Spray Booth Key Terms

Gain knowledge about spray booths and how they operate

By Sherry Grant

Spray booths are encased areas used to spray paint truck parts, automobiles and other industrial goods. The booths repress solvent fumes and over-sprayed paint. They also diminish dust and other particles harmful to the operator as well as to the painted product. Spray booths are equipped with ventilation systems to speed drying time and maintain the maximum amount of airflow within the booth.
There's a variety of spray booth types and supplies needed to operate the spray booth efficiently and safely. You can choose from a down-draft spray booth or a more economical cross-flow spray booth. Some spray booths are custom-made according to the needs of the business. They also come with additional work areas such as drying and mixing rooms. In addition, you will need materials such as filters, floor mats and wall coatings to work securely in your spray booth.

Cross-flow spray booth

Cross-flow spray booths draw clean air in from filters in the doors of the booth and force it up through a filter system on the opposite side. They are economical and provide a well-ventilated work area.
Try: Spray Systems provides a visual of a cross-flow spray booth as well as an understandable description. It also sells many different types of spray booths for various uses.

Down-draft spray booth

Down-draft spray booths pull air in through the filters in the ceiling of the booth and draw it downward into a filtered grate in the booth's floor. Down-draft spray booths are more expensive than the standard cross-flow spray booth and are known for their high quality.
Try: Future Cure Spray Booths gives you a short lesson in spray booth design and features. It also provides visuals and descriptions of the different categories of down-draft spray booths available.

Mix rooms

Mix rooms are used for mixing paint, chemicals and other liquid applications. Paint-mixing rooms are designed to provide a well-lit, clean and ventilated work area for mixing these applications. These units are also designed to help eliminate contaminated shop air from interfering with the mixing process.
Try: Nova Verta provides a full visual of a mixing room and a detailed description of its construction and use. Nova Verta's website offers a wealth of information about spray booths and an abundance of photos for viewing.

Exhaust chambers

Exhaust chambers are designed to maintain uniform air flow throughout the compartment space as well as remove the excess dust and paint from the work area.
Try: View Finish Pro Spray Booths for a description of an exhaust chamber, along with product details and an image of an exhaust chamber that can be enlarged.

Filters

Paint spray booth filters are used for separating and removing dust, particles and moisture from the air.
Try: Air Flow Technology gives you a visual and a description of down draft, cross draft and paint overspray filters. Hess provides an interactive image of how a filter works as well as a description of paint spray booth filters. Click on products for the description.

Wall coatings

A wall coating for a spray booth is a water-based, temporary barrier coating used to prevent the paint overspray from contacting the interior surfaces of paint spray booths. The coating can be clear or pigmented.
Try: Emco gives a detailed depiction of wall coatings for spray booths as well as information on other types of products used in the industry.