Converting a shipping container into a paint booth

[newbinga]

Hi all stumbled across this site while looking for containers modified for painting.

I have a business that I just started refurbishing certain items. Part if this process requires painting. We are currently using ppg auto paint and painting in our home driveway. Needless to say this is not a practical or long term solution .

It's like most start ups, I am on a razor thin budget.

The garage is full and I need a dedicated paint space so I can just paint without having to roll down plastic etc. The container is cheap to rent, and when I can get a shop, I can bring my booth with me and even put it in the warehouse. So I see it as a long term solution

My major concern is ventilation. What kind of fans do I need to exhaust that container with the appropriate filters? I installed a used booth for my previous employer and it had a large 36 fan on it.

I can easily run an air hose and electric to it.

Also are the walls double walled? If I screw into the sides from the inside will I penetrate the exterior? I assume I would. How do you mount shelfs, lights etc?

 

[astroracer]

Seems to me a shipping container would be far too narrow to have working/spraying room around a car. I know when I am spraying I like to have at least 6'-8' on either side so I can stand back and look at the pattern. Measure a container for width. I think most of them are 8' total?
Mark

 

[nine4gmc]

I don't think he meant for vehicles, he said "certain items", I read here that you need explosion proof motors on the fans or you will need to use external fans forcing air in. I think I would try the forcing air in method on the container. Put a large vent on the opposite end and filter on the fan that's blowing in the other end. Let's hear what the pros say.

 

[Tronyadorable]

No mention of cars was made
Talk to a rep over here
http://www.bvc.com/industrialfans.html

 

[astroracer]

I see the error of my ways... Although "PPG Automotive Paint" and "spraying in our driveway" did cloud my understanding of "certain items"... Please excuse me for skip reading.

 

[Jere]

I don't think he meant for vehicles, he said "certain items", I read here that you need explosion proof motors on the fans or you will need to use external fans forcing air in. I think I would try the forcing air in method on the container. Put a large vent on the opposite end and filter on the fan that's blowing in the other end. Let's hear what the pros say.

Good call blowing air is more effecient , need to filter that air though. Otherwise he will just be blowing in dust. The container will need the compressor mounted outside the container due to explosion problems also.

Dust in the container will be an issue so a good cleaning will be needed. It might be worth soaking down the floors before spraying to keep dust down. Florescent lighting and supplied air respirator and going to be needed. A safe heating system would help with curing times depending on the paint.

 

[Platonic Solid]

Good call blowing air is more effecient , need to filter that air though. Otherwise he will just be blowing in dust. The container will need the compressor mounted outside the container due to explosion problems also.

Dust in the container will be an issue so a good cleaning will be needed. It might be worth soaking down the floors before spraying to keep dust down. Florescent lighting and supplied air respirator and going to be needed. A safe heating system would help with curing times depending on the paint.

Seeing as how this is a "business", not just a once-in-a-while hobby, might want to look into all the safety codes this thing has to meet before spending any money. Would really **** to make something like this and have it shut down for environmental or other public safety concerns. I have a paint booth in pieces under my deck. The fans are belt driven by electric motors which are external to the booth. I know the fluorescent lights are Class1 Div2 Hazardous location rated - also located external to the booth. They shine light through a sealed lens.

 

[Zeke]

I think I'd spend my money on a booth you can set up and tear down as needed. A container is a big footprint that you can't hide. I have some panels that are similar to those used for constructing a walk in cooler. Those panels cam lock together; mine aren't that slick.

Anyway, I put up the walls and throw the roof over it. The door has both the inlet and outlet for the air. I take the air out at the bottom. At some point I might mount a filter in the roof and let the air flow down and out.

Explosion proof fans are a must but you can blow air into a big duct wye away from the booth using a common fan or blower. Connect the straight through portion to the outlet. The fan will blow and create a mild non turbulent suction using a siphon principle. And it doesn't ever get dirty.

