Paint booth ideas

[redgum78]

Hey guys,
Has anyone made or used a temporary paint booth? I am looking for ideas as I get closer to painting my Challenger.

I have plenty of room inside my shed to set something up but I don't want to make it permanent.

I was thinking something like a portable carport or gazebo and rig up a ventilation system. Something that I can set up fairly quick when I have a few panels or a vehicle to paint but can be taken down and packed away when not needed.

Any ideas or pictures out there?

Thanks

Dan

[Shane Kelley]

Don't have any pictures. But years ago I built a 2x4 frame and stapled 4mm clear plastic to the inside. Used a cheap screen door to go in and out. I put furnace filters up high on one end and exhaust fan down low on the other. I framed a 8' long tunnel from the booth to the exhaust fan so the fan wasn't right there where your painting. Hang cheap shop lights from the outside.  Worked pretty good. I just stapled and sealed the big entrance once the car was in place. The finish was really clean and looked nice.  You just need some good exhaust and lighting. 

[340challconvert]

Don't have any pictures. But years ago I built a 2x4 frame and stapled 4mm clear plastic to the inside. Used a cheap screen door to go in and out. I put furnace filters up high on one end and exhaust fan down low on the other. I framed a 8' long tunnel from the booth to the exhaust fan so the fan wasn't right there where your painting. Hang cheap shop lights from the outside.  Worked pretty good. I just stapled and sealed the big entrance once the car was in place. The finish was really clean and looked nice.  You just need some good exhaust and lighting.

I have heard of people doing this successfully.  Even using plastic sheets in a garage and of course the ventilation and lighting.  With the cost of painting your car commercially it could be worth trying to do it your self.  You also need the equipment (compressor, filters guns, etc)  I would love to try  painting my own car. 
It could also be possible to rent a paint booth from a commercial painter maybe on a Sunday, when the shop is closed to do the job. 
Just some thoughts!

[Cuda Cody]

I don't have any photos, but I've some some nice cars painted in makeshift paint booths.   

[HP_Cuda]

You should see the restrictions on paint booths here in Calif.

They recently just changed their regs and a bunch of guys are trying to sell their old booths now to suckers I guess.

[Cudakiller70]

Saved this a few years ago, see if it might work for you.
http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/720.cfm
Page 1 of 2 site has some pictures that I didn't copy over.

HOW TO
How to Build a Home Paint Booth
Working full time in the high tech industry, Bill McKenna has been restoring cars since around 1992. To read more about his restoration efforts, check out his website at www.mckennasgarage.com

Building a paint booth was fairly quick and easy after doing all the work getting to the point to need to build a paint booth. I put about 10 hours total in the booth and it should save me at least 20 hours in sanding dust out of the clear coat.

pvc pipe frame



I looked around on the net and found a couple of examples of home made paint booths. From these, I came up with a plan. I went for 1 inch PVC pipe as a frame. PVC is dirt cheap in 20 foot lengths. I spent about $50 for nine 20 foot sections and all the fittings. I didn't even bother gluing the pipe together. After I'm done with the booth I can take it apart and store it under the house for future use.

Hooks in ceiling to stabilize frame

One inch PVC is pretty flexible so I put some hooks up and tied the tubing up to prevent sags, The hooks keep the booth from moving around. I plan on using 1 mil plastic drop cloths for covering in most places. I found 10x20 foot sheets at my local hardware store for about $1.50 each. The booth is about 19'x15'x8' So two sheets on top, and one on each side will do the trick ($6.00). I am using some 6 mil clear plastic construction plastic I had laying around for the front and back. I will have a number of fans mounted in the front and rear of the booth to get air flow, so want to make sure that these areas are more robust.

