Some 5th grade ingenuity.

This is a close up of the masking system I am constructing. The idea is to have a way to adjust the top, bottom and both sides of the screen in order to frame the images projected on it. This helps things seem darker and minimizes distractions from anything around the screen. Ultimately, it just looks better.

The system I devised involves some fabric, some 1x2's, a few eye hooks and some rope. This picture shows how the rope is tied to the 1x2 and is fed thru an eye hook. I have a hook off screen that I tie the rope too once I have the desired framing.

Solving problems with a gun.

Part of the whole DIY process is a lot of trial and error. The error this time around was my failed attempt to paint my newly stretched canvas with a paint roller. I'm not sure why I thought it would work in the first place. The solution was several coats of paint with a spray gun, with a little bit of sanding thrown in to keep it all smooth.

The paint I used was one I read about in the AVS Forum. It's called Silver Screen and it's made by Behr. It actually has no special qualities that make it silver or reflective. It's just more of that paint company nonsensical naming silliness. I did want a paint that was the slightest bit grey in order to help the black levels in the images on the screen. Enough people tried out this paint and showed the results of their efforts and satisfied my need.

Ultimately, I wanted a 110" screen for a fraction of the cost of a professional screen. I spent about $100 total on my screen. Professionally manufactured screens can run anywhere from $300 to well over $1,000 and that's just a bit to rich for my budget on this project.

The importance of stretching.

I had to tweak the frame in the previous post. It was a bit flimsy and the corners weren't flush. I got a heavy duty "L" bracket and borrowed a sander from my trusty friend, Ben. After about an hour I was back in business. The frame was sturdy and the corners were flush.
I bought some unprimed canvas from a local art supply store. I had only strecthed material over a frame one other time, so this was still a relativiely new experience for me. The canvas is pretty heavy duty stuff. I used plyers and a staple gun and slowly worked my way around the frame.
After about an hour and some raw fingers tips this is what I ended up with. It's not exactly 16:9, but that's all part of the plan. This gives you an idea of the size of the screen.