Ceiling color of layout room

[Roger38]

My wife came up with the idea that maybe we could paint the ceiling of the layout room to look like the sky (blue), with clouds etc. The room is 12 X 24 with a 7 ft suspended ceiling. Has anyone tried this?

[selector]

I have not done so, but if you feel you'd like to take a stab at it, then I would suggest you do a light Baby Blue, not Sky Blue. In an enclosed space, especially one where there are few windows, lighting will be important, both for ops and for photography (most of us get around to the latter sooner or later). So, if you decide to paint it to look like a sky, go light!

[jrbarney]

Why don't you experiment with the tile that is right over any simulated body of water on your layout to see if the water reflects the sky color ? You might be able to find one of those little free paint samples at a Benjamin Moore paint outlet.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543

[Anonymous]

You could always do this:

http://www.theskyfactory.com/

I saw some of these in a hospital wating room, they looked impressive, but exspensive.

[Anonymous]

I am in the process of painting my ceiling a flat black and the walls behind the layout a light blue/gray. i have seen several times in the mags. this black ceiling idea and I think I am liking it as i complete the ceiling. With the right lighting the lauout will stand out with a flat black ceiling. Good Luck

[claycts]

QUOTE: Originally posted by charlienorr

I am in the process of painting my ceiling a flat black and the walls behind the layout a light blue/gray. i have seen several times in the mags. this black ceiling idea and I think I am liking it as i complete the ceiling. With the right lighting the lauout will stand out with a flat black ceiling. Good Luck

Agree[:D] The option of a dark (black) ceiling allows for the creation of a world. Think of all the Disney theme parks everything EXCEPT waht they want you to see is FLAT BLACK. In my world we love Black cars since thtrim looks so good.
THe way you get around the doom and gloom is using good lights with good reflectors on them. A little tech info. There are companies like Cooper Lighting that makes lights with a HIGH POLISH reflector so a 20 watt bulb lights like 50 watts or more.
Have Fun
George P.
Orange Park Fl.

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by charlienorr

I am in the process of painting my ceiling a flat black and the walls behind the layout a light blue/gray. i have seen several times in the mags. this black ceiling idea and I think I am liking it as i complete the ceiling. With the right lighting the lauout will stand out with a flat black ceiling. Good Luck

Black is my color of choice, and white is second. Personally I wouldn't mess with blue on the ceiling. Black tends to disappear, blue would call attention to itself. The focus should really be the trains and scenery, not the ceiling.[;)]

[Anonymous]

What I did in my train room was just add some white to the sky blue paint I used on the walls - seemed to make a nice transistion, and reflects a fair amount of light.

I would tend to think a completely different color like white or black would attract more attention to itself, than a shade similar to the walls would, but that's just MHO.

[orsonroy]

I prefer gloss ceiling white. Layout rooms are generally dark enough without making things worse by painting the ceiling a dark color. I've visited layouts that have been completely shadowboxed, where everything but the layout was painted black, and they were caves. If I want to go spelunking, I'll find my hardhat; if I'm playing with toy trains I want LIGHT.

One thing to consider: most operators concentrate on their train (or just the engine) and almost never look up, so why bother decorating the ceiling?

[Big_Boy_4005]

Actually you might be surprised about the black ceiling. Black makes it seem higher, and more open. As for reflectivity, most lights are mounted on the ceiling, and don't get much benefit from reflection. If you really want to get serious about layout lighting, try not to light the room in general, but rather the layout itself. The difference is amazing.

I have actually had ceilings of white, blue and black, though not always in a train room. The blue was on a 4 season porch. I thought it would be clever and make it seem like there was no ceiling. In the end, I hated it, and wished I had just gone with white.

White is standard, but very mundane. I've had it in a couple of train rooms.

Black is my favorite choice. I used it on my last layout along with black fascia, and quality lighting. It costs more, but I won't use anything else now.

[Sperandeo]

Hi Roger,

I agree with Ray Breyer on this and always recommend white for layout-room ceilings, if not a gloss white then at least a flat white such as you get with ceiling tiles. Blue absorbs from a third to half as much light as white, depending on the shade of blue, so it definitely makes a room less bright. A white ceiling is also a big help for photography, making bounced lighting more effective.

So long,

Andy

[railroadyoshi]

I guess now that Mr. Sperandeno has spoken there is no reason to continue[:D][:D][:D]

I like black, it gives a real nice museum look, and keeps concentration on the trains

but i have no experience in this matter except for pictures, so go with the Editor[8D]

[Roger38]

Thanks to all who have replied, the room currently has white drop in accoustic tile, so I guess for not it will stay white.

Thanks again

Roger38

[Roger38]

Thanks again

[ham99]

I have a 4" drop in the ceiling right above the layout, with white acoustic tile there. The rest of the room has a light blue ceiling made up of 1" strips spaced on 3" centers. I chose the open ceiling so I could easily get to the wiring and plumbing. Above the light blue strips, the ceiling [underside of floor above and floor joists] is flat black. Just the black was too dark. The light blue strips catch your attention and divert it from the rough ceiling, and provide more light in the room. The layout lights are recessed in the white ceiling tile on 32" centers. So I guess I have all three colors. But the blue is very light, and the same color as my layout backdrop.

[Anonymous]

Be thankful your wife encourages the hobby for you. Mine thinks I have lost it and I need to revisit reality. My layout has its home in my garage where she will not frequent. I love reading the tips and tricks you all post up. thanks

To stay on topic I would also keep it a baby blue. I say this coming from my dark garage begging for light. Its coming but I have my priorities (buildings, landscaping, cars, new layout options).

[CBQ_Guy]

I'll be painting the ceiling areas over the layout white, the backdrops a light, sky blue, and everything else black.