Paint-Booths.com Blog

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

Paint Booth Maintenance: How to Clean Your Booth

Is the inside of your paint booth dusty? Are you noticing blemishes in the paint caused by dirt and debris? If so, you might think that your booth is malfunctioning; after all, a booth is made to be a controlled environment and keep dirt out.

Seeing dust in your booth can be frustrating. It’s usually an indication that it’s been too long since it’s been cleaned.

Fortunately, cleaning your booth is a simple task. By implementing a regular cleaning and maintenance schedule, you can ensure the booth keeps producing flawless finishes in a safe and compliant environment.

Why do you Need to Clean Your Paint Booth?

Paint booths are designed to keep dust and debris out to prevent impurities from marring the paint finish. However, even the best air filters eventually become clogged and need to be replaced. Additionally, it’s easy to accidentally bring dust and dirt particles into your booth when the doors are opened.

Your booth can last longer and perform better when it is cleaned regularly. It will also protect vital components of the booth, including the fan and motor. Taking a little time to clean up your booth can prevent imperfect finishes and lost man-hours.

Step-by-Step Paint Booth Cleaning

Follow this guide to clean your booth from top to bottom:

Clean the air filters and replace them when necessary. How often they are replaced depends on how often the booth is used and how much buildup there is.
Sweep the floors daily with a broom. Don’t use a vacuum cleaner or shopvac unless you have one that’s approved for use in hazardous applications (spark hazard).
Clean the booth’s floors and walls with a sponge mop (not cotton) and an appropriate solvent-based cleaning solution, or use a pressure washer.
Make sure all glass on lights and doors is cleaned and free of buildup. Keeping your lights cleaned will keep your booth well illuminated. We recommend using Clear View glass coating to protect booth lights and windows.
Use a non-ferrous, non-sparking scraper to get overspray off the walls.
Clean overspray from paint guns and air hoses. Replace spray guns and hoses when necessary.

You can simplify the cleaning process by installing floor and wall coverings in your booth. We offer floor mats with a grippy texture that helps trap overspray and dirt particles. You can also keep the inside of your booth looking like new with our spray-on, peel-off White Out wall coating.

Preventative Maintenance and Good Habits Reduce Dust Buildup

A few proactive steps can prevent dust from gathering in your paint booth:

Keep the spray booth doors closed unless you’re moving objects in and out.
Turn the paint booth on and make sure it’s running properly before opening the doors to bring in an object to be finished.
Store paints, finishes, and other items in a safe place (not the paint booth).
Always use proper personal protective equipment (including a headcover) when painting.
Prep objects to be finished before bringing them into the booth.
Don’t sand objects in the booth (use a separate sanding booth).
Apply caulk and seals to all joints, corners, and doors.
Keep the area directly outside the booth clean.

It’s also crucial to follow a preventative maintenance routine for your paint booth:

Change the air filters according to the manufacturer’s guidelines or when they become saturated, whichever is sooner.
Clean the AMU.
Check the exhaust fans for loose blades and frayed wiring.
Monitor the air quality inside the booth, and address any issues promptly.
Install a manometer to measure air pressure and determine when the air filters are full.

Dust isn’t the only thing that can affect paint booth operation. Moisture can also become trapped in the booth. When it condenses, it can mar a curing finish and damage paint guns and other tools. Refrigerant dryers can help reduce the moisture that builds up in the compressed air systems used in a paint booth.

Talk to an Expert About Cleaning and Maintenance

Regular cleaning and maintenance can keep your paint booth in top shape for optimal performance. The steps for cleaning a paint booth are basically the same for all models, but it’s always good to check the manufacturer’s instructions for specific tips and guidelines.

If you want more details on keeping your paint booth running smoothly, our expert team can help. We can also help you with upgrades and add-ons or even customize a booth to your specifications. Email us at sales@paint-booths.com or call 888-312-7488.

Introduction to Paint Booth Types: Side 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 side downdraft paint booths.

What is a side downdraft paint booth?

A side downdraft paint booth is similar to a downdraft booth, but the airflow moves the air down and to the lower sides of the booth rather than straight down toward the floor. A side downdraft paint booth doesn’t need a floor pit because it exhausts air through the side walls.

Side downdraft models are available in many different sizes, from a model that is 23’ long for smaller shops to a much larger 60’ booth, designed to fit big trucks. Standard Tools and Equipment can customize the booth to be as long as desired. This model is a popular model to order with an air makeup unit for a heated booth option.

How does a side downdraft paint booth work?

In a side downdraft paint booth, air comes in through the front ceiling. Most models have a double set of filters at the air intake point. This filtered air moves down and toward the sides of the booth where it’s exhausted through a set of floor-level filters along both sides of the booth.

The airflow pattern of a side downdraft booth pulls air away from the center of the booth, helping to draw contaminants and overspray away from the item being painted or finished. This setup makes painting easier and improves the quality of the finish.

Benefits of a side downdraft paint booth

Side downdraft booths offer several advantages:

No need for an expensive concrete pit
Good control of contaminants and overspray
Excellent finish quality (similar to a downdraft booth)
Filtered intake air
No “dead zones” like those in a semi downdraft booth

A side downdraft paint booth offers many advantages, making it an excellent choice for a wide range of applications. However, side downdraft booths require a lot of exhaust ductwork and multiple fans, so they tend to be more expensive than other styles.

