How to build a removable spray booth for your garage

Building a cheap simple spray booth for you garage that can be removed and stored away when not in use.

[@zrxdoug]

Too late to help you, unfortunately..but here's a really quick and easy way to hang tarps. Use 1" PVC pipe for your hem. Just cut a slit the full length of your PVC, cut the pipe to the desired length, and slide the edge of your tarp into the slit. Once the tarp is positioned in the pipe to your satisfaction, run a wood screw through the pipe so it pulls the slit closed, clamping the tarp. A screw every couple feet or so is sufficient. By doing this, you add a solid straight PVC edge to your tarp that is much easier to hang, and gives you something to wrap your tarp around when it isn't in use. Do the same on the bottom edges an inch or so above the floor and the weight of the lower PVC "hem" will keep your wall panels straight and stop 'em from blowing around. Drill a 3/8" hole every five feet or so for hanging..add wood screws at matching intervals on the wall, and just hang the pipe/tarp on the protruding screws. I came up with this method so I could anchor the tarp on my utility trailer without the high stress and tearing out of grommets. You just need a table saw or a steady hand with an angle grinder to slit the tubing, the rest is easy-peasy.

[@joepacheco4038]

Great idea have to remember that one

[@lawncuttingplusdelta]

All good ideas …..but keep in mind , Fitzee is about set up , take down ….. clean is key ….. space is always king …… if u have a big barn ….. put car in the middle ….. dust around edges is irrelevant ….. wet the floor and go ….

[@zrxdoug]

@@lawncuttingplusdelta The PVC setup IS easier to set up, take down, and store. 😂 That would be why I shared the info..

[@ZEUS-eg8jw]

😎 ...!!

[@jgutie4377]

Make a video showing, at slide show of pictures atleast

[@timlowery7156]

You are a master at the finger point in the camera lens, with accuracy no less! Most folks struggle to get the relationship right.

[@jtuck6065]

Thanks for walking us through this! I’ve been tossing around what I wanted to do for my own garage as I’m hoping to paint my truck in my garage this year. Will be my first time painting a full vehicle.

[@rickdarr5323]

I will be doing the same. Good luck!

[@daveyelmer3222]

Bugs killed my garage job. I just wiped the bugs and wet paint off with reducer, and took it to a pro paint booth.... (lot of tiny bugs, no, I did not want to sand it all out)

[@richball9576]

That's a very smart way to go about setting up an inexpensive paint booth! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!

[@Jakeeddie32]

I did one similar. Worked great. I would recommend blowing air in with a filter to catch bugs and dirt. The positive pressure will keep dirt from sucking in through the cracks. Love the channel.

[@Joe.Doucette]

I agree with you about the positive pressure being good. It will also stop the tarps from being sucked inward.

[@bartsarton2212]

I don't know how the air pressure in a spray booth is supposed to work, but I was thinking along the same lines as you; blow filtered fresh air in to pressurize the space instead of sucking the air out for the reason you mentioned.

[@deankay4434]

I believe you folks are on the right track, as the fan say is rated at 900 cubic feet per minute. The filter material is rated, sized and attached to door is 900 cubic feet per minute, then adding 100/150 cubic feet per minute into the booth with filtered air should keep it inflated. Or rent a children’s “Bouncy House” for the weekend and re-purpose the fan! Honestly, I think a window fan or two on high should inflate the room with all else being equal!

[@FieroDoug2010]

Check out Ronald Finger’s KZbin regarding his rebuild of a Pontiac Fiero…great demonstration of positive and negative air flow. Great young man working through the process.

[@Joe.Doucette]

I agree. That young man has done a great deal of learning through trial, error and research.

[@JeffreyRJones]

Your videos are fabulous and informative! Your teaching finesse is spot on and enthralling. I've always wanted to do what you do, but I took a different career path. Now, I'm retired, but I live vicariously through your videos. Thank you for that.

[@royosborn7869]

Your timing and presentation are impeccable as always. I have been doing a bit of research on DIY booths - thanks for the ideas.

