Paint Booth Archives : Paint-Booths.com

Fire Prevention Week and Your Paint Booth.

October 9^th – 15^th is National Fire Prevention Week

Practicing fire prevention within your paint booth could make the difference between life and death. To protect your business and the lives of those who work within the booth, it’s important to work safely all year long. Read our previous post on how we raise the standard of safety.

THE NATIONAL FIRE PREVENTION ASSOCIATION

If you own a paint booth, you should be familiar with the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA). The NFPA was established in 1896 and is devoted to eliminating death, injury, property, and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. They have an extensive list of codes and standards, but NFPA 33 is the code specific to paint booths and applications using flammable or combustible materials. It includes processes designed to reduce the risk of fire due to flammable paints and coatings. It’s an important safety document but is a small part of a much bigger safety picture. Other considerations, such as local requirements, International Fire Code (IFC), or OSHA requirements, must also be met before the paint spray booth can be safely used. Failure to comply with regulations on a state and local level can get a business fined or penalized.

TOP TIPS FOR PAINT BOOTH FIRE PREVENTION:

Assess fire risks often and develop a safety plan to include training, crisis response, and inspection schedules.
Replace clogged filters and clean out overspray buildup in the booth and in the fan. Flammable material overspray is a dangerous source of fuel for fire ignition and proper booth ventilation reduces the buildup of flammable material. Make sure you have an adequate amount of CFM to avoid saturating the air with too much flammable material.
Install fire extinguishers, automatic sprinklers, and other fire suppression equipment as directed by the city or county fire chief.
Identify all ignition sources and move them away from the booth. (Common sources of ignition are light fixtures, switches, and certain types of fans.)
Store and mix paints away from spark-producing devices, ideally in a paint mixing booth.
Designate a smoking area away from the building. Cigarettes, matches, and lighters are a common risk in many workplaces, particularly those that don’t designate smoking areas for employees. Companies should provide facilities for smokers, including enclosed ashtrays that are separate from areas with flammable or combustible substances.
Updated material safety data sheets for all dangerous substances used in production.

FIRE SUPPRESSION FOR YOUR BOOTH.

The best way to protect your business from a fire is to install a paint booth fire suppression system, a necessity that is required in many areas across the country. These systems limit the damage and loss to equipment in the case of a fire by monitoring your booth 24-hours a day. A fire may destroy the paint booth but will protect the fire from spreading to the entire building. For more information on fire suppression systems, check out our FAQs on Fire Suppression.

SOME OTHER WORKPLACE SAFETY TIPS TO CONSIDER:

Clear and accessible escape routes, practiced regularly with fire drills.
Fire extinguishers that have been inspected monthly and serviced yearly. Ensure they are the proper size and located throughout your facility.
Fully working fire alarms that have been tested regularly.
Fire precautions within a safety plan that has been given to all employees.
Train your staff on fire safety, including fire extinguisher training.
Designate a smoking area with enclosed ashtrays

Introduction to Paint Booth Types: Semi Downdraft Paint Booths

In this series, we’ll look at some of the most common types of paint spray booths and their functions and benefits. This month’s spotlight is on semi downdraft paint booths.

What is a semi downdraft paint booth?

A semi downdraft paint booth is essentially a hybrid of a cross flow booth and a downdraft booth. Semi downdraft paint booths are available in several different sizes, from smaller booths that are about 20 feet long to 60-foot models that can accommodate large trucks. You can even get a booth with an integrated heated air makeup unit for faster curing times.

Semi downdraft booths generally feature a completely enclosed design with two sides, a ceiling, front doors, and a back wall. Air intake filters are located in the front portion of the ceiling, pulling air from the cleaner upper areas of the shop. The back wall houses the exhaust plenum. The booth sometimes is modified to include doors on both ends for a drive-through option. This styles also features a personnel door (or doors) on the sides, giving you the option to attach a clean entry room booth to reduce contaminants inside the booth.

How does a semi downdraft paint booth work?

A semi downdraft booth pulls in air through the front quarter or third of the ceiling and directs it downward and across the booth toward the back wall. In most cases, the air is pulled into filters at the exhaust plenum in the back wall and then exhausted up and out through integrated ductwork. The airflow pattern in the booth is essentially diagonal: from the front of the ceiling to the back wall.

