If you’re looking for an additional paint booth, a replacement for an old one, or your very first booth, preparation is key. Even seasoned shop owners have to prepare for a paint booth installation, including setting a budget, putting together timelines, organizing the construction, and more. The Accudraft team has put together a complete guide to help shop owners navigate purchasing a new booth and everything they should expect during installation and construction.
Before you can even think about purchasing or installing a paint booth, you must choose the right one.
After the size and placement of the booth is determined, it’s time to consider what you need the booth to do. While it may seem simple, “I need my booth to paint cars,” every shop has different needs. For example, one shop may need an extra booth just for prepping or curing cars while another may need a fully-functioning, high performing booth to do it all. It’s also important to think about your shop layout and production flow. How will your vehicles get from one step to another?
Lastly, dive into the details and different types of booths. Which type of airflow does your vehicle mix require? Does the booth need to be heated? Will it need to spray, flash, cure, and cool down? All of these questions will help you determine which is the right booth for your shop.
Many manufacturers, including Accudraft, sell standard models at a base price with the ability to customize it to more fit your needs at an added cost. However, a paint booth is an investment, and any shop owner should make sure they purchase the right booth the first time. Otherwise, they risk spending more money in a shorter time period when growth and expansion happens. While upgrades and accessories add more to the final cost, they are worth it for better performance. Common add-ons include custom sizing, lighting, air blowers, and AMUs. These upgrades are also what will set your shop ahead of your competitors.
Once you have a booth and budget in mind, it’s time to choose a manufacturer. At Accudraft, we have an entire team dedicated to working with shops. Our team will review your needs and price point to help select the right booth and set up. We understand that purchasing a paint booth is a big decision and investment for many shops, so we take the time to provide excellent service and communication with all potential clients. From there, we will get to work manufacturing your booth and scheduling the construction and installation.
One of the many benefits of working with Accudraft is that we can act as a general contractor, meaning we take care of all communication and coordination between required parties. Once the type of paint booth is determined, we will coordinate the work with our network of subcontractors, including the footprint area, pit, and concrete work. We also ensure the construction and booth is code compliant and upholds fire suppression standards.
Now it’s time for the question every owner wants to know: how long does a paint booth installation take? Typically, an install project can be done in two to four weeks if it’s only delivering and installing a booth. However, it can take up to two to three months if it’s entirely new construction (new building, expansion, or outdoor booth). Pit and concrete work can also extend the installation period.
Accudraft provides training at the time of install, including how to operate the control panel, understand and adjust different readings, and any other technical information about the booth. It’s important to make sure all your employees are at the shop this day! We also offer one-on-one training programs as well as a customer support center that is available to answer any questions post-install.
While you’ve just purchased a new paint booth, you still have to take care of your investment in order to keep it performing like its brand new. We recommend doing a check in after the booth has run for about one month to ensure everything is functioning properly. If there were any problems, such as unusual noises or malfunctions, they would present during the first few weeks of operation. Maintenance and upkeep should be performed every six months during the first year of purchase, and every year after that.
Keep in mind that filter and lightning replacements can usually be done in-house, but inspections and service calls should be done by booth technicians. Accudraft has a nationwide maintenance and emergency service team that is available to our customers all year long.
To get started with a paint booth installation, or to schedule maintenance, contact us online.