[@whitetrashgarage8110]

I do something similar. I tarp all 4 walls like this. I open the garage door enough to fit a row of filters at the bottom, and the opposite end I build a simple wall with 3 box fans mounted up high near the ceiling, blowing air in to the booth through more filters. I set them on low so there isn't much velocity, I use 3 for the volume of air. Being up high they suck in less dust off the floor. A positive pressure booth like this will blow dust out of any cracks, a negative booth sucks any dust in with the air through the cracks... Also, even though it is a low risk, most fans aren't explosion proof and you never know if a spark will ignite the vapours. It has apparently happened. A positive pressure booth keeps the fans out of the vapour. Done a few different boots now, and this is my favorite way to do it.

[@BrucePierson]

I had something like this in mind for when I do my booth.

[@rickdarr5323]

How about filters in front of the fans? I'm in the dark... will be painting mine in the spring... my fan might be too powerful and not liking the idea of vapor and electric... filter might help... I don't know just a thought.

[@whitetrashgarage8110]

@@rickdarr5323 You're still creating a negative booth if you're using the fan to suck out instead of push in. Pushing air in with a fan through filters eliminates your concerns... My first booth set up was with the fans sucking the air out and they are covered in paint.

[@rickdarr5323]

@@whitetrashgarage8110 yes, I am using the fan to blow out and will be using filters in a window for air intake.

[@rickdarr5323]

@@whitetrashgarage8110 BTW, gonna check out your page.. lol

[@Papawcanner]

I built my booth with eyebolts , free half inch conduit and a pusher box fan in a window . Free stuff leads to innovation . Great video

[@robertsomerville320]

Awesome Fitzee, another great inexpensive build idea! It's great watching you go through the process of making things, as you are a master of teaching and using old school methods. I can't wait until the snow melts so I can get out and work on my projects. Keep up the tremendous content, and God bless you. Rob from Winnipeg

[@Ed70Nova427]

Good stuff Fritzee! I did the same basic thing in an old pole barn behind a house I was renting when I was younger. The differences were, I used a square home stye box fan to blow air into the booth, so it was pressurized and would blow dirt and dust to the outside through any leaks in the booth. I duct taped home heating filters to both sides of the fan and duct taped that to the plastic wall and then cut the face out. I also laid a plastic sheet on the floor before I rolled the car in. It worked good because the walls would puff outward and gave me a little extra room inside the booth, instead of it sucking the plastic inward. I'm in California so I painted at night so my neighbors wouldn't smell the paint or know what I was doing and report me. I did it with the garage door open (mine slid from left to right, not a rollup) with a single vent at the top of the plastic wall (just an "L" slot) cut into the plastic and I cut it a little larger as the painting started. The vent at the top and the fan at the bottom, all in the garage door wall and the fan blowing at the taped off grill area of the car. I only found two dust spec's in the clear coat and was easy to buff out. EDIT: My booth was not reusable. All the plastic edges were spray glued and duct taped. I stapled through small squares of cardboard, through the plastic and into wood in some areas and taped and glued to PVC pipe in other areas.

[@davidzarr1832]

Excellent...I've used something like this many years ago...it worked perfect for me. Saves spending tons of money on a permanent booth.

[@hansh5140]

thanks for the trip down memory lane, 40yrs ago, i basically had your set up too, only i had to use vapor barrier as my walls, and the entry door went up to the ceiling with hinges, so that when not in use i folded the door up and held it against the ceiling with turn blocks. As far as the ventilation, i'd mounted a furnace blower in the attic which hooked into a plenum which i had made against the ceiling (2ft x 6") with vent openings on the sides, so that the air came in from the eaves, went through a furnace filter then into the plenum, which gave me a "down draft booth". The exhaust part of the booth was a wooden frame like your entry door but fit into the opening created by opening the large door and dropping it down onto the filter frame, allowing the over spray to get knocked down fairly quick and going out to the filters along the floor. The only advice i would give would be to mist your floor before you paint, you'd be amazed how much "floating dust" gets around once you start to paint. I tried plastic on the floor but (i used enamel paint in those days) the floor would get real sticky after a while from the over spray coming down from painting and i would be dragging the plastic around with my sticky shoes. lol Great work and love your videos!

