Last Updated on June 7, 2023 by Georgie Smith
When there isn’t enough light in a grow room, plants will make desperate attempts to reach it. Unfortunately, not all have tendrils by which they can survive such unfortunate situations, a process usually referred to as phototropism.
The little light that manages to sneaks its way through into an organic garden is never enough. So, as a homesteading enthusiast, you have to help your leafy friends acquire this vital necessity through every means possible.
However, here is a question many often ask even as they try to do their best; what is the best reflective material for indoor growing? Well, if you search the web, you will come across some interesting answers, thanks to an age of information overload. However, you will be doomed if you trust every piece of information you come across in the web sphere.
See Also:
- Best Hydroponic Growing Medium: 2023 Reviews and Guide
- Best Led Grow Light for Veg and Flowering: 2023 Reviews and Guide
- Best Grow Room Controller: 2023 Reviews (Top Picks) and Guide
- Best Portable Air Conditioner (AC) for Grow Room, 2023 Grow Tent Air Conditioner
You must, however, focus on finding professional reviews or those by organic gardeners. It is the least you can trust, aside from your training and prowess. In this post, you will learn a lot about growing room reflective materials. From how to choose the best, to a closer look at top selections.
These selections have been put together by Morninghomestead.com, and of course, you can buy from Amazon today.
Artificial lighting
Things have changed because today, you can farm anywhere. Organic gardens such as grow rooms, grow tents, aero gardens, Aquaponics farms, and many others make it possible to tend lush, green veggies, flowers, and fruit farms even if you live in an urban setup with limited space.
While farming has been conventional in upcountry or rural settings, today, millions of people are harvesting fresh produce right from the backyards in cities around the world, presumably, indoor gardens.
Your only dilemma will be how to make sure your plants remain healthy and energetic until harvest time. It takes a sufficient supply of light to make this possible. As a result, artificial lighting technologies have been helpful in the wake of all these challenges.
LED lights, High-intensity Discharge lights (HID), and Grow lamps are good examples but are they enough? Does the light they emit reach every corner of a grow tent?
What about budding plants underneath that can hardly feel and trap enough light energy for photosynthesis? You may have the best installation of LED lights in a growing garden, but still, you need to maximize its reflection across the area.
Experience states that bounty yield comes from plants that grow at the edge of the room, thus, devising a way of making light energy accessible to them is a necessary determination you must make as a farmer.
The Solution: Reflective Materials
Given that white light is made up of different color spectrums, plants extract what they need to manufacture their food at different times of the day. In turn, they can maintain their survival strength through the night as they wait for daybreak.
With grow room technology taking shape in modern-day farms, it is imperative to boost the light that LEDs and HIDs emit using reflective materials. How do they function? You might ask. Well, when the light hits reflective surfaces, it bounces back off onto the leaves of plants. It boosts spread in a grow tent.
Thus, when shopping, it is imperative to choose the best material. It would interest you also to note that a good choice will help you cut back on costs that come with artificial lighting techniques like growing lamps because you will not need many installations.
Impeccable research findings indicate that excellent reflective materials will boost lighting in a grow room by up to 30 percent. However, it is not just a case of putting a lining around the area that works. White grow room reflective paints are equally useful.
You must make the right decision if painting the wall sounds appealing or is a more cost-effective option compared to reflective materials.
How to Choose the Most Reflective Material for Grow Room, Grow Box, or Tent
Choices have consequences, and you must be prepared to live by them. That is a common phrase you must have come across often. However, does it apply in the case of grow room light reflectors? If you ask any organic gardener who has gathered enough experience, he or she will tell you that dark rooms do not only deprive plants of their strength but also a recipe for creepy plants like mildew, algae, and moss.
It will dampen your grow garden, and you may have to spend more money installing air conditioners. You would rather be safe than sorry. So, what’s the way forward when it comes to choosing the most reliable reflectors for grow boxes?
You might want to buy a reflector for one reason or another. However, the following should guide you:
Reflective Capacity
Most of these lighting add-ons should be able to boost light energy by 30 percent or higher. This review by Morninghomestead will take you through this critical information in the following subtopics.
