Deciding what kind of spray booth you need

There are several basic decisions to make when choosing a spray booth. Depending on the application, booths can be closed or open, filter incoming and outgoing air or exhaust only, and vent directly outdoors or just into the surrounding room. Determining what setup you need will depend on the environment you'll be working in and what you'll be painting.

The air quality in your workspace will define whether you need an open or closed booth and what type of airflow you need. For example, furniture makers and other woodworking applications tend to produce a great deal of sawdust that can ruin finishes. As a result, most require spray booths that are physically separated from the rest of the shop, and that filter both incoming air and exhaust. However, if you have a dedicated room for spraying that is separated from activities that produce dust or debris, you may be able to get a less expensive open-sided booth.

A second consideration when considering air quality is the type of finish you're applying: the more demanding the finished product, the more restrictive you'll need your booth to be. For example, automotive spray painting requires a very clean working environment because the smallest pieces of dust can ruin the finish, so automotive spray booths require more filtration of incoming air. Basic coatings for industrial equipment may be more tolerant of imperfections, so less filtration is required.

Powder coating systems are slightly more specialized. Powder coating equipment may require more robust filtration to remove the excess airborne particles. You may also need to invest in powder coating ovens to bake the finish to its desired state.

Sizing your spray paint booth
There are two sets of dimensions to consider when preparing to buy a spray paint booth: internal and external.

Internal dimensions are based very simply on the largest part or product you need to paint. Measure the width, length, and height of the item, then add at least three feet on each side to give your workers space to move around. If you use an automated spraying system, you may need to allow even more space for the machinery to operate. This will give you the minimum dimensions you need inside your spray booth.

The external dimensions are limited by the room where your booth will be housed. Typically, spray booths are placed within existing buildings, so they have to fit between existing machinery and support columns, and below HVAC ducting or other overhead obstacles. Measure the available space to determine the maximum external dimensions you can accommodate.

In general, booths are sold by internal dimensions as that's usually the more critical measurement. Standard booths are offered in two-foot internal increments starting at six feet long, but you can get custom sizes to fit almost any space.