\

In essence you are using the duct backwards,

 

[404]

A gutted camper trailer would blend into residential better. And it has wheels so is not a "Structure" if that matters (i.e. nosey people)

 

[Riverside]

You're going to RENT a container and modify it as a spray booth????? Did you mean you will buy one? If so, you might find that the cost of an enclosed tube-framed carport is not very different (per sq. ft.), but you can decide on the most appropriate dimensions.

 

[drivesitfar]

Newbinga: how big are the items you are painting? I've used some big appliance boxes rather than just spray in the wind. i'm going to use a wood crate that was built on top of a pallet that is maybe 5 foot tall so i can put on a pallet jack and roll it outside to paint and then back inside at night.

post some pictures of the items you paint and restore because it's practically the "golden rule" to post a lot of pictures on GJ's threads.

good luck

 

[EOC_Jason]

Containers are not double-walled... The corrugation you see outside is what you see inside, so if you need walls you will end up having to frame your own stud wall or whatever.

Filter material you should be able to contact any air filter company and they will sell you huge rolls of the orange & blue filter material, along with regular pleated filters. As others have said you will need filters on both the intake & exhaust.

As for the whole positive / negative air flow, I would probably check and see how the professional booths do it and follow their lead... I'm sure it was chosen for a specific reason.

CFM is dictated by how big the paint booth is... I'm sure you can probably google and find out more info on that...

Also, without knowing where you live, this could be a SERIOUS violation of your local and/or state codes... In some states you need plans and permits and such for paint booths... Just saying... One of my friends did a job in California, they literally tore down a huge building EXCEPT for the paint booth (because it was grandfathered in), and built a whole new building around it. Otherwise if they tore down the booth the laws wouldn't have let them build a new one in its place... crazy...

 

[southalabama]

You can get all size booths.

Rather than spend the time reinventing the wheel. Find a used booth that suits your need. They can be shortened to suit your space.

About 20 years ago dad started a company that painted compound bows. The bow company was in town. They outsourced the painting. We did the tournament bows. Metal flake that looked like a metal flake boat.

We had a full size automotive paint booth. Filtered air coming in. All we painted were bows and risers and we filled the booth up at a batch.

The smaller the product the greater damage dust could do. We had a double filter setup. Respirator and used Sata guns.

 

[sberry]

I don't think he meant for vehicles, he said "certain items", I read here that you need explosion proof motors on the fans or you will need to use external fans forcing air in. I think I would try the forcing air in method on the container. Put a large vent on the opposite end and filter on the fan that's blowing in the other end. Let's hear what the pros say.

I see his and the next post tend to confused a paint booth with a clean room. With air forced in paint would go everywhere not just out a vent but everywhere in the room. The only way to clear a room is to put negative pressure or put a draw on it, this moves air where you want it to go and clears.
This is the must read for paint design. http://finishingacademy.com/training/aero/aero_mod3/aero_mod3_intro.html

 

[Jere]

I see his and the next post tend to confused a paint booth with a clean room. With air forced in paint would go everywhere not just out a vent but everywhere in the room. The only way to clear a room is to put negative pressure or put a draw on it, this moves air where you want it to go and clears.
This is the must read for paint design. http://finishingacademy.com/training/aero/aero_mod3/aero_mod3_intro.html

So you are saying the room can be dusty if it has suction on it? It didn't seem like that article said anything like that in the links that were working. But then some of the links were not working either.

Maybe our visions of where the best place to mount fans very in this circumstance. Obviously a fan would not be well placed blowing directly on the work area. That problem would become obvious at the first time spraying.

And in all honesty I see it being pretty difficult to balance pressures in a grassroots spray booth. How would one measure the output of one fan and the input of the other. If there are two fans, one blowing and one pulling, the fan pulling won't move as much air. So how would one make the flow laminar to further the question?

 

[newbinga]

So my container arrives tomorrow.

I work full time and come home and work on the machines I am rebuilding. All the machines get repainted. Setting up a booth every time I wanted to paint would take up too much time. I just need to drop some paint in the gun and spray. Some nights I just prep, cleaning parts etc. Others I rebuild the machine.