The airflow pattern in a semi downdraft booth helps direct overspray toward the exhaust filters. It offers some of the same benefits as a downdraft booth but doesn’t require a pit in the floor, making installation easier and less expensive. The velocity of the air across the object can help the paint dry faster, and adding a heated AMU can speed up the curing process exponentially.

Top advantages of a semi downdraft paint booth

We call the “workhorse” in our booth lineup for the heavy workloads it handles with ease! It is used by more start-up auto body shops than any other model.
A semi downdraft spray booth offers several benefits:

More affordable than a downdraft booth
Minimal installation requirements (no floor pit needed)
Versatile applications
Airflow and temperature control options
Effective overspray and contaminant control

While a semi downdraft paint booth is an excellent choice in most applications, there are some potential drawbacks. It does not provide as much overspray control as a traditional downdraft booth. Additionally, the diagonal airflow pattern creates a “dead zone” near the front of the booth that can cause eddy currents that collect overspray, potentially harming the finish and exposing the painter to a high level of paint.

What is a semi downdraft paint booth used for?

Semi downdraft booths are very popular for numerous applications:

Automotive painting
Finishing small parts
Painting large vehicles: trucks, RVs, tractors, etc.
Finishing industrial equipment

While mostly used in finishing applications for cars, trucks, and other vehicles, the versatility and affordability of a semi downdraft paint booth makes it a great choice for many projects.

Find the perfect paint booth for your needs

Semi downdraft spray booths offer many benefits, making them useful in a range of applications. This unique paint booth style combines some of the best features of cross flow and downdraft booths at an affordable cost. The only installation requirement is a level concrete floor. Our semi downdraft booth is ETL-listed, offering you an easy-to-permit booth. This model is easily customizable to add length, width, additional light fixtures and more. If you aren’t sure which style of paint booth is best for your shop, contact our expert team. We can recommend a model that meets your needs or design a custom paint booth to your specifications. To get started, contact our team directly, email us, or call us at 888-312-7488.

Introduction to Paint Booth Types: Cross Flow Paint Booths

In this series, we’ll look at some of the most common types of paint spray booths and their functions and benefits. This month’s spotlight is on the Cross Flow Paint Booths.

What Is a cross flow paint booth?

Also known as a cross draft paint booth, the airflow inside the booth is horizontal from front to rear. Cross flow booths come in a variety of sizes and designs, from small models that are about 10’ by 14’, to large truck-sized booths that are approximately 20’ wide and as long as you want.

How does a cross flow paint booth operate?

In most cross flow booths, the entry doors are equipped with filters to remove dirt and other contaminants from the air. This helps protect the quality of the finish.

The air enters the booths through filtered front doors and moves horizontally over the item being painted and out through the exhaust plenum in the rear of the booth.

Benefits of a cross flow paint booth

Cross flow booths are extremely popular because they offer several unique advantages:

Affordability
Easy installation
Simple design that works on any flat floor
Easy maintenance/repairs
Minimal training to operate
Versatile applications

It’s an economical alternative in shops that are extremely clean. Since the air moves into the booth from the front doors, if the shop isn’t clean, it will deposit dust and debris on the finish. The filters on the door catch a lot of the contaminants, but if the shop is dirty, the filters will need to be a higher quality and changed often. As such, it’s important to minimize contaminants in the air as much as possible, which can be difficult in high-volume shops.

Considerations of a cross flow paint booth

A consideration when thinking about a cross flow booth is if there is a need to heat the booth. Unlike a lot of its counterparts, the cross flow can’t be heated with our Sure-Cure AMU. The intake air entering through filtered doors makes it difficult. In other styles, the air is heated before entering the plenum. The cross flow doesn’t have an intake plenum, making it ideal for shorter spaces, but impossible to control the heat through an AMU. These booths can be used with heat lamps as a less effective curing option.

Another thing to consider is the safety of the booth. While all of our booths meet NFPA 33 requirements for safety, our cross flow booth is also ETL-certified. This makes it much easier with your local inspector, fire marshal or insurance agent.