Cost of a Reflector
You should be able to make an informed decision when it comes to this. Everyone would want something affordable, but the question you need to ask yourself is; does it return value for your money?
Durability
Materials that develop wrinkles/creases such as aluminum foil grow room supplies will hardly serve their purpose for longer. Also, some paints tend to wash out faster due to environmental conditions, so it is essential to choose one that sticks for a long.
Experienced-Based Decision
What do people have to say about a given organic garden light reflector?
Buyer Reviews and Ratings
While this information is available under online store’s customer comments/reviews like Amazon, Morninghomestead provides you will an honest, reliable, and independent investigation.
Ease of Installation
It is a question of labor. Will you need glue or nails to install reflectors onto the walls of a grow box? It is a question of convenience.
Type of Reflective Materials You Should Consider
Now, basing your decision on the above guiding factors, it is imperative to buy the right reflector from Amazon. Here are some of the most common materials:
Aluminum foil
Aluminum foil is useful over time, but when it starts wrinkling or having creases, its value as a reflector gradually decreases. The reflective amount of this material rates below 60 percent then drops to below 35 percent when creasing starts. It is advisable to use the dull side.
You can use glue or tape when fixing it on the walls. On the flipside, aluminum grow room wall material is known to create electrical hotspots especially when it comes into contact with HID. You can minimize fire hazards by regulating light intensity.
White paint (semi-gloss)
A reflective value of 60 percent, no more, is what you get with this. Titanium white color tends to be the best choice here. However, you will have to contend with its high price.
Flat white paint
If you do not want to spend a lot on reflective materials, then this is the best one for you. It is ideal for larger rooms. Plants enjoy up to 85 percent of lighting enhancement with this reflector. Flat white paint is better than the white semi-glossy option.
Foylon
Foylon boosts grow garden lighting by up to 95 percent and 85 percent of heat energy. It is a material version of Mylar (see below) that lasts longer because it is a compound of polyester and foil laminate. It resistivity against tear and wear is another added advantage, not to mention that it is easy to clean.
Black/white plastic
Those looking for a temporary option should choose this material. It does not damage your grow box wall and also very easy to clean. The white side has a reflection rate of up to 90 percent. You can use nails or glue when sticking it on the wall.
Elastomere paint
Well, a material with up to 90 percent light reflection boost is not harmful, and that is where Elastomere falls. It works well with grow boxes and guards against the formation of mildew.
Emergency blankets
You will notice that it is a fragile plastic material. It does not reflect as much light (70 percent) as flat white paint but is ideal for radiant heat reflection by up to 90 percent. However, you will want to choose it over others because of its affordability and ease of replacement.
Mylar sheets
Available in different thicknesses but 2 millimeters is always an excellent choice. Mylar’s reflective value is about 97 percent.
Polystyrene foam sheets
An approximated 85 percent maximum reflectivity is what most polystyrene sheets will give your plants; thus, there isn’t any significant difference between this option and flat white paint. However, it does it works perfectly in cold climatic conditions by acting as an insulator.
Top 10 Best Light Reflective Materials On the Market:
It should not be a case of sleepless nights and worries regarding the welfare of your indoor plants when you have the best reflective element out there. While getting one may come at a cost, it is always something worth spending. After all, the pride of every gardener lies in being the best.
Now, assuming you have gone through the different materials with which grow tents material of the reflectors, it is time you made the right selection from Amazon by hitting ‘add to cart’ button for checkout.
