Most of our projection screens are custom manufactured to the customer‘s specification. Our high-frequency welding process allows for the production of screen surfaces in almost any shape and size from any of our 23 different PVC projection surfaces. Screens sizes can range from a 330' wide x 65' high rear projection screen for an open-air opera in South Korea to a 56' wide x 32' high front and rear projection screen used as a cyclorama in central New York State to custom-made mountains made from front projection screen for a US rock and roll tour. Look below to learn how our projection surfaces are manufactured as well as some basic projection concepts you should be familiar with when ordering a screen.
When you are ready to order or need some guidance in selecting and designing your projection screen, call 800-369-3695 or email us here to request a quote or speak to one of our projection experts about your next project.
Before selecting a projection screen, it is best to understand some of the underlying concepts of projection, such as front vs rear projection, picture contrast, black levels, and luminance factor (gain). Click below to learn more.
Need help choosing your screen? Take a look at our Projection Screen Selector Chart, it lays out all of our pvc projection surfaces along with all of their strengths and weaknesses, so you can find the perfect solution for your needs. If you found the surface you like, or you still have questions, feel free to contact our experts at 800-369-3695 or email us for a quote or advise on choosing your next projection screen.
Projection screens can be finished in several different ways depending on how you plan on using and hanging it. At Gerriets, we break that down into five different "Models" each with a different type of finish. Click "Show more" below to find out which model would be right for you.
Our screens can be made almost any size. There is no limit on the width of a screen, but there are practical and physical limitations on height. For screens that are higher than they are wide, we generally recommend reinforced screen materials to prevent "hour-glassing" on the sides and sagging in the middle. Unfortunately, reinforced screen material is only available for front projection screens. When ordering, remember the dimensions refer to the relaxed, un-tensioned state of the projection screen surface. The overall weight of the screen should be considered when planning or purchasing a custom size.
Developed and perfected by Gerriets, millions of square feet of projection screens have been manufactured in our screen welding shop. Employees with decades of experience with screens and vinyl make fine, nearly invisible welds using specially designed high-frequency welding machines. Our production facilities include over 25,000 square feet of manufacturing space with the state-of-the-art high-frequency welding machinery. Gerriets technicians produce approximately 85 acres of PVC projection screens each year.
Most of our projection screens have a slight embossing on one side that helps direct the light that is projected on or transmitted through the screen. For both front and rear projection, the embossing should always face the viewer/audience. An easy way to identify the embossed side of any custom-made Gerriets projection screen is to look for the grommet/eyelet marked with the Gerriets name.
Most of our screens are made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), an amorphous thermoplastic that is white, hard, and brittle until it is treated with plasticizers and stabilizers that make it a malleable material usable for technical applications. Additional additives make the material flame retardant.
The physical properties of PVC change with temperature, which means that PVC projection screens become more supple under heat and harden when they become cold. It is extremely important that our screens are handled and installed at ambient room temperature, otherwise irreversible damage to the screen can occur in the form of tiny cracks in the material.
Many amorphous plastics, including PVC, form small white lines when stretched, folded, or otherwise stressed. This result is called “Crazing” and creates tiny flaws that normally are not seen under normal projection conditions. However, depending on the severity of the damage, these tiny flaws can turn into visible cracks in the projection screen.
The durability of a screen does not only depend on the quality of the material but also on the processing and on-site conditions. After several years of use, a projection screen may develop weak spots due to normal storage and use, many of these will be hard to see when projected upon but some may start to show over time. Additionally, screens can be damaged by careless handling and by being stored and moved in a cold environment. Years of constant cycles of hanging, removing and storing, such as is common practice in repertory theatres, will inevitably cause some damage to a screen, shortening its lifespan. Extreme temperature fluctuations from temperatures around 105° F (40° C) to temperatures just above freezing will certainly damage a PVC screen.
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