[@steveyackel4637]

The most informative channel I watch

[@OldJoe212]

The LED lights you put up not only give you plenty of light but also they're cool enough to not burn holes in your tarps. Lotta good ideas.

[@billlawson4825]

For future reference, when installing the eyelets, have your 1x4 on the bench and mark and install hooks at the same time. Saves on ladder time. Screw the 1x4 up and done. Would a stick with a nail in the end bent over to hook into the eyelets for the putting up and taking down speed things up? I'm old, fat and lazy so I look for the easiest way to do things the best.

[@jacklioyd8571]

Just like the last one, I have learned from each one you have done. Thank You, Fitzee. Jack.

[@itsalldoable]

Great detailed video. I will share this with my mate who is looking for ideas for building a booth. Kind regards Paul 🇬🇧

[@LetGaiaLive]

Really good video Tony. Excellent use of simple items to create something so useful! 👍

[@sterlingmyers560]

looks great Fitzee,, that white reflects the light well also

[@joepacheco4038]

Did a similar construction in my garage when I painted my car. I opened garage door about 12" put filters across bottom sealed top opening with plastic. Did the hook trick to ceiling all around. Opened windows on opposite end put in filters. Did the wet floor and ran a ground wire to chassis. Like you said have to spend a day preparing the paint booth. Then again I painted my VW in driveway only had one bug land on wet paint lol. As far as the 3ft between eyelets you got to remember orientals are short and have smaller feet, thus measurement will be off. Grt video Tony

[@dennyperdue1608]

Glad you made this video. This is what I'm planning on doing. Been wondering about tarps..all dark colors. I'm looking into white now because I have lighting issues too.

[@fonhollohan2908]

Nice Job on the Spray booth Fitz simple and straight forward good job on the door installing the filter system. Nothing wrong with that booth should serve you well.

[@michaelvandenhoy1021]

This is a good idea. In both of my shops I built a spray booth using 2 by 4s with lighting outside the booths and I used to use a furnace blower for exhaust fan, but now I use an explosion proof fan. But I have a 40 by 30 garage and a 60 by 60 garage. But you have a really good Idea. Really appreciate your videos.

[@lawncuttingplusdelta]

U had me at “ taught” Fitzee !!! Your friend paul from delta bc Canada 🇨🇦….. I did something similar a few years ago , looking forward to the end result , I ll stick around !!😎

[@nearpar]

Good job on the spray booth Fitzee, I have been wanting to build one for my garage as well. I think I will adopt some of your ideas as well into mine.

[@Mynextproject_74]

I built a very similar thing in my garage! I really like your filtered door idea. That would make a real nice improvement to mine!

[@miceinoz1181]

Fitzee, a lighting suggestion to improve the paint booth lighting would be to drill a small hole near the edge of your light shade and tie it to a hook in the ceiling (very little load so the ceiling wood should handle this easily). This will allow you to angle your lights in toward the spray area. Professional booths have lights along the ceiling angled in 45 degrees for this purpose. Easily undone when the walls come down.

[@ftcdesignsart]

Very cool to see the process from beginning to end. I'm glad that your channel just happened to pop up this morning. Thanks for sharing. Liked and subscribed now. 😎👍

[@fitzeesfabrications]

Welcome aboard

[@edmondpower5722]

Great job in the end, I'm sure the paint finish will every bit as good as would be in a commercial booth.

[@psteele9000]

I’ve been following your work kind air, thanks for the tips. I’ve bought the welder and working to teach myself and my 14yo son to fix up a Subaru Impreza track car for his 16th. We are doing everything ourselves so he will wind up learning a few trades on the side …. Thanks again!

[@annettesurfer]

I did that to my garage a few years back and found the only chance I had to keep dust out of the paint was to ensure more fresh filtered air went in than was exhausted. (positive pressure) I built a box around the window so I could mount an old furnace motor for the intake and cut several rectangular screened & filtered exhaust holes as low as I could go opposite the squirrel cage intake. A bit extreme but worked quite well for a while. I still remember my favorite, a large screen house I bought on sale at Sears for less than $200 where I painted several Honda Preludes before a storm eventually destroyed it.