| Picture | Models | Features |
|---|---|---|
 | Earth Start Mylar Reflective Material | – 48 feet x 200 feet – 2 Mil Thick – 100% Light Tight – Metalized on both sides |
 | Mylar Reflective Film Foil Roll Material Grow Tent | – 4×100 FT; 2 Mil – Durable & easy to clean – Helpful for blossoming – Easy to assemble |
 | Orca Grow Film | – 54 in x 100 ft Roll – 94% reflective – Black and white |
 | Reflective Mylar | – 2 Mil Thick – 48″ Wide, 100′ Long – 100% Light Tight – Metalized on both sides |
 | VIVOSUN 6 Mil Mylar Film | – 4 FT X 100 FT – 92-97% high reflectivity – Easy to clean |
 | NAVAdeal Silver Reflective Mylar Film | – Dimension: 82″ x 47″ (210cm x 120cm) – Highly Reflective – Eco-friendly |
 | CAP 2 mil Mylar Reflective Film | – 25 feet x 50 inches – 1 mil & 2 mil – Reflects about 98% |
 | Black & White Poly Film | – 5.5 Mil 10′ x 100′ – 90% reflectivity – Waterproof & tear-resistant |
 | Thermal Radiant Barrier Heat Block Shield Reflector | – 48 Inches x 25 Feet – Highly reflective – Highly Durable & Easy To Use |
 | Emergency Mylar Blankets | – 84″ X 52″ – 4 Packs – Reusable, waterproof & windproof |
Earth Start Mylar Reflective Material, 48X200 FT, 2 Mi
A two-millimeter thick reflector means you are not only having durable material but also a suitable absorbent of light energy. That is what you get when you buy this item from Amazon. It is entirely metallic and 100 percent effective.
Buy from Amazon
VIVOSUN Reflective Film Foil Roll Material Grow Tent 4X 50
Anything made of Mylar is the best, and this one with an aluminum feel will serve its purpose well. It has up to 97 percent reflection value, and you can use any of the sides. It is two millimeters thick, another reason to hope for durability, and very easy to clean.
If you have blossoming plants that need more light for higher productivity, then this indoor garden reflective material is the right choice. It is hassle-free to assemble because you only need a tape or adhesive of your choice.
Buy from Amazon
HFS (R) Grow Film 10X25 ft Roll
Orcas Grow Film Roll has a microfiber plastic feel. It works by scattering light off the surface, thanks to a crystalline structure. Principally, it works like a snowflake geometric ice structure that enhances reflection. It does boost radiance in a grow room by up to 94 percent.
Buy from Amazon
Emergency Mylar Blankets 84X52 inches
This material comes as four folds of Mylar sheets and the quality is very high. It will serve you all seasons round. During winter, it absorbs heat energy by up to 90 percent. Now, the exciting bit is that the material is what NASA users to design exploration ships. What’s more, is that this item is not only waterproof but also windproof and reusable.
Buy from Amazon
Reflective Mylar Roll 100 Feet Long
What else do you need if not a top-quality growing room reflective material that is two millimeters thick and is big enough to cover up to 100 feet? This Mylar 100 feet roll is all for you for durability and efficiency. It is also resistant to tears.
VIVOSUN 6 Mil Mylar Film Roll 4X100FT Diamond Film Foil Roll Highly Reflective Grow Room
Durability is essential when it comes to buying a grow reflector. VIVOSUN six-millimeter Fill Roll qualifies as a top choice for many in that regard. It is the right way of spreading light everywhere inside a grow room, thanks to an aluminum coating and a diamond foil. Further, its molecular nature protects it from rust, corrosion, and high temperature.
Buy from Amazon
NAVA deal 2Pcs 210X120cm Silver Reflective Mylar Film Plants Garden Greenhouse Covering Foil Sheets
Here is a highly reflective material that will enhance the growth of plants many folds and is 100 percent environmentally friendly. When you buy this product, you find two extra pieces in the package. It enhances light reflection by up to 95 percent while also ensuring even distribution around the room.
Buy yours from Amazon today:
Buy from Amazon
CAP 2 mil Mylar Reflective Film, 25X50 FT
Another product that is a real definition of value is this CAP Two millimeter Mylar reflector. No light will go to waste when you use this material. When making a purchase, there are many size variations to choose from. Two millimeters is always good for durability, and the roll size is 50A.