Top uses for a side downdraft paint booth

Side downdraft paint booths facilitate excellent finish quality, making them ideal for top-tier projects:

Automotive finishing/refinishing
Large truck finishing
Large equipment production
Industrial manufacturing of precision equipment

A side downdraft booth is a good option for shops that produce large, high-quality items but can’t support a floor pit for a downdraft booth.

Optimize Production With a High-Quality Paint Booth

If you want to ensure your products receive a top-notch finish free of blemishes, a side downdraft paint booth is an excellent choice. It offers a downward airflow pattern that controls contaminants and overspray but doesn’t require a floor pit. Side downdraft booths are also easily installed with a Sure-Cure air makeup unit to increase production with a heated cure cycle.

No matter what kind of paint booth you need, we can help. We carry a wide selection of paint spray booths in various styles and sizes. From a heated side downdraft paint booth to a cross flow paint booth, our selection has options for every project. We can even customize a booth for your unique needs. To get started, contact our team directly, email sales@paint-booths.com, or call 888-312-7488.

Adding Heat to Your Paint Booth: Benefits, Challenges, and Planning Ahead

Shopping for a paint booth can become tedious, especially after you’ve spent hours trying to figure out exactly what type of booth you want and what size booth you need (not to mention fit your budget). You may just decide to buy a basic booth and think about upgrades later. However, taking the time to figure out what configuration and features you need can save you time and hassle down the road.

One thing that many people don’t consider at first is adding heat to the booth. Depending on the kind of booth you have, where you live, and your production goals can help determine if an air makeup unit is required for your booth.

What are the benefits of adding heat to your booth?

One of the most advantageous upgrades to your paint booth is the ability to control the interior temperature by adding heat via an air makeup unit. Heating your spray booth provides several key benefits:

Increases production capacity by reducing the curing time; most projects can be completed and cool to the touch within an hour.
Creates an optimal environment for flawless finishes.
Offers a comfortable environment in cooler climates.

Having a heated booth can significantly improve your shop’s production speed. Instead of waiting for several hours for a job to dry, an air makeup unit will cure the finish and allow you to move on to the next job in no time. If you want to complete more than just a few projects a week, adding heat is the best way to expand your operations.

Can you add heat to a paint booth that you already own?

Heat is added to a paint booth by installing a heated air makeup unit (AMU). The term “makeup air” is just that, replacement air for the exhausted air during normal operation. By replacing the expelled air, adding an AMU to a paint booth allows it to maintain consistent air pressure. The painter is able to control the booth’s pressure through the unit’s deluxe control panel.

Stabilizing the air pressure reduces the amount of dust and other contaminants inside the booth and improves the air quality. By reducing the contaminants, it also greatly reduces the risk of blemishes in the finish.

Depending on how the air is ducted into the booth from the AMU, not every type of paint booth gives you the option of adding heat. The most common is the cross flow paint booth. This booth has front filtered doors, so it is impossible to control the air flow into the booth through the doors.

Most other booth styles, including the downdraft, side downdraft, and semi downdraft models, can be upgraded with heat, either at time of purchase or later. For example, adding heat to a downdraft paint booth is generally simple and doesn’t require significant modifications to the booth. Likewise, you can install a heated AMU to supply air directly into the intake plenum at the front top of a semi downdraft booth.

It’s also simple to upgrade a side downdraft booth with a heated AMU to supply air into the upper plenum, which runs along the entire length of the booth. Additionally, you may be able to create a setup that recycles some of the heat from the exhaust duct, improving efficiency and reducing energy requirements.

Planning ahead gives you the option to upgrade your booth

If you decide that you may want to add heat at a later date, here are some essential things to keep in mind:

Location and installation: Leave enough room to accommodate an AMU and any necessary ductwork. Units can be set up directly outside the building, on the roof, or even inside the building. Units are also available in horizontal or vertical styles. If you’re not sure how much space you need, our expert team can answer your questions and help you prepare for future upgrades.
Electrical system: Make sure your building’s electrical system/infrastructure can handle the increased load of a heated AMU. If you aren’t sure, check with an electrician.
Fuel: You will need a fuel source for the AMU (e.g., natural gas or propane). Verify the possibility and cost of bringing a fuel line to the AMU.
Rules and regulations: Check with your local authorities to see what codes may be applicable to install a heated AMU under local building and fire codes.
Lead time: Consider the lead time you will need to add an AMU. Since each unit is hand-built to your specifications, the lead time is usually between 10-14 days (this varies depending on production schedules). We suggest planning for a 3-month time frame for delivery, installation, and inspections. However, we sell them year-round!

Most paint booth styles allow you to add a heated AMU later. However, it is an easier install, easier inspection process, and more cost-efficient to incorporate heat with the initial purchase your paint booth.

Get the perfect paint booth for your shop

Whether you decide to add heat to your new paint booth right away or upgrade it down the road, our team is here to help. Our experts can discuss your needs and goals to help you choose a booth that’s the right style and size. We offer a wide range of top-quality booths for various applications, and we can even customize a booth to your exact specifications. To get started, contact our team directly, email sales@paint-booths.com, or call 888-312-7488.

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.