DIY paint booth fan question

OK - since I don't know what you have for a working environment I'll keep this very generic as far as the safety portion of a paint booth..

(1)Your first concern is your own protection and your family's safety. Ask yourself; "how much am I worth?" Am I worth cost of an air supplied paint mask/hood or a charcoal respirator, clean suit, latex gloves, etc. ? It's your call. This is pure common sense.

(1b)How can I keep my family safe from harmful fumes? If you have a detached work space then it's simple, seal it up as best you can.. If you are painting in an attached garage you need to seal every nook and cranny. If you smell paint inside the house you have a problem. If you smell paint outside the house you have a problem. How you chose to do that is up to you.

(1c) Lighting- sealed lighting is a must. if fumes can get to the electrical source you have a bomb in the making. This goes for electrical outlets as well.

(1d) Fire safety - not everyone can afford a commercial sprinkler system or a Halon unit. Keep a good size (up to date) ABC fire extinguisher handy and pray you don't have a fire.


Your second concern is ventilation and VOC recovery. You need filtered airflow going in and going out. The CFM and airspeed will need some tuning to get it right. Baffling the fan units by whatever method is up to you. (cardboard and duct tape will work in a pinch)

VOC recovery is simple; divert the filtered exhaust air into a shallow container of salt water. That will neutralize any nasty airborne chemicals. Some 4 mil plastic sheeting, a little wood framework and some duct tape will get you where you need to go. There are more permanent solutions should you chose to get creative.


If you're looking for a more definitive answers (suggestions) you had better PM me. Google is a wonderful tool as well.
me my self got two 20x21x10 carport shelters bolted end to end with roll up door on one end and wall on other, both sides open, dirt floor same as most my toys, its a work in progress hoping to pore a floor and add walls maybe one day,..maybe not breeze feels good! id never paint in house garage i wont even paint model cars in house!! my son has asthma and fumes of any kind mess him up!! all ill ever may paint be my own 3 cars and maybe a tube race car chassis or 3. probably stick to centarie enamel as thats all i know how to work with besides roller rustolum and rattle cans! would like to paint my peterbilt one day as well but its emron from factory and i know thats some bad fumes to mess with so ill ether end up farming that job out or itll be enamel to but itll never fit under my shed so itll be a driveway deal if it happens here. thanks for the wisdom shared its exactly what i was asking for!