# Best material for DIY temporary paint booth walls?



## golden478 (Jan 6, 2016)

Hi all,

I am spraying a water-based clear finish on lots of small wood tabletops. I hung cheap clear tarps (made of polyethylene) to protect the walls while I worked on my project, but the dried overspray flaked off everywhere the next day, which will easily become airborne and ruin the finish as I continue spraying on the clear finish.

In hindsight, I feel I should have seen this problem coming, since clear tarps are meant to protect and repel against fluids.

Is there a better material that the water-based finish will actually stick to without flaking off?

I plan to test similarly cheap, disposable materials like cardboard or canvas (since both are porous and more absorbent) as an alternative to the plastic tarps.

Any solutions, thoughts or ideas are welcome. TIA.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

Bed sheets. 
While not see-thru, the white ones will help reflect light while you work. 
They're flexible enough to make them into "roll-up" using closet dowels if you like. 
They'll absorb the air-born stuff, and best of all you can sometimes buy them for really cheap at Goodwill or Salvation Army stores.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Just hit a big box and pick up some canvas painters tarps. If need be, get a big one and cut it to size.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

The bed sheets idea appeals to me, since the thrift stores may have them really cheap.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

I don't know what to tell you. I've had good success with hanging plastic sheeting for a temporary area area. I do have a fan that blow some of the over spray out side.

Do you have any fan set up to blow outside or to suck some of the over-spray through a filter?


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

I use plastic sheets. I used them to make "Roman blinds" that I roll up to the ceiling when not in use. I spray a lot of waterborne, and don't have the issue you described, but I use a 110V 800 cfm squirrel cage blower with 2 filters which creates flow in the booth and pulls in the overspray. I turn it on for 20-30 minutes before I spray to clear out the air. Here is a pic with them rolled up. Can't find the one with them down. I also have 2×2's hung from the ceiling that I can hang parts on to dry. I have a hook hanging from the ceiling in front of the blower (the 2×4 sticking down) to hang parts on to spray, then move them to the 2×2's. I also have lazy susans that sit on buckets or whatever to sit in front of the blower.
.


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## retfr8flyr (Oct 30, 2013)

I use drop cloths from Lowes for my spray booth and put it up and take it down when needed.


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