How to Heat a Paint Booth
Maintaining control over the temperature of your paint booth is vital. Not only does keeping your paint booth at just the right temperature help boost your productivity, but it also makes it easier to get the results you want.
If your paint booth isn't equipped with some sort of heating system, you'll need to invest in some quality paint booth heaters to maintain the temperature in your booth. But what exactly should you buy to heat your paint booth, and at what temperature should you keep your paint booth to achieve the best results?
What paint booth temperature is best?
A paint booth should be kept at at least 55 degrees for optimal results, but coatings will cure faster in warmer temperatures.
Automotive refinish companies use the same rule across the board to measure how long it will take to cure a coating. For every 15 degrees above 70 degrees, your coating will cure twice as fast. For example, if you have a coating that takes an hour to cure at 70 degrees, you could cure it in 30 minutes if you were to raise the booth temperature to 85 degrees. Check with your paint manufacturer to get the most precise temperature estimate.
This is a good thing to keep in mind when deciding how to heat your paint booth. Raising the temperature to a certain point can do wonders for your productivity and efficiency.
So, how do you heat a paint booth?
Only use an authorized paint booth heating system to control the temperature in your booth. Systems like the Bananza SPRAY-CURE™ B-Series Direct-Fired Make-up Air System are specifically designed to heat paint booths and effectively distribute clean, heated airflow throughout the entire booth. You should never use other heating systems like space heaters or kerosene furnaces as these are not allowed by code (check your local codes) and more likely to cause a fire.
Of course, there are many paint booths that already have heating systems built right in, like the Col-Met Semi-Downdraft Paint Booth with Air Make-Up & Cure Cycle. Buying a heated paint booth is your best bet for safe and effective temperature control.
Since you're constantly spraying hazardous fumes, it's important to make sure your paint booth has a quality exhaust system installed. The downside of exhaust systems is that they can cause some of the heat in your paint booth to escape.
Paint booth precautions
There are some important things to keep in mind when heating a paint booth:
Fumes - Fumes are a very real threat and something to always keep top of mind. You don't want your booth to be set at such a high temperature that it causes paint fumes to ignite. The best way to prevent this from happening is to make sure you use a quality exhaust system to filter out any fumes. Again, never spray paint near an open flame -- doing so is a recipe for a fire.
Paint quality - You also don't want to raise the temperature so much that it compromises the finish quality. Follow the recommendations set forth by your paint manufacturer to determine the best temperature for painting. You can also invest in quality infrared heat lamps to cure painted parts and vehicles outside of your paint booth if you're worried about your booth's temperature affecting the quality of your finishes.
Air leaks - An air leak in your paint booth can be debilitating for a number of reasons. For starters, air leaks cause precious heat to escape from the booth, meaning all your efforts to control the paint booth temperature are for naught. Secondly, an air leak makes it all too easy for outside contaminants to infiltrate your booth. For both these reasons, air leaks can compromise the quality of your finishes. If you notice a leak in your booth, take prompt action to seal it.
A note about infrared lamps
If your primary concern is the quality of your finishes, infrared lamps are a good option for you. These heat lamps can be placed inside your spray booth to aid in the curing process and ensure you achieve beautiful, high-quality finishes time and time again. You can even purchase spraybooths that are already equipped with this technology, like the Col-Met Infra-Cure Semi-Downdraft Paint Booth.
However, keep in mind that infrared lamps do not actually heat the paint booth. Rather, they directly heat the vehicle or parts in the booth to accelerate curing. If you're looking to actually heat your paint booth as a whole, you're better off purchasing a separate paint booth heating system.
Next Steps
Heating a paint booth doesn't have to be a difficult process if you invest in the proper equipment. Buying a reputable paint booth heating system, or better yet, a heated paint booth, will ensure you always get the high-quality results you want. Always make sure to keep up with regular cleaning and maintenance to keep your paint booth and its heating system working properly.
Looking to enhance the power of your booth? Check out our collection of paint booth accessories. We sell everything from organizational gear to cleaning products to keep your booth running safely and efficiently.