Common uses of a cross flow paint booth

Cross draft paint booths are most common in the automotive industry, but can be used in many different applications:

Sanding
Finishing vehicles, especially large trucks
Automotive repair/refinishing
Motorcycle refinishing
Metal fabrication
Furniture finishing
Industrial manufacturing of equipment and parts

Cross flow paint booths are extremely affordable and versatile, making them a popular option for many shops.

Upgrade your shop’s productivity with a cross flow paint booth

If you’re looking for a paint booth that makes it easy to get a high-quality finish on your products, a cross flow booth may be the right choice. It’s easy to install, affordable, and a preference of many painters.

A paint spray booth provides a safe environment to spray while significantly improving productivity and the overall quality of the finished product. We offer a wide range of paint booths in several sizes and styles, including ETL-certified models. We can even customize a booth to your exact specifications. To see what style will work for you, contact our team directly, email sales@paint-booths.com, or call 888-312-7488.

Introduction to Paint Booth Types: Open-Face Paint Booths

In this series, we’ll look at some of the most common types of paint spray booths and their functions and benefits. This month’s spotlight is on open-face paint booths.

What is an open-face paint booth?

While many paint booths are designed as full enclosures, an open-face booth is different. As the name implies, this type of spray booth includes a ceiling, two side walls, and a back wall, but the front is completely open (no doors). Usually, the exhaust filter system is housed in the back wall.

Open-face paint booths are the most versatile booth type of them all and come in a variety of sizes. They are also easily customizable from our engineers. The small models start at just 2’ wide and deep, designed to accommodate small products. In fact, a benchtop booth is essentially a small open-face spray booth with a working table top.

However, you can also purchase much larger models that can accommodate big items and complicated painting rigs. For example, you could choose an open-face paint booth with an interior that’s 20 feet wide and 7 feet deep. Some popular products that are being sprayed in an open-face paint booth from Standard Tools include helium tanks, metal trash cans, Hollywood props, cabinets, and a variety of furniture pieces.

A custom open-face booth that we designed is a dual-sided open-faced booth. This is a design that has two painting areas that share an exhaust plenum. We design every paint booth to fit the need and the footprint.

How an open-face paint booth works

In an open-face paint booth, air is pulled into the booth through the open front. It flows horizontally over the product toward the exhaust in the back wall. When the air is drawn into the booth through the open front, it’s not filtered before entering the booth. It is important this booth is used in a clean shop so that the paint isn’t easily contaminated. However, this design allows air to move through the booth very quickly, which facilitates fast and efficient removal of toxic fumes, debris, and other contaminants from the work area.

Top benefits of an open-face booth

Affordable and simple to install
Easy access for items of all sizes
Efficient control and removal of overspray and contaminants
Useful in a variety of applications
Can be installed almost anywhere (Inside).

An open-face paint booth offers many benefits that make it an excellent choice for a wide range of applications.

What are open-face paint booths used for?

Open-face paint booths are used for a wide variety of things. They are very popular in the furniture and woodworking industries. Here are some other common uses for an open-face paint booth:

Painting/finishing products, parts, and equipment
Sanding
Adhesive application
Welding
Minor automotive repair/repainting jobs
Prepping products before they are finished in an enclosed booth

These booths are not compatible with an Air Makeup Unit directly into the booth. However, we can provide information on adding a Makeup Air unit to your shop to compensate for the air being exhausted.

If you are doing extremely detailed custom work that must be flawless, a fully enclosed paint booth would be a better choice. For many applications, however, an open-face booth is an affordable addition any shop that will significantly improve productivity.

Get a Versatile Open-Face Paint Booth for Your Shop

If you want to create a space in your shop that can be used for anything from sanding to painting, an open-face paint booth is an excellent choice. This type of booth can be installed pretty much anywhere (it does need to be inside so it is not exposed to the elements and needs to be exhausted out through the roof).

Adding a paint spray booth to your shop can significantly increase productivity and create a safer environment for your employees. At Standard Tools and Equipment Co., we manufacturer a wide range of spray booth styles and can completely customize a paint booth to fit every need and footprint. To connect directly with our expert team, give us a call at 888-312-7488.

