There are several criteria to consider when selecting an industrial spray paint booth for your business. They include airflow style, size, budget and industry regulations. Of these, airflow style should be considered the most important when selecting a booth for spraying or power coating.
Start with the quality of the finish for the products you are painting. A Crossdraft Paint Booth can be used for everything from wood products to aircraft, and is generally less expensive with less expensive operating costs, but there is some risk of cross contamination with particles from the floor and of overspray because air is flowing horizontally.
Need something with a bit more quality control and have some space to work with? A Side Downdraft Paint Booth does require more exhaust fans, ducting and roof penetration, with the exhaust plenums also adding some horizontal width, but offers an economical solution if you can’t or don’t want to invest in an exhaust pit. Floor contamination is lessened, but overspray onto the painter can happen and operating costs are a bit more because of the full-ceiling filtration.
A hybrid option is a Semi-downdraft Paint Booth – which combines features of crossdraft and downdraft booths. Generally less expensive than downdraft paint booths, they also feature lower installation and operational costs. The only consideration is the possibility of dead airflow spots at the front of the booth, which can add difficulty to spraying.
If space isn’t a consideration and quality is of paramount importance, then the best choice is a Downdraft Paint Booth. These provide the best airflow style in regards to controlling overspray and eliminating the vast majority of contamination. Filtered air comes into the booth in a downward motion, flows over and around the product, and exits through a filtered exhaust pt in the floor that is generally nearly the entire length of the booth. They do require about 20-40% more air, adding to operational costs, but this type of airflow/booth means the finished product has the fewest blemishes and needs the least amount of buffing.
The experts at Marathon Spray Booths have helped thousands of clients determine the best solution for their budget, quality requirements, available space and industry regulations. More than 50 years of manufacturing and design experience go into every spray paint booth, with other types of booths available including automotive refinishing, truck and equipment spray booths or even self-contained small parts booths and portable container booths.