For some airbrush artists, a spray booth is a must. For others, a spray booth is a bonus to have. Your view on whether or not to use a spray booth will depend heavily on your airbrush setup, goals and aspirations, along with some more restrictive aspects in terms of the space to which you choose to place your airbrush workstation.
We will discuss more on this shortly. But I do have a question for you…
Have you noticed, (Assuming you’ve spent some time researching airbrushing on the internet) that a majority of content creators on the topic of airbrushing rarely use a spray booth when demonstrating a specific task?
Granted this depends on the industry, As its common to see a mini modeler painting with an airbrush to be using a small paint booth. But a majority of the other industries, such as, automotive, makeup / body art, clothing airbrush art, and so forth commonly are not seen using a spray booth.
Part of me believes this is due to the cost of a spray booth as well as the size, as most hobby spray booths available for home use are much too small to fit a full size vehicle in… While the other part of me believes an airbrush isn’t commonly used in a way to create a large amount of overspray, as seen with other paint application methods (especially in the automotive paint industry)
Anyway, I’m getting a little off topic…
So, do you need a spray booth to airbrush?
Well, you don’t necessarily need one, as a spray booths’ main function is to filter a percentage of the paint particles in the air out and into a contained location. Is it nice to have a spray booth, of course. But do you need one? That depends on your situation & your work space.
Most use a spray booth to keep overspray off of items in the vicinity of where their painting. Or to simply reduce the amount of paint particles (overspray) in the air.
If you are going to be airbrushing around Items you do not want paint on, then yes, I would recommend the use of a spray booth. Otherwise It may not be worth your time or money if your not worried about overspray.
That being said it will be a benefit to your health if you choose not to wear a respirator, but I would have to advise against that. As even a high end spray booth won’t filter the air enough to the point you wouldn’t be inhaling a percentage of the overspray. If you choose not to wear a respirator then I’d recommend you at least use a spray booth.
It is important to note, a spray booth is not a substitute for a good quality respirator. You should always be wearing a respirator any time you airbrush… For more about the importance of a respirator when airbrushing, check out my latest post on the topic: Why You Need A Respirator When Airbrushing.
That being said, lets go over some of the reasons why you may want to consider adding a spray booth the your airbrush arsenal.
Reasons To Get A Spray Booth For Airbrushing
If your going to be airbrushing in a Home or Small room with little ventilation then a spray booth likely will be a great benefit. You see, a common substitute for a spray booth is to simply open a window. However, depending on the area to which you choose to use as your airbrush studio will have a great impact on whether or not you can simply “open a window”.
If you not going to wear a respirator when airbrushing (No Matter what I say to convince you otherwise) then a spray booth will be more beneficial to your health then simply not using either a respirator, or spray booth.
If you have pets or other humans in or near the environment where you’re going to be airbrushing than a spray booth will definitely be beneficial for them. As it will reduce the paint particle count in the air.
If you have valuable objects in the vicinity your painting in, then a spray booth will greatly reduce the likelihood of overspray making its way onto them. I personally have experience with overspray getting on items of value. However, It wasn’t necessarily an airbrush being used, rather it was a can of black spray paint, and it wasn’t exactly my doing…
Long ago, my dad decided to spray paint one of his projects near my new dirt bike (With white plastics). Lets just say there were little black dots all over the front end of the motorcycle…
Granted a spray paint can was being used, which doesn’t atomize paint as well as a properly set up airbrush does. But the moral of the story is that overspray can be a large issue if you don’t take the proper precautions to mitigate it when necessary.
Depending on the paint type you use a spray booth may be more or less beneficial. For example, if your going to be spraying enamels, urethanes, lacquers and so forth (Really any paint that is solvent based), then a spray booth will likely be highly beneficial no matter your circumstances.
Where as painting with water based acrylics and such it may not be as beneficial. Many (including myself) highly recommend using a spray booth if your going to be priming.
Conclusion
In final, the difference between whether or not you need a spray booth to airbrush will depend heavily on the space to witch you airbrush in. If your going to be painting in an area, or around objects that you’d prefer not get paint on, then your going to need something to reduce the amount of airborne paint particles.
To which can be heavily reduced by using a good quality spray booth. (Link to the communities top recommended Hobby spray booth – Listed on Amazon)
Keep in mind, a spray booth is Ideal for reducing the paint particle count in the air, as well as, reducing the potential of overspray getting on things, or in places you’d rather it not be… Simply put, a paint booth will give you more control over the airborne paint particles that contaminate the air.
But a paint booth does not act as a substitute for a good quality paint respirator. A spray booth will only reduce the paint particle count in the air, not eliminate it. If your looking to get a spray booth so you don’t have to wear a respirator, then you are mistaken. Please wear a respirator and protect your health no matter the circumstances.
Anyway, I hope you were able to find some value here! If you have any further questions regarding the airbrush do be sure to take a look around the website. Airbrush Insider is dedicated to helping all in the airbrush community!
This is Colt signing off!
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