Introduction to the Downdraft Paint Booth

A downdraft paint booth is a fully enclosed spray booth with a downward airflow design, which many experts agree creates the best environment for high-quality finish work. Downdraft paint booths are usually large enough to accommodate vehicles and other big items.

This type of booth is extremely effective at managing contaminants and overspray. Because the exhaust system requires a pit in the floor, however, a downdraft paint booth can be costly to install.

How Does a Downdraft Paint Booth Work?

As the name implies, a downdraft paint booth is designed to direct airflow in a downward direction, from the booth’s ceiling toward the floor. The air is pulled into the booth through afull length ceiling plenum. In most designs, the plenum takes up most or all of the ceiling and has an integrated filter that decontaminates the air before it enters the booth.

The airflow inside the booth is directed straight down, flowing vertically over the item being painted. This style is preferred sometimes because it controls overspray and contamination.

There is an exhaust pit in the floor that is usually a few feet wide and runs the length of the booth. This area has filters to catch overspray and remove toxic, flammable substances from the air before it’s released through the booth’s pitted exhaust system.

What Are the Top Uses for a Downdraft Paint Booth?

Downdraft spray booths are usually installed in auto body shops that repair, repaint, and refinish vehicles. There are other styles of automotive paint booths available, but a downdraft booth is often preferred by automotive painters.

Downdraft paint booths can also have some industrial applications. They are a good choice for finishing large equipment and utility vehicles.

Advantages of a Downdraft Paint Booth

A downdraft paint booth offers several benefits:

Pulls overspray and contaminants down toward the floor to create a flawless finish
Effectively directs airborne particles downward regardless of which direction the painter is spraying
Improves air quality and creates a safer environment for the painter
Provides excellent throughput capacity
Offers a large, fully enclosed space that accommodates big products (e.g. vehicles)
The downdraft booth has a heated air makeup unit (AMU) to warm the air prior to entering the booth. It also gives a cure cycle to further protect the flawless finish!

Because of the airflow design of a downdraft paint booth, it’s widely regarded as the best option for a high-quality finish.

The biggest drawback of a downdraft paint booth is that it needs space for the exhaust pit to be installed. If your shop can accommodate an exhaust pit for a downdraft booth, it’s a great way to ensure your products get a top-quality finish.

Upgrade Your Shop with a Downdraft Paint Booth

A downdraft paint booth makes it easy to get a flawless, top-quality finish on your products. Our heated downdraft paint booth offers the additional advantage of temperature control, which reduces curing time and increases efficiency.

At Standard Tools and Equipment Co., we are committed to providing every customer with the perfect spray booth for their needs. Along with downdraft style, we offer a wide range of other styles, including the cross flow, side downdraft, and semi downdraft models. If you aren’t sure which option is right for your shop or need a customized paint booth, we can help. Contact our team online or call 888-312-7488.

Introduction to Paint Booth Types: Benchtop Paint Booths

In this series, we’ll look at some of the most common types of paint spray booths and their functions and benefits. This month’s spotlight is on benchtop paint booths.

What is a benchtop paint booth?

Also known as tabletop paint booths, benchtop paint booths are different from larger booths. This type of smaller booth features a built-in “bench” that allows the user to paint or finish small pieces that need to be worked on at counter-height, about 4 feet off the ground. The front of the booth is open, and it features an integrated exhaust system in the back.

Externally, most benchtop paint booths are about 7 feet tall. They can vary in width between 2 feet and 8 feet wide. You can also find smaller models that don’t have a built-in bench because they are designed to sit on an existing counter or table.

How does a benchtop paint booth work?

A benchtop paint booth has a built-in bench inside the structure, which has three enclosed sides and a roof. The booth draws fresh air through the open front and exhausts it through a filter system in the back wall.

Our tabletop paint booths are made of 18-gauge galvanized steel and include all sealants, hardware, and fasteners. We also include all the necessary exhaust components: grids, filters, fans, and motors. Exhaust ductwork, an ETL-listed control panel, and lighting are some of the add-ons we offer.

What is a benchtop paint booth used for?

