Aluminum foil vs white paint?

Question

Which reflects better?

for some lamps I'm installing

Answer 1

White paint will do the job better.
A good paint will reflect about 90% of the light.
Foil less, (thats why it looks grey).
You will get all the color and a more even spread.

Answer 2

I guess it depends on what you are trying to do..............

1.
If you are trying to signal a search plane and reflect the sun into the rescuers eyes, the aluminum foil, smoothed out would work best.
2.
If you want the light from a light bulb to bounce around a room and cause the room to be brighter with out using more wattage, the white paint used on the walls would be best. A glossy white paint.

Answer 3

Both reflect light but aluminum foil lets absolutely no light pass through while white paint will absorb some light...

Answer 4

Aluminum foil

Answer 5

The heat will make foil expand and contract and loosen up it will look tacky may be fall out of place. Painting it I think is a better solution. It would be my choice even though you may lose some of the reflecting qualities.

Answer 6

foil shiny side out but a good coat of glossy white paint is also a good reflector.

Answer 7

The foil will be easier to remove.

Answer 8

Because that's one of the properties of white. White has a tendency to reflect light where black absorbs the same.

Answer 9

foil

Answer 10

foil