Need some more Ideas on building a Lite weight low budget paint booth. I have one I recently build for around $75 but I can always use some more Ideas.
Well,
I have 1 made of the cardboardbox my TV came in!
It is cheap, very lightweight, and it’s ventilation comes from the open window next to it. AND it is lit by my lamp, which I just pull “into” the booth top!
Very useful those TV boxes![:D]
Thanks! I have been looking at the ones used for shipments from Asia, they seem to be 3 times thicker than what we ship locally in.
Someone posted on their website how to build one using flush mounted lights, a particleboard box and a bathroom ceiling fan. I couldn’t find a raw particle board box, but I did find a 3ft x 2ft high x 1ft deep shoe holder.
I took the dividers out, and they make a handy storage space by themselves. My only thing was the fan. It sucks, or rather it doesn’t. It seems to me that you could build your box however, but that fan would be the most important part. I think Granger makes the best ones, but they are not cheap.
So I suppose, spend your money on the fan and make cheap on the rest.
I’m going to use a large $10 polypropylene storage box, combined with a blower salvaged from a old water heater and some ducting.
Thanks guys! What I am using now is some 4X8 sheet of white foam insulation for houses and a overhead stove fan w/lights, I got it from the local Rummage store and the fan and lights work and I was able to cut the foam board to any shape i needed.
I built mine from a large cardboard box. It has reinforcement from old picture framing, two pieces of plexiglass for outside lighting, and a bathroom ventilation fan for suction. That is then temporarily connected to a large flat reinforced cardboard plate which fits into my window for outside ventilation. Considering the fact that most of mine is recycled with the exception of the outside vent, I spent all of $6.00 on it.
Probuilder–
I built this beauty in two weekends using a plastic storage box and some furnace sheetmetal ducting. For the fan (since I spray acrylics exclusively) I used an inline duct fan sold by Home depot. It cranks out about 180 CFM, according to their specs. Ducting to the ouside was with a rigid dryer hose. Photos follow. All told, the cost of this project was around $60. Not bad for a couple afternoon’s work. It works like a champ and is small enough for me to put it on my modeling bench. Inexpensive spray booths are a reality.
Take a look…


Sh00ter, that looks great! Can you tell me what make/model fan you used? Thanks.
Sure thing Waikong. It’s a 6" In-line booster fan, model DB206. I bought mine online at Homedepot.com for $25 plus shipping. It moves 160CFM according to specs (and is nice and quiet). There’s a 8" model too for $10 or so more, so read the specs and choose to fit your need. Understand that the motor is exposed and is in the path of the exhaust, so spraying lacquers or enamels is probably not wise. Since I use acrylics almost exclusively, I’m not concered about any explosions. I also advise checking postings in the FSM archives that Styrene has written with more precautions and guidelines for building spraybooths.
Looks kinda nice perched on my bench, doesn’t it? Had to buy a four-drawer storage chest to put all the stuff I had to remove from my work area!
Have fun. Write me if you need any specifics to how I built it. Be glad to assist.
Shooter [8D]
He’s right that is a sweet set-up!! I just put one of those booster fans into my basement to blow air into a room I built, should of thought of it then (DUH!!)
sh00ter, thanks for the info. I’ll stop by my local Homedepot and take a look.
wow! thats agreat booth!
Oh, why do you copmplain so much? just airbrush on a table. it’ll only get paint everywhere and build up in your lungs! a short life is a small price to pay to save money. [/sarcasm]
i just ‘upgraded’ my spray booth from a card board box to a big plastic storage bin - it’s more durable and will last longer. I don’t have a vent system, but then i use acrlylic paints exclusively and i don’t really spray that much. so it’s all good.
Here’s Mine, i have shown it before, but if anyone wants plans, I can send them to you no charge.


When I remade my bench (kids!!!pffft[;)]) I decided to incorporate the spray booth also.
Makes a nice tidy little package, and where ever I go, modelling is always an option.

Closed up

The booth is on the right, and a small length of hose plumbs right to the window.
I use 2 computer fans for extraction, moving around 170 cfm, almost a wind tunnel.
Doubles as a dust free drying booth also when using Alclad or enamels etc.