Unfortunately the company I am renting the container from does not sell their rentals. So I need to protect the inside and any mods I make need to be non invasive.

I do not want to go into details into what I am painting as it's a b2b and while I keep a very professional image, I don't want clients to know their items get rebuilt in my home garage. But hey we all have to start somewhere.

I am currently painting in the driveway and dust is not an issue unless it's windy and stuff falls from the trees. I am painting textured plastics so glossy car like finish is NOT the goal here. Basically painting faded and yellowed plastics to make a uniform item.

I saw a company called marathon that makes a booth from a shipping container. Their design uses the end of the container as a filter. But that won't work for me as I can't cut a hole in the container.

Long term plan is to frame inside so I can mount shelving and insulate, and hang lights. Hang wooden doors behind metal doors and install a fan behind a filter to exhaust unit. Set up spray table in front of door and put up shelving to store drying parts. The paint I use drys pretty quick.

Not sure I need an explosion proof fan. Maybe I do because the reducer may be flammable?

Filters and filter racks are cheap on ebay.

How about lighting? I need some cheap fluorescent ballasts. I think the 20$ 0 degree ballast from home depot will work. What bulbs give the best light? I have 6 lights over the bench in the garage and the lighting still stinks

 

[sberry]

And in all honesty I see it being pretty difficult to balance pressures in a grassroots spray booth. How would one measure the output of one fan and the input of the other. If there are two fans, one blowing and one pulling, the fan pulling won't move as much air. So how would one make the flow laminar to further the question?
Jere is offline Report Post

You don't need to blow any in, the point of that was to explain how it can be done. I don't blow in mine. You can get some "feel" for how much draw. I recently down sized my fan and should have doe it earlier to save on heat. My air intake is up high and don't bother with filters. Again,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, a paint booth is not pressurized, they can do some for tuning. Blow in a paper bag, air is pushng on all sides even if there is an exhaust hole, paint and fumes go everywhere.
This can take some time to understand, re read, after a while it becomes second nature.
Fan must be running in this pic, can see the walls drawn in.

 

[pbkelley]

The one thing I ran into with my homemade booth was insurance. Without a UL sticker it was nearly impossible to get insurance. My booth was stick built int he shop to the letter of the law with all of the appropriate lighting and fans.

 

[Joe Reed]

Unless you need that much space it would seem as if buying a decent sized pre-built shed would be better than renting a container. It could still be moved when you're ready - but you could go ahead and make permanent changes. Don't know how much your rent for the container is, but I'd think the shed would pay for itself in just a few months at most.

If you have neighbors, dropping a shed in the yard vs a container in the driveway might make them happier as well...

 

[fireguy]

You need to go to the building department first. Find out the code that claim they use. It will list the requirements for electrical, structural, fire suppression, type of building, zoning, all the stuff you don't want to do. Or you can just slide by and when a neighbor turns you in, you may face legal penalties.

Good luck.

 

[Toxicscrew]

Here's the OSHA standards for booth construction:

https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_id=10657&p_table=STANDARDS

Without giving a location (city or country) it's impossible to say how tight you need to be in your adherence to those. Then there is the insurance, as was mentioned before.

Containers are going to cost you $2k and up, bare.

 

[sberry]

A rental container sounds like a poor plan, expensive and it isn't yours. A shed sounds better.

 

[mikefromme]

I think an enclosed trailer would be a better choice... No building permit needed like a shed. Or maybe a box truck with tailgate lift if the items are heavy.

 

[Strouty]

So my container arrives tomorrow.

I work full time and come home and work on the machines I am rebuilding. All the machines get repainted. Setting up a booth every time I wanted to paint would take up too much time. I just need to drop some paint in the gun and spray. Some nights I just prep, cleaning parts etc. Others I rebuild the machine.

Unfortunately the company I am renting the container from does not sell their rentals. So I need to protect the inside and any mods I make need to be non invasive.

I do not want to go into details into what I am painting as it's a b2b and while I keep a very professional image, I don't want clients to know their items get rebuilt in my home garage. But hey we all have to start somewhere.