Benchtop paint booths create a safe and code-compliant environment for finishing small items. The built-in counter allows you to place an item where it’s easy to see and interact with. This means that you don’t have to kneel down in a traditional paint booth to work with a small item sitting on the floor.

A tabletop paint booth can be used to finish a wide variety of pieces:

Furniture (e.g. stools, end tables, accent items)
Cabinet doors
Machine parts and interior pieces
Woodworking projects
Hobby items (e.g. figurines, miniatures, models)
Small pieces of industrial equipment
DIY projects

A benchtop paint booth makes it safer and easier to create beautifully finished pieces.

Top benefits of a benchtop paint booth

Why should you add a tabletop paint booth to your business or home workshop? Here are some of the advantages you can expect:

Better lighting to reduce errors in the finishing process
A code-compliant exhaust system
Improved air quality with reduced paint fumes
Less debris and dust that can create flaws in the finish
Better control of flammable materials/reduced risk of fire
Improved workflow efficiency
Reduced curing time

As you can see, there are numerous benefits of adding a benchtop paint booth to your shop, manufacturing plant, or garage. This type of spray booth has a smaller footprint than a traditional full-size paint booth, and it creates the ideal environment for finishing small items. You can work efficiently in a safe environment and get high-quality finishes on even the most complex pieces.

Find the Perfect Paint Booth for Your Project

A benchtop paint booth is a fantastic upgrade for hobbyists who spend a lot of time painting miniature projects. It’s also essential for any industrial workshop that manufactures and finishes small parts, equipment, furnishings, and products.

We offer several different benchtop paint booth models with unique features. If you aren’t sure which one is right for your needs, contact our expert team for assistance. We can even customize a paint booth for you. Contact our team or give us a call at 888-312-7488.

Almost Everything You Need to Know About Control Panels for a Paint Booth

Your paint booth has many different parts that perform specific functions, but one of the most important is the control panel. This guide covers all the essentials of spray booth control panels so you can understand how they work and how to use them safely.

What Does a Paint Booth Control Panel Do?

As the name implies, a control panel allows you to operate the paint booth’s lights and fans from one central location near the booth.

How It Works

Inside the control box, there is a contactor that’s linked to the “Fan” button on the panel. The contactor is a device that starts or interrupts an electrical circuit. So, when you push the “Fan” button, the contactor establishes the circuit to start the exhaust fans. The “Lights” button is linked to a contactor that controls the lights inside the booth.

We offer many types of control panels, including one designed for mixing rooms and others that work with different paint booths based on their voltage, horsepower, and phase requirements. For example, we have a one-motor, one-phase control panel that can control a single fan motor and is available in four different horsepower/voltage configurations. If your booth has two exhaust fans, check out our two-motor, three-phase panel that’s available in two different horsepower/voltage configurations.

Our control panels are engineered to make your booth easy to use. Along with operating the fans and lights with just a push og a button, they also have the ability to control paint spray guns through an air valve solenoid. The solenoid’s wiring is already connected inside the panel so it is an easy hookup to the AVS terminals.

We also build control panels with each of our Sure-Cure Air Makeup Units (AMU). These panels are similar, but they are larger in size because of the additional features an AMU allows. These boxes operate the fan and lights… but it also allows the operator to set the booth’s pressure and temperature as well as set the unit into “Cure” mode to complete the paint job. These control panels have a ton of safety features built into the unit for the operator’s safety

Can You Switch or Upgrade the Control Panel in Your Paint Booth?

We offer ETL-listed control panels that are certified by Intertek. These panels have internal components that meet ETL certification requirements, ensuring that they comply with the highest safety standards. This certification mark is found inside every control panel we build.

What Are Control Panel Safety Regulations?

Paint booths and their control panels are regulated by several different organizations, most of which manage electrical standards and fire safety rules. All of our control boxes meet ETL guidelines and are certified by Intertek. Our manufacturing shop is UL508A-certified, meaning we have met the standards that apply to industrial control panels for general use. Control panels are included with the ETL-listed paint booths that we offer. You can feel confident that the equipment meets the highest international product safety standards. Control panels can be sold with non-ETL booths or can be added to an existing paint booth from another manufacturer.