Buy from Amazon
Black and White Poly Film 5.5 Mil 10X100 Inches
Poly sheets are some of the best when installing grow room light reflectors, and this black and white will never disappoint. Its reflective rate is 90 percent, and a 3X10 feet fold is all you need to get started. It is also resistant to water and tear.
Buy from Amazon
AU IR Infrared Blocker Thermal Radiant Barrier Heat Block Shield Reflector, 48X100 Inches
Morninghomestead will always try to review the best, and this AU IR infrared block with thermal imaging is indeed a unique one. Reflectivity is 9 percent. It also helps maintain the right temperature in organic gardens.
Buy from Amazon
Best white paint for grow room
In case you are looking for the best colors you can use as reflectors, the following make it to the top of the list:
Rust-Oleum 285140 Ultra Matte Interior Chalked Paint 30 Ounce Linen White
You can apply this paint on wood, ceramic, metal, and canvas surfaces for a vintage appearance. The smell will not irritate your nose and dries up within 30 minutes. One coat is enough for multiple projects and space of up to 150 square feet. Sticks easily and dries into a smooth and matte-velvety finish.
Buy from Amazon
Rust-Oleum 1990730 Painters Touch Latex, 1/2 –Pint, Flat White
Flat white paint has always been the best, and that is what you get with this Rust-Oleum 1990730 series. It sticks well on most surfaces such as plaster, unglazed ceramic, metal, or wood. Also, it does not emit a bad odor, and you only need water for formulation. A smooth and perfect feel after the painting is what you get. (manual)
Buy from Amazon
What Material Reflects Light Best?
From materials that make the best indoor garden reflectors to our top best selections, it is easy to point out those that come above everything else. In more succinct terms, the following should have made their way to your subconscious, not because we believe so, but because there is undoubtedly enough proof already.
- Mylar sheets (97 percent)
- Foylon (95 percent)
- Elastomere, black and white paint (90 percent)
- Polystyrene (85 percent)
The other materials that haven’t made it to this list do not rate beyond the 70 percent mark, which means they are slightly below par. However, it is imperative to also look at heat energy reflection percentage depending on whether you are buying one during the cold season or you live in the attic climatic range.
Notably, thick materials have a higher heat retention value compared to thinner ones, so they should be well within the range of up to 80 to 10 percent heat retention and reflection. Also, take care of those that can melt easily or catch fire like aluminum by regulating the amount of growing room light.
FAQs:
Q: What is the best lighting appliance when using reflectors?
A: Well, there isn’t a rule of thumb when it comes to this. Reflectors are for boosting lighting so that plants that are not able to trap light energy can be able to do so. However, you should be careful not to overheat the room using LEDs or HIDs. You do not want to burn up your grow room because reflectors like aluminum are highly conductive.
Q: Where can I find the best shop selling grow box reflectors?
A: Most people ask this question because they want to buy these items conveniently and hassle-free. There are many shops in your vicinity. This post should help you locate the one that is closest to your residential area. However, again, it is imperative to put quality before everything so that you do not end up with fake products.
Amazon, which is a leading online retail platform, stocks the best and products will reach your doorstep in a couple of days. Sometimes, depending on your location and logistics, delivery can be free and may take up to a week. Distance should thus be the least of your worries.
Q: What is the best way to install reflectors?
A: You do not have to worry about this because you can do it whichever way you please. Most products come with user manuals for installation purposes, which is enough to get you off the ground. Some people prefer to use carpenter nails; others do better with glue or tape.
Final Thoughts
In a nutshell, indoor plants need your care. You do it without care, they all die. However, what would you give as an excuse if such an unfortunate thing happens? Would it be due to a lack of money or lack of information?
Truth is; there is everything for everyone. There are those that may cost you slightly more than you expect but are worth the money to reflectors that fit perfectively within your budget. It is for you to decide when you are shopping for the best indoor growing reflectors.
When it comes to information that will help you make the right selection and buy, this post is without a doubt, a golden treasure.
Share this useful information with other organic gardening enthusiasts out there so that they can also pass it along to many others. Sharing is caring, right? What’s more? We will be glad to receive your feedback in the comment section below.