frame almost completed

Almost done with the frame now, Just need to add a center beam down the middle of the booth to keep the plastic sheet from sagging. Installing the plastic sheeting on the top is a little tricky; just takes some time and trial and error. I built the booth so that I can close the garage doors, I need to be able to close the door to prevent the wind from damaging the plastic and blowing dust into the booth through the fans. Before building started, I took everything out of the area and pressure washed the floor to get as much dirt and dust out as possible. I'll mop the floor after the booth is done to get the remaining dust knocked down. For mopping I'll use a fairly soapy solution and wet mop. the soap will catch any dust on the floor and hopefully keep it locked down.

rocker guard

Shot the rocker guard, for the second time, on the wheel wells and washed the entire car with a soapy water mix, as recommended by PPG. After washing the car I covered it with a sheet of plastic to keep any dust/oil/dirt off the cleaned surfaces. When the booth is complete I'll just need to remove the plastic and final wipe with grease and wax remover.

car washed and under cover

After the frame was up, I used duct tape to hold up the plastic sheeting. The top is two 10 x 20 foot sheets of 1 mil. drop cloth plastic. I have a make shift fan support system in the back. My local paint jobber had inexpensive intake dust filters $5 each. Out output Foam arresters for $4.

fans mounted with filters



The fans/filters and rear wall are in now. I found these box fans at my local Target store for $11 each. I'm running positive pressure in the booth and sucking all air in through the dust filters on the back of these fans. With the three fans running full blast I get a pretty good breeze in the booth.

1 2

[RUNCHARGER]

I would do it Shane Kelly's way. I've thought about doing it that way a few times. I generally rent a booth but it isn't convenient for all the primering and small parts that have to be done.

[moparcar]

I live in a subdivision that possibly could complain about the fumes. Anyone creat a water scrubber or other method to kill the fumes? I've seen some vague references to a water mist or water fall or even a draw through a water basin to kill the fumes. (Think smokers water pipe for no better pictorial). Ideas?

[rhamson]

I have made temporary paint booths through out the years from 1x3 and plastic sheet at least 4 mil thick. I have a twin fan set up with filters to exhaust the fumes. I have painted three cars this way without the room and expense of a proper spray booth. If I were to do this as a profession I would invest in the booth.

[RUNCHARGER]

I live in subdivisions as well and I pushed it for awhile but I won't paint at home anymore. I shot a little primer on my Road Runner about ten years ago and the neighbor was on my case, really I knew he was right. I rent a booth at best or talk a friend into using their shop in the bush these days.

[rhamson]

I live in subdivisions as well and I pushed it for awhile but I won't paint at home anymore. I shot a little primer on my Road Runner about ten years ago and the neighbor was on my case, really I knew he was right. I rent a booth at best or talk a friend into using their shop in the bush these days.

My shop is in the country smack in the middle of 200+ acres of soy bean.

[moparcar]

What do commercial booths use to kill the fumes? Most commercial shops are located next to other businesses that would not like the fumes as well. Do they use charcoal filters or other methods to eliminate the fumes? Obviously they just exhaust to the open air after the filters.

[1 Wild R/T]

Funny thing, a buddy of mine has painted 5-6 cars in his side yard, the one neighbor (who was always causing trouble anyway)  complained & called the cops.. The cops said as long as it was his car it was completely legal & there was nothing they could/would do about it....  Guy called the Fire Dept & they rolled up in their truck, basically told the neighbor the same thing.. Then spent thirty-forty minutes checking out Steve's Roadrunner....

Oh, this is California..... Not quite what I expected by 

[RUNCHARGER]

Hmm: Maybe I'll move down there. Although I hear they want to outlaw gas powered cars...

[redgum78]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. I have compressor, guns etc plus I will be utilizing this for other projects and little jobs so I would rather not have to hire or borrow a booth each time. I am on a farm in Australia so no issue's with with fumes and neighbors which makes life easy. I am seriously looking into modifying a garden gazebo or temporary carport, mainly because they are not much more to buy than the material to construct a home made one. Plus it will easily pack up again when not in use.

If it works ok I'll post up some pics. If it fails I'll still post some pics so you can all have a laugh