There are 5 main types or styles of Paint Booths Cross Flow, Side Down Draft, Semi Down Draft, Full Down Draft and Open Face Industrial Booth. (pictured below) All sersve the same purpose to clear the air and remove overspray from the inside of the booth. They are available in many different sizes and also custom sizes. They all contain intake & exhaust filters. Intake filters clean the air coming into the booth and the exhaust filters filter the air leaving the booth. Some paint booths have there own heated or non-heated air replacement unit making them a positive pressure booth. A paint booth that has positive pressure keeps unwanted dirt and debris from entering the booth through week caulk joints or door seals.
Provides horizontal air flow from front to back.	Provides vertical and horizontal air flow front to back.
Provides vertical air flow from top to bottom / side exhaust chambers, enveloping the vehicle in air.	Provides vertical air flow from top to bottom / below grade exhaust pit, enveloping the vehicle in air.
Industrial Open Face Booth	Without such a system in place you have what’s called “negative pressure booth” which pulls in shop air usually through filtered doors commonly known as a Crossdraft Paint Booth. This is the most popular and economical booth models available. But due to the CFM’s and air changes per minute required by code in a paint booth the negative pressure spray booth system can be very expensive to operate. As the booth takes all of the hot or cold air in your shop and exhausts it out through the booth consequently resulting in much higher energy costs to maintain a comfortable shop environment. It will also make doors hard to open due to the negative pressure.

When shopping for a Booth here are a few things to consider:

What will you be painting?

This will help determine the type and size of booth for you and your shop.

When it comes to the size of the Booth you will need to know the inside and outside dimensions. Keep in mind a Side Downdraft Booth is typically 2 feet wider on the outside than any other Booth because of the side exhaust chambers.

What is the building height?

Depending on the type of Booth you select heights can range from 9’ high on the outside to 20’ high on a standard truck Booth. Measure and make sure you have enough clearance.

Location?

If you need help with layout and design to pick the best spot for production flow we can help. We offer professional CAD Drawings so you can see how the Paint Booth will fit your shop.

Lighting?

Make sure you have enough lights in your Booth. A standard automotive Booth should contain at least 10-12 lights. Some manufactures put less lights to lower the cost of the booth. Also, if you are installing against a wall or another booth make sure you ask for inside access light fixtures. This will allow you to change the bulbs from inside the paint booth rather than outside.

Do you need a heated make-up air unit?

In most cases “yes”! Depending on your location replacement air is a building code requirement. Because with out one your building will be under a constant negative pressure when the paint booth is on.

An air make-up unit replaces the air the exhaust fan takes out. Therefore creating a positive pressure environment in the booth and resulting in a cleaner paint job. They can be natural gas or propane and be mounted inside or out. They are available in vertical units which stand along side of the booth or horizontal which can be mounted above the booth or on the roof. They have a set of filters to clean the air before it is heated and sent into the booth. This scenario provides the best environment for the operator and typically produces the best paint job.

Safety features?

Does your local code require door switches or an air safety valve?

Be sure to ask!

Permits?

Make sure the vendor you choose offers help and a permit package to aid in getting your booth installed.

A spray booth is large investment for you and your shop. Make sure you are comfortable with the vendor you choose. Make sure you ask plenty of questions.

Here is a list of some available options:

• Insulation: Double wall insulated booths offer a cleaner and neater appearance on the exterior of the booth. There are no exposed nuts and bolts nor is there any place for dust to collect.

• Variable Frequency Drive: Allows the operator full control of the Paint Booth balance and speed of the exhaust fan.

• Powder Coating. Powder Coating the Inside & Outside of your Paint Booth will add anti-corrosion protection to the galvanized steel. It will also increase the effectiveness of the lighting inside your Booth

• Doors. There are many types of door styles to choose from. Tri-Fold doors, Bi Fold doors, Roll-up doors, you may even want Drive Thru Doors.

• 90/10 Recirculation: This option allows you to recalculate 90% of the heat during the bake cycle to allow for the best possible energy savings for you and your shop.

• Basement: A basement is available in place of a pit being dug in your shop floor. This option allows you to still have a full downdraft booth in a rented or leased building without having to dig up the existing floor and concrete.