For safety, our paint booth control boxes have a time-delay mechanism that’s set to three minutes. Fire code in most places requires this three-minute delay feature. This means that after you push the “Fan” button to stop the exhaust fans, they will run for three additional minutes before shutting off. This is a safety feature that allows the booth to exhaust any remaining paint fumes and vapors out of your paint booth, preventing a fire and safety hazard.

Trust Us for Top-Quality Paint Booth Equipment

employee working with paint booth control panel

At Standard Tools and Equipment Co., we have been manufacturing spray booths, mixing booths, air makeup units, and control panels since 1997. We build products that meet the highest safety and quality standards while providing a value for our customers. We design and build these products from our facility in Greensboro, North Carolina with all American-made components. Our team can answer your questions about control panels and help you choose the right ETL-listed box for your paint booth. To get in touch with our expert team, call 888-312-7488 or email sales@paint-booths.com.

FAQs About Paint Booth Fans and Motors

Have you ever wondered about the mechanics and parts inside your paint booth? You’re not alone. We get a lot of questions about the mechanical and electrical elements inside our spray booths, especially the fans and motors. Here are answers to the most common questions about paint booth fans and motors.

What kind of fan do you use for a paint booth?

In a paint booth, there are two types of fans. Each one performs a specific function: either pushing air into or pulling air out of the booth. Air is pushed into the booth through a blower fan, which in many cases is part of an AMU. This setup replaces the air that is pulled out of the booth by the exhaust fan to balance the air pressure for optimal operating conditions.

The exhaust fan for a paint booth is a tube axial fan with propeller-style blades. Our fans all use aluminum blades that are best for fire safety because they don’t spark. Non-sparking fans are important for paint booths because most paints and other finishing products are flammable.

Does a paint booth need an explosion-proof fan?

There are several different safety codes that may apply to paint booth operations from organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Your state, city, or county may have additional requirements.

Depending on the exact setup of your shop and your booth, you may need to use an explosion-proof fan in your paint booth. For more information on explosion-proof requirements and our fans, contact our Customer Service Specialists.

How many CFM do you need for a paint booth?

The volume of air moving in a paint booth is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM).

There is a simple rule of thumb you can use to figure out the right CFM for your booth:

Side downdraft booths: Booth width (ft.) X Booth height (ft.) X 40
Cross flow, open face, and semi-downdraft booths: Booth width (ft.) X Booth height (ft.) X 100

So, if you have a cross flow booth that is 16 feet in both width and height, the correct CFM would be 25,600. The best way to determine the right CFM for your booth is to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

How do you measure the airflow of a paint booth?

It’s a good idea to know how to measure the airflow in your booth. You may need to do this if you are concerned that a fan isn’t operating correctly or if you are trying to determine whether it’s time to replace some filters. Additionally, both OSHA and NFPA guidelines specify minimum airflow requirements for paint booths in order to reduce the concentration of flammable materials inside the booth. The airflow inside the paint booth is important for both safety and finishing guidelines. The ETL certification that comes with many Standard Tools paint booths means that the airflow has been tested for safety on those models by Intertek.

Paint booth airflow is usually measured in linear feet per minute (lfm). Older International Fire Code (IFC) requirements designated a minimum airflow of 100 lfm. However, modern codes refer to air exchange rates rather than airflow. You need to ensure a minimum of four air exchanges per minute when solvent-based or wet paints are used in the booth. For powder-coating finishes, the minimum airflow required is 60 lfm. The easiest way to measure airflow in your booth is with a special tool: a Vaneometer.

Which type of motor is used in a paint booth?

Most paint booth motors are completely enclosed, fan-cooled styles. Some types of paint booths may need more than one motor. Spray booth motors are usually available in either single-phase or three-phase models. Three-phase motors are sometimes preferred for larger loads, but the best way to know what type of motor your booth needs is to talk directly to the manufacturer as well as a licensed electrician who can tell you what power requirements your shop may have.

What is an explosion-proof motor?

