DIY outdoor screen BOC vs other materials

[LightBeam]

I'm in the process of building an outdoor screen for enjoying night football, basketball games, and movies. I'm aiming for a size of about 5' x 12' to allow for wider projections. I've checked out BOC at a local fabric store, and it's both decent and affordable. I'm also thinking about other durable materials since I'll be taking the screen on and off the frame quite often. I plan to use aluminum tubing for the frame. Has anyone tried alternatives to BOC or have any advice? Durability is my main concern here. I'd really appreciaet any tips

 

[Bulletproof]

BOC's a good choice, but you could also check out blackout fabric for better contrast and as for durability, make sure the frame's solid to avoid wobbling

 

[Closing Time]

For something more durable, you might want to look into specialized outdoor projection screen materials. it's mostly thicker and more weather resistant. better at handling being rolled or folded too!

 

[r0segould7]

So envious of this setup! you might want to check out spandex or yes those outdoor rated projector screen fabric. velcro can help with frequent mounting too from what I know

 

[dave n rave]

Carl's blackout or flexiwhite material, it's built for repeated setups and holds its shape better under tension, make sure your aluminum frame is braced well across the middle at that 12' span or you'll get some sag no matter what material you use

 

[SENZ990]

BOC works fine, but if you're pulling the screen on and off a lot, something tougher like outdoor vinyl or stretch spandex might save you some headaches (and rips). Some even use blackout curtains from IKEA, cheap and surprisingly good. Are you setting this up and tearing it down every time, or going full backyard theater mode?

 

[JambalayaYes]

I'm in the process of building an outdoor screen for enjoying night football, basketball games, and movies. I'm aiming for a size of about 5' x 12' to allow for wider projections. I've checked out BOC at a local fabric store, and it's both decent and affordable. I'm also thinking about other durable materials since I'll be taking the screen on and off the frame quite often. I plan to use aluminum tubing for the frame. Has anyone tried alternatives to BOC or have any advice? Durability is my main concern here. I'd really appreciaet any tips

BOC is decent, but for frequent on/off? It's pretty good for picture quality and cost, but if you're taking it down and setting it up all the time, it might start to show wear (creases, small tears at stress points) faster than you'd like. It's not designed for heavy duty flexing

 

[PencilBoxLite]

I'm in the process of building an outdoor screen for enjoying night football, basketball games, and movies. I'm aiming for a size of about 5' x 12' to allow for wider projections. I've checked out BOC at a local fabric store, and it's both decent and affordable. I'm also thinking about other durable materials since I'll be taking the screen on and off the frame quite often. I plan to use aluminum tubing for the frame. Has anyone tried alternatives to BOC or have any advice? Durability is my main concern here. I'd really appreciaet any tips

Curious to know which material did you end up using?
I have a buddy who was looking to build a large outdoor screen for tailgates and movie nights, and we also looked at a bunch of materials, including BOC, which is a solid choice especially for the price.
But we ended up going with blackout cloth from a different supplier since he's concerned about durability because he'd be setting it up and taking it down a lot.
It felt a bit thicker and more resistant to wrinkles than the stuff at the local fabric store.
He'd been using it for two weeks now. It seems to be holding up great and also super easy to clean!
Hope you're done with your build and enjoy your awesome setup!