A professional paint booth is a crucial piece of plant for any paint shop. It protects your technicians from harmful paint fumes and overspray and provides a clean paint environment for the perfect finish. But how much should you spend on a booth? With prices starting at around £3K for a small basic setup to over £100K for a large, bespoke unit, it can be hard to know.
This article will help you understand the type of budget you need for a paint booth that will meet the needs of your business.
Cost by paint booth type
The type of booth that you need depends on several factors, including what you are spraying, the shape and size of the items that you’re spraying, your floor space and your production rate requirements. Getting the right set-up is crucial.
Here, we provide a quick overview of each type of booth, when you would use it and average costs.
Dry filter spray booths
The majority of spray booths use a dry filter extraction system. They range from simple low-level extraction boxes to powerful three-tiered systems and reverse cartridge booths that are specifically designed for powder coating. Each type of dry filter booth is available in a wide array of modular sizes to suit your work area and the product(s) being sprayed.
Low-level extraction boxes
Delivery only: £2,500.00 – £4,600.00 (ex. vat)
Turnkey: £4500-8500 (ex. vat)
Maintenance costs: £500-1000 (ex. vat) p.a
Low-level extraction boxes, or plenums, are the paint booth’s extraction part without the enclosure. They are generally used to convert enclosed spaces or rooms into spray rooms.
Bench-type spray booths
Delivery only: £2,500.00 – £4,500.00 (ex. vat)
Turnkey: £4000-7500 (ex. vat)
Maintenance costs: £500-1000 (ex. vat) p.a
Bench booths are designed for finishing small parts, equipment, furnishings or products at bench height. They are also ideal for hobbyists who spend a lot of time painting miniature projects.
Learn more about benchtop spray booths >>
2-tier dry filter spray booths
Delivery only: £3,300.00 – £6,500.00 (ex. vat)
Turnkey: £5500-9000 (ex. vat)
Maintenance costs: £500-1000 (ex. vat) p.a
2-tier booths provide sufficient height and ventilation for spraying most product types, making it the most common type of booth. Although considered ‘standard units’, 2-tier booths are highly customisable units.
Case Study: Customised 2-tier spray booth for a manufacturing plant >>
3-tier dry filter spray booths
Delivery only: £4,150.00 – £9,000.00 (ex. vat)
Turnkey: £6000-12,000 (ex. vat)
Maintenance costs: £500-1000 (ex. vat) p.a
3-tiered systems provide additional height and ventilation for finishing oversized items, such as plant or vehicles.
Reverse jet cartridge booths
Delivery only: £14,000.00 – £28,000.00 (ex. vat)
Turnkey: £18,000-33,000 (ex. vat)
Maintenance costs: £1500-3000 (ex. vat) p.a
The reverse jet cartridge setup is used for dry powder coating rather than wet spraying. It uses a dry filter system but with the addition of reverse jetting to clean the filter cartridges.
Water wash spray booths
Delivery only: £8,300.00 – £14,500.00 (ex. vat)
Turnkey: £11,000-18,000 (ex. vat)
Maintenance costs: £500-1000 (ex. vat) p.a
The waterwash spray booth or water curtain spray booth significantly reduces downtime and clean-up, making it the best choice for high-production finishers in joinery, steel & plant fabrication, rail, marine and aerospace industries. The setup is similar to a dry filter booth, except it uses a curtain of recirculating water to trap and remove paint particulate from the air instead of filters. The trapped spray particles drop into a water trough, making them easy to remove.
Learn more about waterwash spray booths >>
Paint drying rooms
Delivery only: £10,000 - 40,000 (ex. vat)
Turnkey: £15,000 - 50,000 (ex. vat)
Maintenance costs: £1000-1500 (ex. vat) p.a
Most industrial paint shops and manufacturers rely on drying booths to provide a space where the paint drying process can happen efficiently and safely. Having dedicated paint drying systems helps business owners increase their output and ensure the quality of finished products. A paint drying room achieves this by balancing ample drying time and proper heat distribution. Drying times can be increased by up to 50%.
Read How To Choose the Best Paint Drying Room for guidance on your next purchase.
Box ovens
Delivery only: £15,000 - 40,000 (ex. vat)
Turnkey: £25,000-50,000 (ex. vat)
Maintenance costs: £1500-3000 (ex. vat) p.a
Box ovens are designed for batch-curing powder-coated items or for curing something too big to go through a tunnel oven, such as a plant or machinery. Because it works on a batch process instead of a conveyorised system, it is suited to businesses with lower production rates.
Tunnel ovens
Delivery only: £25,000 - 100,000 (ex. vat)
Turnkey: £35,000 - 125,000 (ex. vat)
Maintenance costs: £1500 - 3000 (ex. vat) p.a
Tunnel ovens work at high temperatures and produce a constant production line, making them ideal for businesses that cure powder coatings on a large scale. They can also be used at lower temperatures for drying wet-spray products where you need high production rates.
Read a full comparison of box and tunnel ovens in our article, Which Powder Coating Oven? Industrial Box Oven Vs Tunnel Oven.
Delivery only vs turnkey
Choosing the delivery-only option may sound like a good way to keep costs down, but paint booths must be installed by suitably qualified professionals who can ensure that the unit meets all safety regulations. Some paint shops have internal access to such technicians but most don’t. Most spray booth suppliers offer turnkey setup as part of their sales package. Choosing this option means a higher upfront fee, but it’s an easy and often cost-effective way to ensure that your booth is compliant and up and running quickly.
Customisation considerations
Customisation costs can add up, so take time to think about the exact features you need from your booth. Consider, what are your requirements when it comes configuration, heating and lighting? Look for a supplier that offers a free onsite visit to help you establish the answers to these crucial questions.
Spray booth maintenance and running costs
A paint booth maintenance programme should be firmly embedded in your routine operations. A booth that runs at optimum efficiency will keep production costs down and supports health and safety compliance.
Maintenance and running costs will differ depending on the type and size of your unit. It’s important to factor them in before you buy so that you can allocate a sufficient budget and resources across the year. Your spray booth supplier will be able to talk you through this if you’re not sure what time, activities and costs are involved.
Still not sure which spray booth to choose?
There is no one-size-fits-all, as every paint shop’s needs are unique, but getting the right set-up is crucial. Here are a few resources to help you decide:
1. The Ultimate Guide to Spray Booth Equipment
Will help you make sense of the things to factor in when making your next paint booth purchase.
2.Video – Which Spray Booth Do I Need?
The video below provides a quick overview of the most common types of booth and when you would use them.
Need More Help With Spray Booth And Drying Room Setup
Have peace of mind that you are choosing a designer and manufacturer capable of providing a full turnkey service. Click here to request a call back from our spray booth expert.
Call: 01302 856666