Some motors are explosion-proof, which essentially means that they are designed to contain an internal explosion to prevent external damage or injury. Some common traits of an explosion-proof motor are a UL-listed conduit box and an exterior finish that’s corrosion-resistant. These motors are best for hazardous locations and might be required by certain safety regulations or local codes.

Get Expert Support for Your Paint Booth Purchase

To get the most out of your paint booth, it’s essential to ensure it has the right fans and motors for your unique operating conditions. Fortunately, you can get all your questions answered by our expert customer service team. We can even work with you to build a completely customized booth that meets your specifications. Contact us to get started.

Save Time and Money with These Top Spray Booth Accessories

If you want to get the maximum use out of your paint booth, consider investing in some upgrades. Accessories such as all-in-one control panels, LED lights, and AMUs improve your booth’s efficiency and performance, and special coatings simplify cleaning. Learn more about how to save money with the right accessories for your spray booth.

Mixing Rooms

It may seem easy to just store your paints, primers, glazes, and other chemicals in the corner of your shop, but keeping these things in the open presents a fire hazard. And it’s difficult to clean up accidental spills all over your shop’s floor.

With a well-built mixing booth, you have a dedicated and safe place to store your paints and stains. All of our mixing rooms are ETL-certified and compliant with NFPA standards. Built-in ventilation systems run continuously, removing the fumes and harmful particles created by mixing and storing paint and other chemicals.

Energy-Efficient LED Lights

Your paint booth probably has lights already, but built-in illumination isn’t always optimal, especially for finishing jobs that require a lot of precision. When you upgrade your booth to energy-efficient LED flat-panel lights. The LED lay-in panels are slim and easy to install, and are suitable for both heated and unheated booths. LED panels drastically reduce energy use, costing you less money on each power bill. Additionally, they last for an extremely long time and come with a five-year warranty. Our panels have up to 60,000 hours of run time, which equates to over 6 years (if you left them on 24/7). Another great benefit is that your energy company may give you a credit for upgrading to LED so the upgrade isn’t as costly as you think.

Air Makeup Units (AMU)

To keep the proper air pressure in your paint booth, you need to replace the air that gets exhausted during operation. The easiest way to do this is with an air makeup unit (AMU), which balances air pressure inside the booth by automatically providing the right amount of replacement air.

Installing an AMU is a better, more-efficient solution for air pressure management than trying to use the HVAC system to regulate the air pressure in the shop. Plus, AMUs are heated, so there are even more benefits:

Faster finish times
Temperature control for even curing
Fewer airborne particles and contaminants inside the booth

A heated AMU can be one of the most cost-effective upgrades for your paint booth.

Air Hose Storage Solutions

Air hoses that are left can be a tripping hazard. Easily keep your air lines stored in reels to your air hoses from getting tangled or tripped on during operation. Many air line reels can be installed anywhere, and come with automatic retraction systems that prevent the hose from becoming loose or unrolling.

Easy-To-Clean Coatings

To keep your spray booth functioning properly, it’s essential to clean the overspray that gets on the ceiling, walls, and floors. This can be a tedious job, but there are several accessories that can make it easier. White Out coating is a water-based spray that creates a film that covers paint booth walls, restoring a “like new” appearance even in booths with extensive overspray. The new white walls improve light quality in the booth. When the film gets covered with overspray, you can simply peel it off and respray the White Out on your booth’s interior.

It’s vital to keep the air inside the booth as clean as possible to reduce dust and debris that can ruin the quality of a finish. This adds to the life of your paint booth filters and keeps your paint booth fan clean. The Grippy Mat is a floor mat that traps dirt, dust, and overspray, reducing the chance that these particles will enter the airflow inside the booth. Our starter bundle includes a Grippy Mat floor covering, particle control solution, and an easy-to-use sprayer.

Operational controls

A paint booth control panel simplifies operation, allowing you to manage your booth’s lights, exhaust fans, and other crucial hardware from one point of contact. All of our ETL-certified spray booths come with electric control panels. If you purchase an uncertified booth model, you can upgrade to one of our ETL-listed control boxes; we have both single-phase and three-phase models.

