Truck and Large Equipment Side Downdraft Paint Booths
Paintbooth.com offers a comprehensive range of large equipment paint booth models engineered for large-scale industrial finishing applications across Rail, Aerospace, Marine, RV, Trucking and transportation, manufacturing and heavy equipment markets. These systems are designed to accommodate demanding production environments while providing controlled airflow, efficient overspray capture, and a safer, cleaner finishing workspace.
Side Downdraft: Provides many of the airflow benefits of a traditional downdraft booth without requiring a floor pit:
- Economical installation: Designed for shops that cannot or do not want to install a below-floor exhaust pit, reducing installation cost and complexity.
- Airflow direction: Clean air enters through a ceiling-mounted intake plenum and moves vertically downward through the working area.
- Side exhaust: Instead of exhausting through a floor pit, contaminated air is drawn into filter chambers along both side walls that extend the length of the booth.
- Consistent air velocity: The intake and side-exhaust filter arrangement is designed to provide even airflow throughout the working area, supporting a consistent, high-quality finish.
- High-efficiency intake filtration: Intake filters remove dust and dirt before air enters the booth, helping create a cleaner painting environment.
- Pressurized operation: Air can be supplied directly from a heated air makeup unit (AMU) or intake fan to the intake plenum, minimizing the introduction of potentially contaminated shop air.
- Maximized filtration: The booth incorporates a high quantity of intake and exhaust filters to promote efficient particulate filtration.
- Primary benefit: Provides downdraft-style vertical airflow and contamination control without the expense and construction requirements of a floor pit, making it a practical option for many existing shops.
Standard Features of Our Side Downdraft Paint Booths
Booth Construction
- Galvanized steel construction: Booths use 18-gauge galvanized-steel panels for the enclosure.
- CNC-punched components: Panels and structural supports are CNC-punched for accurate alignment and straightforward nut-and-bolt assembly.
- Structural framing: Beams and columns are fabricated from formed 10-gauge galvanized steel.
- Optional structural beams: Structural I-beams such as W8×13 can be used with welded, formed-steel attachments.
- Support spacing: Structural supports are positioned at maximum 10-foot centers to increase booth rigidity and stability.
Product and Personnel Doors
- Adjustable installation: Product doors are field-hung on slotted hinges, allowing adjustment in two axes to accommodate uneven floors.
- Personnel access: A standard 36-inch-wide personnel door includes an observation window and is installed in a pre-assembled heavy-duty frame.
Booth Lighting
- Hazardous-location rating: Fixtures are rated for Class I, Division 2, Groups A, B, C, D and Class II, Division 2, Groups F and G applications.
- ETL listing: Fixtures are ETL listed and approved for their intended application and installation location.
- LED technology: Lighting uses high-efficiency LED T-8 Glass Free Tubes.
- Service life: Rated for up to 50,000 hours, significantly longer than conventional fluorescent lamps.
- Performance: Instant-on operation at full brightness with no flicker or buzzing.
- Power flexibility: Fixtures can operate on either 120 VAC or 277 VAC.
Fans and Motors
Uses U.S.-manufactured, brand-name tube-axial fans and motors for booth ventilation and exhaust applications.
Air Solenoid Valve
The air solenoid valve is interlocked with the exhaust fan and spray-equipment air supply, helping ensure that the appropriate ventilation conditions are established during spray operations.
Performance and Compliance
- Booth performance are designed to meet or exceed applicable OSHA and NFPA requirements.
- ETL-listed control panels are available as an option on many booth configurations.
Overall: The standard package combines galvanized-steel construction, precision CNC fabrication, adjustable access doors, hazardous-location LED lighting, U.S.-made ventilation equipment, interlocked controls, and regulatory compliance to provide a durable and safety-focused industrial paint booth.
Paint Booth CFM Calculator
Width × length airflow estimate
- Width × length area
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- Downward velocity
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- Calculation
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Important: This calculator provides a preliminary airflow estimate. Final booth airflow must account for booth type, applicable codes, coating hazards, filter loading, duct losses, fan static pressure, and approval requirements. Please contact us today 1-833-552-6684
Select Your Equipment Type :
Side Downdraft: Provides many of the airflow benefits of a traditional downdraft booth without requiring a floor pit:
- Economical installation: Designed for shops that cannot or do not want to install a below-floor exhaust pit, reducing installation cost and complexity.
- Airflow direction: Clean air enters through a ceiling-mounted intake plenum and moves vertically downward through the working area.
- Side exhaust: Instead of exhausting through a floor pit, contaminated air is drawn into filter chambers along both side walls that extend the length of the booth.
- Consistent air velocity: The intake and side-exhaust filter arrangement is designed to provide even airflow throughout the working area, supporting a consistent, high-quality finish.
- High-efficiency intake filtration: Intake filters remove dust and dirt before air enters the booth, helping create a cleaner painting environment.
- Pressurized operation: Air can be supplied directly from a heated air makeup unit (AMU) or intake fan to the intake plenum, minimizing the introduction of potentially contaminated shop air.
- Maximized filtration: The booth incorporates a high quantity of intake and exhaust filters to promote efficient particulate filtration.
- Primary benefit: Provides downdraft-style vertical airflow and contamination control without the expense and construction requirements of a floor pit, making it a practical option for many existing shops.
Example Drawings
FAQs
How does a side downdraft truck paint booth work?
A side downdraft truck paint booth supplies filtered air through the ceiling and directs it downward over the vehicle. Overspray and contaminants are pulled into floor-level exhaust plenums along both side walls. This creates a downdraft-style airflow pattern without requiring an excavated exhaust pit.
Does a side downdraft truck paint booth require a concrete pit?
No. Side downdraft booths use low-level exhaust plenums built into the side walls instead of filters beneath the booth floor. Eliminating the pit can reduce excavation, concrete work and installation time, making side downdraft airflow well suited for existing facilities.
Is a side downdraft booth good for painting trucks and large equipment?
Yes. Side downdraft booths provide filtered ceiling air across the length of semitrucks, buses, RVs, Rail Car, Locomotives, Marine, Modular Buildings, Data Center Generators trailers and heavy equipment. Pulling overspray downward and away from the vehicle can improve finish quality on large surfaces while providing a practical alternative to a full-downdraft pit booth.
What is the difference between side downdraft and full downdraft airflow?
Both designs supply filtered air through the ceiling. A full-downdraft booth exhausts air through a pit beneath the entire vehicle, while a side downdraft booth exhausts through filtered plenums at floor level along the side walls. Full downdraft provides the most direct vertical airflow, but side downdraft avoids pit construction and typically costs less to install.
Can a side downdraft truck paint booth be heated?
Yes. A heated air makeup unit can deliver filtered, temperature-controlled air for spraying and drying. Optional forced-dry or cure modes can reduce drying times and increase throughput. The air makeup unit should be sized for the booth volume, climate and coatings being applied.
How much space is required for a side downdraft truck booth?
The booth must provide sufficient interior clearance around the largest vehicle while also accommodating the floor-level side exhaust plenums. Allow space for painter movement, mirrors, ladders, hoses, product doors and service access. Paintbooth.com can design a custom drive-through or solid-back booth around your product and building dimensions.
Our factory trained installation crew can get your new Truck and Large Equipment Side Downdraft Paint Booth installed correctly and quickly.
This is our specialty! You can rest assured that your new equipment will be operational in no time.