More Than a Metal Box: Today's Spraybooths have Evolved into More than Simple Square Boxes Washington DC

Because all the high-tech options can be hard to choose from, it's important to know which ones best suit your shop and your budget. If you spend wisely now, you can avoid paying dearly - in redos and unexpected bills - later.

By Mark Clark
7/1/2000

One accurate description of an automotive spraybooth is "fire-proof box." In fact, the original impetus for vehicle spraybooths - outside of manufacturing - was fire containment. It turned out that once the enclosure was tight enough to contain a blaze, it was also tight enough to prevent the shop filler dust and gravel from sticking to the car. Tightly woven intake filters that would screen out the dirt but still allow for the passage of plenty of air were a logical next step in spraybooth evolution. Overspray traps on the downstream airflow were necessary to keep the sticky overspray from clinging to cars, cats and dogs a block away. In addition, issues like lighting, insulation, air replacement, force cure and air direction all evolved to answer the need of actual spraybooth users.

As we enter the new millennium, automotive spraybooths have never been better.

Fire!
A word about the fire issue. By definition, the local fire inspector is responsible for keeping his community safe from fires. All those petroleum solvents in automotive paints burn quite well, so the fire department has determined that a body shop is more likely to catch fire than any other automotive-service business. Believe me, they're...