Optimize Your Paint Booth with Key Accessories

If you want to make it easier to operate, monitor, and clean your paint booth, consider upgrading it with some accessories. We carry a wide range of top-quality options, and you can count on our team for advice about which upgrades are best for your booth and shop. If you have any questions about choosing the right lights, AMU, or control panel for your booth, contact our friendly sales team. We’ll provide expert solutions completely customized for your needs.

What to Do If Your Paint Booth Isn’t Code Compliant

Compliance is one of the most complex issues that you may deal with as a paint booth owner. There are both local and national regulations that apply to the installation and operation of your spray booth. Making sure your booth is compliant isn’t just about avoiding fines and legal issues. Codes are designed to ensure you operate your booth safely and correctly. By following the relevant codes, you can enhance quality control and protect yourself and your employees.

Ideally, it’s best to have a thorough understanding of all the relevant code requirements before you purchase a new paint booth. However, even the most conscientious paint booth owners may find themselves with compliance issues at some point. Read on to learn how to bring your paint booth into compliance.

Understand the Requirements

There are both national and state-level codes that apply to paint booths. The federal requirements come from several different agencies:

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules are related to workplace safety. OSHA laws for paint booths are designed to protect operators from hazardous and combustible substances (such as paints and other finishing products). There are rules about ventilation, filters, illumination, and ignition sources.
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes are designed to mitigate the fire risks of spraying flammable materials. NFPA-33 specifically, is intended for fire control for large-scale, indoor spray paint applications such as industrial spray paint booths. This code covers fire prevention, fire suppression measures, cleaning of built-up overspray, and disposal of flammable materials.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards help reduce harm to the environment from volatile organic compounds that come from improper ventilation and/or disposal of toxic substances. There are filter codes, ventilation standards, and record-keeping requirements.

Your paint booth may also be subject to additional rules based on local ordinances. When you are pulling permits for your paint booth, carefully read through all the building codes so you understand them. You may need to choose an ETL-certified booth and/or have your setup checked by a local inspector.

Even if your paint booth is already installed, it may become noncompliant if you change the layout of your shop, disassemble and reassemble the booth, or start using different types of finishing products. Local codes can also change, requiring you to take certain actions to make your spray booth compliant again.

Mitigate Fire Risks

Local fire codes may be stricter than NFPA regulations. If your booth doesn’t meet fire safety standards, you may need to make some changes:

Replace clogged filters and clean out overspray buildup in the booth.
Install fire extinguishers, automatic sprinklers, and other fire suppression equipment as directed by the city or county fire chief.
Identify all ignition sources and move them away from the booth. Common sources of ignition are light fixtures, switches and certain types of fans. Make sure to store and mix paints and finishes away from spark-producing devices, ideally in a paint mixing booth.

Your paint booth itself should meet national fire safety requirements by including non-sparking fans and lights. However, taking extra fire precautions can help protect everyone in your shop.

Schedule a Field Test

Some states and cities only allow paint booths that have ETL certification. This Electrical Testing Laboratories mark indicates that the booth’s components meet certain NFPA safety requirements. In an ETL-listed booth, the electrical control panel for the lights and fans is designed to meet UL standards.

If your local codes require ETL certification, the easiest way to ensure compliance is to purchase an ETL-listed booth. You can also obtain certification for an existing booth by scheduling an official inspection and completing any required changes. However, this can be a costly certification process. If you are unsure if it will be required, it is best to purchase a booth that is already certified.

Prioritize Regular Maintenance

Once your paint booth is compliant with all relevant codes and standards, preventative maintenance is the best thing you can do to keep it that way.

Change filters when necessary.
Clean the booth regularly.
Check wires for wear and tear.
Monitor airflow and ventilation.
Inspect fire suppression equipment frequently.
Clean any overspray from the exhaust fans

If you’re not sure how to maintain your paint booth, contact an expert.

Get Reliable Support To Keep Your Booth Compliant

Paint booth compliance is about more than just following building codes; a compliant booth is safer to operate. If your booth isn’t code compliant, the best thing to do is remedy the situation right away by scheduling an inspection and completing any assigned action items. When you are purchasing a paint booth, make sure to choose one that meets federal standards and is ETL-certified (if your local codes require it). To learn more about paint booth compliance, contact our experienced team.