the better the contrast you will get.
So, in that case, what are the best colors to have here? Again, something dark. Darker is better.
Are Blue Colored Walls Good For Projectors?
Knowing what we now know about how color selection affects quality, how is the color blue?
Blue is a great option to select. It is neither too light-absorbing nor too “tinty.” However, it is imperative to mention this is only possible if the blue color has darker shades.
Darker color shades will amplify the projected black pixels, allowing for a fantastic viewing experience. Darker shades will help create more crisp, clear, and enchanting colors compared to lighter shades.
That is why it is necessary to choose dark blue options. There are a plethora of options when it comes to the color blue. However, the following options are the best:
- Denim Blue,
- Oxford Blue
- Navy Blue
- Egyptian Blue
- Space Blue
The following are the worst options and should be avoided at all costs:
- Turquoise Blue
- Baby Blue
- Skye Blue
- Electric Blue
- Cyan Blue
Are Green Colored Walls Good For Projectors?
Green is another color you just can’t go wrong with.
Green has the best of both worlds. It is high absorption rates and fantastic contrast capabilities. That means, with a green background, you’ll get enhanced, powerful, cinema-like quality.
However, just as before, this entirely depends on which shade of green you select. The following are the best shades of green suited for the projector:
- Pine Green
- Seaweed Green
- Pickle Green
- Basil Green
- Moss Green
Green has a lot of lighter complexions, but these are the ones that should be avoided at all costs:
- Emerald Green
- Shamrock Green
- Lime Green
- Chartalouse Green
Wrapping it Up
A projector will work no matter which color wall you have, but if you want quality and beauty, the color you choose will make or break it.
As a rule of thumb, the best colors are the darker ones. Hues such as black and gray are perfect and will give you the best bang for your buck. If you’re planning to go for colors other than black or gray, then the darkest shades of blue and green will be your best bet.
I hope you found this article helpful.
Let us know what you think about it in the comment section below.
Good Luck with your colors!
Vance is a dad, former software engineer, and tech lover. Knowing how a computer works becomes handy when he builds Pointer Clicker. His quest is to make tech more accessible for non-techie users. When not working with his team, you can find him caring for his son and gaming.