spridgets
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Painting in garage

To: spridgets@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Painting in garage
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 10:13:24 EDT
I can't claim credit for this idea but I don't remember who gave me this 
suggestion to give him proper credit.

Health issues aside, most painting instructions suggest that you have 
downdraft or cross draft ventilation when you paint the car.  The exchange of 
air 
removes the suspended particles of partially dried paint that is in the 
overspray.  If these particles drop back on the freshly painted surface, the 
finish may 
be compromised.

While most of us don't have the facilities to make a downdraft booth, a 
cross-draft may be able to be made for a few dollars.

My garage is attached to the house with two windows on the opposite side of 
the garage from the entrance to the house.  I mount a cheap box fan in each 
window and tape cardboard around the fan to improve air flow.  I then built a 
wood frame that fits snugly in the door frame between the house and the garage. 
 
In the frame I have mounted 3 inexpensive air filters that are used for a hot 
air furnace.  The filters remove any dust or other particals that may drift in 
and land on the painted surfaces.

When painting I turn on the fans with the filter frame in the doorway and wet 
the floor of the garage to keep down the dust.  You must open a few windows 
in the house to keep the air flowing properly and not get any paint odor in the 
house.  The cross-draft removes the overspray quite quickly.  

Note:  Make sure there is nothing on the outside of the house to get covered 
by the overspray and hose down the side of your house with water before 
spraying.  Single stage two part paint overspray is very sticky.  Trust me, 
don't 
ask me how I know this.

An added benefit is that you can use the heating system of the house to 
control the air temperature in the garage.  I was able to paint my car on a 45 
degree day in March and keep the air temp in the garage at 70 degrees.  Of 
course 
my wife wasn't home to complain about the wind tunnel effect created in our 
house.

You can also modify this system for a detached garage as long as the intake 
and exhaust system are on opposite sides fo the garage.

Good luck on painting your vehicle.

Gary Bouffard
59 TR3A (restored and painted silverstone grey)
59 Bugeye (see thru rust and lying on it's side)

///  unsubscribe/change address requests to majordomo@autox.team.net  or try
///  http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo
///  Archives at http://www.team.net/archive/spridgets


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>