Perfect, exactly what I need right now! Thank you.

[@buannajim8091]

You never fail to educate and entertain, Tony. Great job and thanks for the tips, as always!

[@franstolsma554]

Hi Toni, You took your time to explain how to construct a booth. You also handy with wood as you are with sheet metal. Looks great and easy peasy. Thanks again for this nice vid. The lock on the door is really high tec 😎

[@jimwhalen6769]

I painted my Jeep in my garage without any type of protection and got paint all over everything! I did not realize how far that stuff can travel! I ruined my wife’s bicycle and had to buy her a new one! My Camaro project, I will do this to protect everything else in my garage! Thanks for the detailed walk through!

[@mickfromyorkshire]

This is brilliant ! I will copy most of this but my door frame will be much deeper then it will double up as a storage box. The tips are always good 👍

[@scottchastain1382]

On my outside vent. I use a garden hose and hang it above my vent. I set it with a light spray. That way it forces the paint to to the ground and not on my neighbors house. Like your booth. Will use some of it in my shop.

[@geralddavis9315]

I was thinking about building a spray booth similar to yours, but I ran across a portable garage on Craigslist for $100. It has a 2 inch thinwall pipe frame and fittings to hold the pipes together. When it's setup it's 12 feet wide and 20 feet long and the top is about 10 feet high in the middle. It has heavy white material to cover it similar to the material in your tarps. I built a door frame and framed an opening in the opposite end to install a filtered air intake. Fits inside my shop and its easy to diisassemble and store when not in use.. Not sure what a new one costs but I know I couldn't come close to building it for $100. Plus the canvas covers the sides and the top and both ends.

[@garyruark9506]

Great job. You may want to add a 2nd fan near floor level. I used plastic tarps too at first but later changed to medium heavy cloth because it hangs better and absorbs overspray well. Overspray kind of bounces off plastic tarps and can brush off onto you and objects. I like the door a lot. I built a spacer under garage door and put filters and fan in it. But then door was open at top so I had to tarp over that area.

[@jorgefernandez-mv8hu]

That is so simple it's brilliant. Very well thought out. I like it. Nice job.

[@EconoboxGarage]

Perfect timing!! I'm just about to the stage where I will need to do something very similar for my Bugeye Sprite project. I don't have a solid ceiling so I'll have to figure out how to adapt this method accordingly. Thank you!!

[@BrucePierson]

Your temporary spray booth worked out well for your needs. We also have those cheap junk tarps here in Australia, but they are mostly blue and not white. They serve the purpose, but they're over-priced for what they are. I haven't set up my booth yet, because I have to extend my shed first, but I'm planning a positive pressure booth instead of a negative pressure booth.

[@janq-h8139]

Thanks a lot, I was planing on doing the same, tarpoulins and all. But the best info was the one on painting without heating, I was wondering how to fix heating. Now I dont have to wait til late spring to paint my project. Regards from🇳🇴

[@frankgaletzka8477]

Well done . A simple 😉 spraycabine . It looks good and hold back the spray dust . I like it Take care stay healthy Greetings from Germany Yours Frank Galetzka

[@dateatorjr9671]

I painted the ceiling and walls in my garage white and put up led strip lights. What an amazing difference. I highly recommend it.

[@douglasphillips24]

Thanks again bud. Now I can confidently set-up my own paint booth rather than fighting bugs & pollen outside or waiting for perfect weather. Also I can utilize my garage for painting in winter time instead of waiting for warm weather.

[@geoffreymills9932]

I like it, that white really makes it light enough with the fixtures you already have and I like the idea of laying a tarp on the floor, that would save a lot of scrubbing, looks good Tony can't wait to see you spray the primer on crusty 😀

[@hedgepethracing9590]

Love all you do, everytime I look up something with bodywork you pop up. I do it how you do it and it comes out mint, thanks man. Gotta take advantage of every square foot of that space !! Works right. Looks 👍 great !

[@bonezshakergarage]

Great video. Best one I have seen on how to setup a temporary garage paint booth.

[@jh-tech5546]

Nice! I like the idea of the filters in the door.

