When it comes to standard spray booths, filtration is essential for both air extraction and air intake. Extraction filtration removes paint, varnish, dust, glue, and other airborne contaminants as air exits the booth, preventing pollution and keeping the surrounding environment clean. Intake filtration purifies the incoming air, ensuring a contaminant-free workspace for optimal spray finishes.
Spray booth extraction filters are essential across all booth types. The main categories include cardboard concertina filters, multi-layer paper filters, and fibreglass filters. Each has distinct benefits and limitations, making it important to choose a filter that aligns with your spray booth type, operating environment, and spraying materials.
The most widely used spray booth filter today is the cardboard concertina filter. Designed for vertical installation, this filter consists of two layers of specially graded cardboard. It features a forward-facing filtration hole, a folded 'V' pattern behind it, and an offset exit hole at the back. Air enters through the front, spins within the V-fold, and exits through the rear, allowing paint particles to adhere to the higher-absorbency back layer.
These filters consist of multiple absorbent paper layers with increasingly tighter weaves, designed to trap overspray particles as air flows through. Typically installed horizontally, multi-layer paper filters come in roll form and are growing in popularity due to their superior paint-holding capacity, especially compared to fibreglass.
A long-standing option in spray booth filtration, fibreglass filters are also installed horizontally. Though cost-effective, they lack absorbency and have a lower holding capacity compared to modern alternatives. Additionally, fibreglass is dusty and unpleasant to handle. However, they perform well in damp conditions or irregular spaces where other filters may not fit.
Though commonly used for air intake, panel filters can also serve as extraction filters in some spray booth configurations.
Clean air is critical for a smooth finish. Spray booth intake filters are usually made from synthetic fibre or panel designs, ensuring contaminants don’t enter the spraying environment.
These filters are available in roll form or pre-cut pads. Suitable for vertical or horizontal installation, they come in various filtration grades to match booth specifications and airflow rates.
Panel filters for air intake come in two main types: pleated and glass fibre.
Air input filters are, normally, either a synthetic fibre or panel filters:
Synthetic Fibre - These are normally supplied in a roll or as pads cut to a size. They can be installed either vertically or horizontally and are available in a range of filtration grades depending upon the type of booth and the airflow available.
Panel Filters - Two main types of panel filter are available, either pleated or glass fibre. They can be installed either vertically or horizontally and come in a range of sizes and depths to suit your requirements. Pleated panels provide superior filtration levels and thus are the preferred panel for input filtration however the glass fibre panels are an option when your booth may suffer from low airflow so struggle if the pleated panels are fitted.