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Building a paint booth?

H

[H]EMI_426

2[H]4U
Joined
Feb 19, 2001
Messages
3,965
So, I have this project. I've been working on it for a bit. It's coming along nicely, but I can't keep garbage out of the paint cause the two places I can paint are my garage or outdoors.

I know how to paint. I used to have a decent siphon-feed spray gun, other gear, a shop that I could paint in after-hours, etc. However, I sold off all my paint gear when I lost my job a few years ago and the shop has since changed ownership, so no more convenient painting for me.

I've been reduced to using rattle cans for this project. The results so far have been surprisingly good, except for the shit in the paint.

I want to fix this problem. Has anyone here ever built a portable paint booth? I'm not talking about a model-car-size one, but something large enough I could roll an engine on an engine stand in to...I'm thinking an 8' cube. I'm thinking of using PVC tubing to make a frame, then using plastic sheeting over the sides for walls. I'd seal everything up with duct tape. I'd want to leave an open space for filters and an open space on the other side to draw air out using an exhaust fan (probably a class one, division one so it won't have a chance to ignite vapors). The "door" would be a side without a PVC tube on the bottom so I can roll things in and the actual entrance would just be an overlapping flap (sealed with Velcro or something similar) of two sheets of the plastic. I'd spray the walls and ground down with water to "wash down" any dust/dirt on the walls, then wait a few minutes before painting.

Thoughts? Suggesions? Has anyone tried something like this before? Potential issues I can think of are heat buildup in the room cause of the clear plastic and direct sunlight as well as easily-damagable plastic being the material for the walls.
 
Yer going overboard on the whole paint booth thing. The best,cheapest, and most practical way of painting is by putting plastic on the walls and ceilngs of your garage (possibly where one of your cars goes).

Shouldn't cost you more than $30 for the plastic. Although I will say that doing any sort of automotive painting in your garage is illegal. Of course paint shops aren't supposed to be selling car paint to the general public either but they do.

The problem you have with spots and stuff is a regular issue with painters. A paint booth wont stop this. I started off in my garage and finally got a booth and the difference is minimal. You'll still get ugly marks in the paint but thats why (after you clearcoat 3-5x coats) you can wetsand with 2000 grit and then buff the mark back to it's original shine.

Paint jobs don't just become perfect when you spray, they put a lot of time into sanding out nasty marks and buffing them again.

Still, my suggestion is just to drape some plastic in your garage while you paint. Get a mask, and paint. Try not to get too much overspray flowin around since you dont have any air circulation.

Also, Harbor Freight sells a damn good gravity feed HVLP for $35 or something. The gun is purple.
 
Qtip42: like I said before, I know how to paint. The problem is stuff getting in the paint after the fact. A bug landed in the clear last time I painted outdoors. I can sand out paint defects, but when stuff actually gets in the paint it's a lot more annoying.

Can't use the garage any more; it's basically living quarters for someone (don't ask). The whole idea behind the paint booth was to set it up outdoors, let stuff dry in it, take the stuff out and disassemble the thing for storage. Are there any glaring flaws in the plan or will it work fine?
 
Thats why you do it inside and keep the plastic down around you :D
 
I say go for it. 8'x8' sounds a little big to me (i'd personally go half that size).
i've had the same problems with bugs and such. thats the only reason for something like that.
 
Don't think the Rubbermaid deals are collapsible and they'd probably cost more than it would to build this one from scratch.
 
I like your idea. I've been having the same problem of finding a decent place to paint. Seems a little hardcore but it sounds liek you do a lot more painting than most. I'd say you frame out the top and the bottom and leave the connecting pvc pipes detachable so you can put the whole deal flat up against a wall or something.
 
screen tent = airflow = bad = dust flying onto paint job


All you would want is an exhaust fan, like he said.
 
Airflow = good :tard:

filtered airflow that is........you dont want overspray sitting in the air landing on your work.
 
airflow = bad.... I dont know what the hell your talking about, but I wouldnt want a gust of wind blowing sand allover my freshly painted computer case/car/dvd drive/whatever.
 
Have you ever had a paint booth? Airflow = good. We're not talking gusts of air.........you need air circulation.
 
Ive painted in them before, Ive never owned one.

I was talking about gusts of air... and refering to the idea of the entire thing being made out of a screen material. It would be a horrible idea, and would do nothing but keep the bugs out.
 
Tengis said:
and would do nothing but keep the bugs out.
Click to expand...

Which is what he was wanting in the first place...would also keep out significant amounts of dust. (but by no means all dust)

He HAS to do it outside...at least that was what he said. I didn't say it was a great idea, but is better than doing it outside in the open.
 
[H]emi, your plan sounds pretty good. No glaring flaws that I can see

However, if you were planning on using clear plastic sheets, consider switching to white. It would probably help keep the heat down inside, if that's a concern of yours.
 
waddles: good idea. I was just thinking of the ubiquitous clear plastic stuff, but white plastic would probably work better.
 
[H]EMI_426 said:
waddles: good idea. I was just thinking of the ubiquitous clear plastic stuff, but white plastic would probably work better.
Click to expand...

... but with black it could also be a curing oven :)

For convenience, I'd go with a tent - regular nylon type of tent with the built in floor. Cover window/openings with plastic - duct tape it down. Cover the door with heavy plastic that you can overlap to form a rough seal. Air circulation can then be your friend - if you can get an air source that can blow enough FILTERED air into the tent to produce a positive air pressure inside the tent, the nylon in the tent should "breath" enough to let excess air out, thus keeping unwanted particles out side.

Just a thought.
 
if your really into this then make it out of wood with flourescent lights in the top and sides and a filter in the front and the back with the exhaust going in the front. just like a real paint booth lol.
 
Tunabow said:
if your really into this then make it out of wood with flourescent lights in the top and sides and a filter in the front and the back with the exhaust going in the front. just like a real paint booth lol.
Click to expand...

I think the idea is that it would be able to fold up and be put away.

If you decide to do this, post pics, I'd like to see a completed project. :)
 
Yeah, if I build one I'll document the costs and how the damned thing actually works when it's done. I'll post pics. :)
 
you could still take it apart if its made out of wood or something it woulld just take more time.
 
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