[@jimlarkin8392]

Great video ,I am sure it will work just fine ,I would seal the cracks in the ceiling and paint the ceiling to seal all the loose dust over the years ,that should stop most of the dust ,most of the dirt in a paint job always seemed to be in the top flat surfaces hood trunk , as I am sure already know ,thanks for another great vid. Jim

[@fitzeesfabrications]

Agree bur no paint going on the ceiling. In the past I put drop sheets up on top and heald in place with strips of cardboard and staples.

[@jimw6991]

@@fitzeesfabrications Wondering what you do to address air quality coming out of your compressor. Also where will hose come from, will dragging it around stir up dust. In my shop I do woodworking in addition to metal work and finishing. I have dust collector hoods and shrouds that are constantly being repositioned and I use Velcro to hold them in position. Only issue is the tape holding it to wood isn't good enough so I added staples every 4 to 6 inches. Works nicely.

[@jasonhoffman9895]

Great way to utilize the space you have, much better than the last booth I put together.

[@Mikefngarage]

NICE ONE FITZEE....Where you are you need a roof because of weather changes. and heat for the most part. Where I am I can use a blow up booth. THey work well but in the north east it would not work unless you have a huge carport or garage to put it in.

[@brianhaw9398]

Very well thought out. The only thing I would add,and you mentioned it,would be more lighting.👍🇨🇦👍🇨🇦

[@wayneamirault1335]

Hey fritzy its sure a pleasure watching , not every thing needs to be bought , i like how you make it so simple making it work what u may have like the average guy

[@dayslife]

there's always a simple home solution for every need. and it looks 👍 great !

[@triples4good]

Great job Fitzee. That’s exactly what I need in my garage to paint my Landcruiser.

[@willysbest9242]

Good job, brother. This was really helpful. Thanks

[@ForestWoodworks]

Thank you for the inspiration! I scrolled through your channel to see if you had a dedicated video of the booth in action. Does it appear in any of your project vids? This video settled my nerves a bit more as I'm in the planning phase of painting the base in my table restoration. Cheers from the south! ❤it!

[@fitzeesfabrications]

I use it in the video where I prime my project Crusty.

[@ForestWoodworks]

@@fitzeesfabrications I will definitely check it out. Thanks so much!

[@JMKGarage]

Very nice design, and also very similar to what by dad has… certainly does the trick. Currently trying something similar (but more more simple) in my own garage jus for painting some bike parts. Eventually need to make something like this with ventilation and filtering.

[@stardrifter1961]

Big fan of your work and videos buddy,But this looks like much more work and expense than to set a permanent booth,Other than this video...You are the best dam craftsman I have ever seen hands down!

[@NialPowerCork]

Thanks Fitzee, I’ve been mulling over something similar for a while, don’t need it quite yet but it’ll be close enough to this. As always good tips and no big money.

[@chipbservice7446]

You should add a hat to your merchandise. I would love to buy one.

[@fitzeesfabrications]

I love to too. Been looking for some company that sell and deliver on line

[@fjbowen3155]

"Great job" building that spray booth and thanks for making a video with explanations on how it was done. Now paint something!!!

[@fitzeesfabrications]

I did! Guess you never stuck around till the end. Lol

[@chrislangdell117]

Sweet. Some great and simply economic solutions to a paint booth. Will you be moving enough air to keep the overspray off the car? That's the only issue I have toyed with in regards to a spray booth. The only solution I have seen out there is just like your filtered door. Except you build a box frame about the same height as a box fan. Cover it with filter material just like your door and lay it horizontal across the bottom of the garage door. The frame is the exact width of your garage door opening. And the inside height of the Frame you can fit a Box fan. Set the garage door down on the frame. I would use 3 box fans on the outside of the frame and filter. I think you would need one more screen door like you built so you could pull more filtered air. Probably in the back corner next to the old chevy. Then you would have a make shift side/down draft spray booth 😆

[@PhillipHall01]

Fitzee I really like it. If the sides don’t suck up when you turn on the exhaust fan you will have it made! Phillip Hall

[@richsmith6952]

Brilliant! I will need to do this in my pole barn this spring. Lots of good tips there Tony! Thanks!

