At Accudraft Paint Booths, we sell paint booths large enough to house big boats, semi trucks, and aircraft. Still even small paint booths are not small. Our smaller booths are big enough to house a car and heavy construction equipment.
So when it comes to transporting your paint booth from one location to another, safety is a big factor. Loading it, unloading it, and getting it down the road all present certain safety hazards if you are not prepared. Here is how you can transport your new paint booth safely.
First thing you need to decide is how big of a vehicle you are going to need in order to load the paint booth. You should get all of the dimensions, weights, and sizes of the paint booth before you hire a transporter.
Your paint booth will weigh over two tons at least. You will not be able to move it using a pickup truck or an SUV. You will need a flatbed truck, a moving truck, or a heavy duty trailer.
Different companies package their paint booths differently though most will have to be assembled upon unloading. That means that you will likely be loading one huge crate or several heavyweight boxes filled with the parts to your paint booth.
Talk to your retailer. Ask them questions like:
Even if you pick up during regular hours, the loading facilities may be closed or they may only do loads at certain hours or even at a different location. You want to know exactly what you are up against and that you have the manpower and the right vehicle to get it done before you head out.
You are not a professional driver or heavy equipment transporter. That does not mean however that you are not held to those same standards when transporting heavy equipment like a paint booth.
The Department of Transportation regulates how cargo is transported across the highways through the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration). This agency sets the rules about how to secure heavy cargo in order to reduce the risk of traffic accidents during transport.
An inexperienced driver may not realize just how easy it can be to lose control when you have to make a hard stop or a sharp turn. That is why we recommend hiring a professional moving company to transport your paint booth.
If however you feel that you and your team can manage it on your own, here are some things that you need to consider:
FMCSA recommends a two-point tie down for equipment weighing less than 10K pounds. Just one paint booth typically weighs close to 5K. If you are transporting multiple paint booths or accessories to the booth in the same load, be sure to know the total weight of your cargo. It may be safer to use a four-point tie down even if you are moving less than 10K, especially if you are using your own driver and not a professional.
You’ve made it back to your garage safe and sound – huzzah! But that is only half of the battle. Now you need to unload your paint booth. At your retailer, they likely used a crane or a specialized lift to load your crates. You probably don’t have one of those on-site.
One worker can’t unload tons of equipment alone. Not even a group of workers are going to be able to unload a 5K-pound paint booth without risking serious injury. You may need to rent a lift for the day or even a crane to unload the paint booth. Whatever you do, do not try to lift it off of the truck by hand if you want to do it safely.
Call a professional. You may think that you are saving money by doing it yourself. Some companies even offer you a discount for picking up your paint booth. Sure you may save a few bucks but in the end, if you wind up causing an accident, injuring a worker on unload, or any other number of things that can go wrong, how much did your really save?
We have Accudraft distributors all over the country ready to do the job for you and do it the right way. Fill out our contact form to locate the Accudraft distributor in your area today.
