Topic: booth built... need filters for the outlets

[superchode]

so i threw together a paint booth yesterday: http://www.3cpu.org/gallery/750_repair/booth.jpg

i'm going to toss some hepa rated filters (furnace type filters) for the air intake to keep the dust out - but i need something less dense to pick up the paint as the air gets pulled out the outlet fans.  the furnace filters would get clogged very quickly.

does anyone have experience with this? is there something i could get off the shelf at a hardware store that would perform well in this application? definately don't want to be spewing paint into the shop - but i also want to use something generic and fairly cheap so i can get started tonight and get extra so i can swap out spent filter material as required.

[dusterdude]

not sure exactly,but go to an auto paint supplier,they will hook you up.

[theunrulychef]

We've got furnace filters for our inlets as well, but we exhaust straight outside.  Do you have the space to connect a duct from the exhaust out a window or door?

[superchode]

no, don't have a good way to duct straight outside... plus i don't want to get paint in my fans.

paint booth supply stores online list fiberglass filters for the outlets - i was hoping to find a similar generic material that i could pick up on the way home from work tonight at a hardware store... not sure if i can get to a paint supply store after work or not.

[Hondell]

Get the cheaper $1.00 furnace filters for the outlets. They have less filtering effect then the hepa type but still catch the paint. That's what I use on mine

[superchode]

alright, settled. hopefully they have ones large enough to cover most of the surface area of the floor fans i'm using. if i can get close i'll just tape off the rest.

thanks.

[howardstapley]

1/2 inch carpet padding for your outlets. ZERO paint will get through it, you can cut it to fit your duct size and it’s the easiest, cheapest and most available choice.

[superchode]

hrm. interesting.

how badly would it restrict air flow across the fan?

[Bodi]

I've used paint collecting filters that are pretty much expanded paper, hard to describe but effectively a 2" or so thick matt of paper strips that trap anything wet but pass airflow easily. We got them from a paint supply house, it came in large batts.

[howardstapley]

hrm. interesting.

how badly would it restrict air flow across the fan?

I guess that would depend on the strength of the fans. I made a paint booth not much bigger than a shower stall (and looked like one too). I was using a combination of plywood around the base and clear plastic tarp around the top. I used an air pusher (like a shop or furnace fan) to suck air out and just drilled holes in the plywood to let air in. For both the exhaust and inlets I used 1/2 inch think carpet padding and never had a problem.