[@Ford679]

I like that a lot quick easy and affordable 👍may have to build one in the barn

[@bigsquatchsasfoot1964]

Genius and cheap as chips I bet it works a treat , you can Chuck big money at these situations but I bet this works just as well ! Great job Fitzee really enjoyed the vid as I always do thanks 👍

[@georgesimon5393]

You going to plum it for air inside...your a smart guy I like your videos

[@luimackjohnson302]

Brilliant! Thank you for sharing this video. Greetings from Papua New Guinea.

[@countmurcielago9802]

Thanks for another great video this gives me a idea I have for spraying in my front garden I will use a cheap gazebo one add some filters in the side of it

[@elkoposo686]

Cheap & second hand family sized tents & frames maybe an option too. Ask around, many folks have old tents they don't use anymore. Storage dust and moulds maybe a problem with the old 'canvas', use new sheeting!

[@andermma]

Very cool thank you to seal up some of the seams they make a tarp zipper that sticks to the tarp and works like zipper. i think you can find it at the big box hardware stores in the pant section. i have learned so much from you thank you many times over, Mitch

[@DannyWalker1949]

Nice Set-up on this Booth. I Like It 👍

[@phillipyannone3195]

Nicely done, you visualize and then realize.

[@XM-qk5sh]

Looking forward to your first painting project in your new booth !!! Nice job

[@augustaking8]

Thanks, I was thinking about it way too hard.

[@gordonstarship]

Excellent video. Really enjoyed seeing it come together!

[@DougsMessyGarage]

Booth looks great Tony

[@chrismartin5145]

awesome as always Fitz,your videos are my new lot nites,lol

[@porschmn167]

This is great, and just as I'm getting ready to do the same thing in my garage. Thanks so much for another great tip! Ask'n myself "what would Fitzee do?" now I know.

[@kevinharms7578]

Fitz , spray number the plastic panels before you take them down, that way upon re-assembly , you know what goes where.

[@SteveMellen]

Awesome work Fitzee! I would love to see some followups for your work after they've been filled and painted!

[@willemgoudsmits5805]

Nice spraybooth. Well done and simple as always.

[@fixinstuff9662]

Those Cadillac hubcaps really look good on that Chevy shell.

[@MAGLtd-hh3ct]

Haha ! “Do Flicky thing”! Now there’s a saying I haven’t heard in a long time!🇨🇦🤣

[@jarekdudzio]

Nice and simple setup. Another tip to follow. Thank mate

[@kyleforeman4543]

Great idea, not like ur gonna need it every day, but it works,that's all that matters

[@HIGHOUTPUTable]

Another great video , keepem coming , enjoying everyone of them ..

[@malcolmyoung7866]

Thats just 'dandy'..nice one Tony..

[@darrenprokulevich4864]

Awesome job

[@Manandmachine772]

That’s pretty kool Tony, gives me some ideas on my own garage. Thanks for the tips.

[@gordgoroth]

Those tarps are pretty good actually. I throw them over my portable garages. I get about 2 years out of one before I have to replace. But no tarp lasts real long outside. When you are putting those grommets in there, if you heat the tarp slightly like with a hair dryer or very gently with a heat gun, then wrap a piece of gorilla tape over the edge, a bit more heat and make sure the tape is adhered good, then pop the grommets in there. Gives the material way more strength. But your tarps are just hanging indoors so you wouldn’t need that here. Great setup. I was thinking of doing the same thing for my garage next time I need to paint.

[@SimonCoates]

Nice solution, gonna copy that👍 However, it reminded me of Dexter (TV series) setting up a room for a kill🤣

[@nige1840]

Excellent.... Looking Good For Small Cost...

[@guillermonieri4203]

Excellent temporary paint booth. Thank you.

[@charlesloar3210]

Great idea and job building this.

[@brianmaynard7320]

Thanks for the great ideas Fitzee!! Good video. Wouldn't have thought of the filter but you did.

[@dirkg7062]

What a great idea Fitz. Cant wait to see your mustang get painted.