I am currently painting in the driveway and dust is not an issue unless it's windy and stuff falls from the trees. I am painting textured plastics so glossy car like finish is NOT the goal here. Basically painting faded and yellowed plastics to make a uniform item.

I saw a company called marathon that makes a booth from a shipping container. Their design uses the end of the container as a filter. But that won't work for me as I can't cut a hole in the container.

Long term plan is to frame inside so I can mount shelving and insulate, and hang lights. Hang wooden doors behind metal doors and install a fan behind a filter to exhaust unit. Set up spray table in front of door and put up shelving to store drying parts. The paint I use drys pretty quick.

Not sure I need an explosion proof fan. Maybe I do because the reducer may be flammable?

Filters and filter racks are cheap on ebay.

How about lighting? I need some cheap fluorescent ballasts. I think the 20$ 0 degree ballast from home depot will work. What bulbs give the best light? I have 6 lights over the bench in the garage and the lighting still stinks

How do you plan on venting this? Does it have doors at both ends? Almost anything that turns into a fine particle (dust) is explosive in that form, paint has flammable components that make it even worse. The only way I can see you getting clean air in is using the intake and exhaust on the front opening, I have never seen a booth like that, maybe it will work.

 

[Platonic Solid]

How about lighting? I need some cheap fluorescent ballasts. I think the 20$ 0 degree ballast from home depot will work. What bulbs give the best light? I have 6 lights over the bench in the garage and the lighting still stinks

Good lighting isn't about high lumen output, best ballast, or best lamp. It's about how the light is distributed throughout the space. The closer the light fixture is to the ground, the more fixtures you'll need to get even distribution. Change your lighting goal from "I need more light" to "Eliminate shadows by providing consistent lighting throughout your shop". It will actually make you more productive as it is physically draining for your pupils to be constantly adjusting to differing light levels. Unless you have 18ft+ ceilings, you need more light fixtures, not brighter ones. Also, simply cleaning the fixtures you have will increase lumen output.

"What bulbs give the best light?" Depends on what you mean by "best": Lumen output or CRI (Color Rendering Index). Assuming we're talking about the typical F32T8 4ft fluorescent lamp: 4000K CCT min., 85 CRI, 2800Lm are good figures for the typical shop.

No matter what ballast you buy, just because a ballast will start a fluorescent lamp at a given temperature doesn't mean you'll have full light output until the lamp warms up. If cold temperature instant full brightness light is important to you, then the best option is LED. There's a whole bunch of LED retrofit lamps out there: Don't get the ones that require a fluorescent ballast to operate (that's the dumbest idea ever). Get the kind where you remove the ballast and rewire the sockets directly to 120VAC. Also, don't get the lamp where you can see the individual LEDs through a clear lamp lens - make sure it has a white diffusing lens so you don't get that annoying sharp point light source.

As for lighting in your paint booth trailer, only a completely sealed fixture should be used. I'm not going to help you blow yourself up as I think this whole idea is an accident waiting to happen.

This thing is basically a large scale potato cannon, and you are the potato.

 

[Wanna Ride]

I do not want to go into details into what I am painting as it's a b2b and while I keep a very professional image, I don't want clients to know their items get rebuilt in my home garage.

What's a "b2b"?

 

[Worsedog]

What's a "b2b"?

Business to Business

 

[don long]

I think that converting a container to a spray booth is very clever, However if you don't own it and can't modify it the way you need it to be makes is a bad idea
There must be some place to purchase a container. In So Cal I ordered a container that was only 10 foot deep (you can order them any length you need)

If you are going to use lighting inside the spray area. Consider explosion proof light fixtures

Googled it

The air flow is very important. Old type spray booths sucked outside air into the booth thru filters mounted in the front doors. And pulled the air into a filter bank at the rear of the booth. By a fan mounted above the booth at the rear of the structure with an air duct connecting the fan to the exaust filters

Good luck with your project

 

[fireguy]

Another person who asked for and got advice, some good and some not so good.

Come back in a couple of months and let us know what happened.