If you run a Garmat paint booth, sooner or later you'll stand in front of a loaded ceiling filter or a caked exhaust bag and ask the same question every body-shop manager asks: which replacement do I actually order? The good news is that you almost never need a genuine "Garmat part number" to get the right filter. What you need is the correct media type and the correct size — and those you can pin down in a couple of minutes. This guide walks through every filter a Garmat booth uses, how to identify the right one, and exactly where each maps in our catalog.
First, which Garmat booth do you have?
Garmat builds downdraft and side-downdraft spray booths, and the filter layout is consistent across the popular models. The names you'll see on the data plate or in your paperwork include the Garmat 3000, Chinook, Tier 1, and Frontier. All of them pull filtered air down through a ceiling (intake) filter, over the vehicle, and out through an exhaust plenum or tower fitted with overspray-capture media. That means most Garmat booths use the same three consumable filters — just in booth-specific sizes.
The three filters in almost every Garmat booth
1. Ceiling (intake) filter — the finish filter
The ceiling filter is a tackified polyester diffusion blanket, typically an F5/M5-class medium-efficiency media. Its job is to deliver clean, evenly diffused air over the car so dust doesn't land in wet paint. This is the filter that protects your finish. We stock Garmat-fit ceiling blankets in common sizes such as 38" x 62", 38" x 65", and 38" x 107", and if your booth uses an odd size, our custom-cut ceiling blanket is cut to any dimension you need. Browse the full range on the Garmat collection or the broader ceiling blanket filters collection.
2. Exhaust tower filter bags — the overspray filter
On the exhaust side, Garmat 3000, Chinook, Tier 1, and Frontier booths use pocket-style exhaust filter bags that trap paint overspray before air leaves the booth. This is the media that does the overspray capture. We carry the Garmat exhaust tower filter bag 4-pack sized for those booths; see the exhaust filter bags collection. Because overspray is heavy and sticky, these are rated on overspray capture (arrestance), not MERV.
3. Metal-mesh prefilter — the cheap insurance
Many Garmat exhaust plenums also run a metal-mesh prefilter ahead of the bags to knock down the heaviest overspray and extend bag life. We stock a Garmat-fit metal-mesh prefilter (18.75" x 46") in a 3-pack — find it under mesh pre-filters. Staging a coarse prefilter in front of finer media is the single cheapest way to make your expensive filters last longer; we cover the idea in choosing intake filters and in our exhaust-staging content.
How to identify the right size when the label is gone
Data plates fade, get painted over, or disappear. When that happens, don't guess — measure. It takes three checks:
- Ceiling filter: measure the interior of one ceiling filter frame or grid opening (length x width). That's your blanket size. Our full walkthrough is in how to measure for the right filter size.
- Exhaust bags: measure the face opening of the exhaust filter frame and note how many bag positions your tower has (the pack count you need).
- Prefilter: measure the mesh frame opening.
Still unsure? Snap a photo of your booth data tag and the filter frames and use our Find My Filter helper, or just call us — matching Garmat sizes is something we do every day.
Garmat filter cross-reference at a glance
| Garmat booth component | Filter type | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|
| Ceiling / intake grid | F5/M5 tackified polyester ceiling blanket | Garmat ceiling filters · Ceiling blankets · Custom cut |
| Exhaust tower / plenum | Pocket-style exhaust filter bags (overspray capture stage) | Exhaust filter bags |
| Exhaust prefilter stage | Metal-mesh prefilter | Mesh pre-filters |
Running more than one make of booth?
Plenty of shops run a Garmat next to another brand, and the filter logic never changes: identify the media, measure the opening, and match the grade. If you also service a different cabin, jump straight to the matching cross-reference for GFS, Accudraft, Blowtherm, USI Italia, or Nova Verta. When a data plate is gone entirely, our walkthrough on finding your paint booth filter part number and the master filter size chart by brand get you to the right dimensions fast.
Order the right Garmat filters
You don't need a Garmat catalog to reorder — you need the right media and the right size. Shop everything for your booth on the Garmat filters collection, compare fitment across brands in our exact-fit guide by brand, or contact our team with your measurements and we'll match you the first time. Every order is covered by Our Guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to buy genuine Garmat-branded filters?
No. Booth filters are dimension-and-media driven, not proprietary. As long as you match the correct media type (F5/M5 tackified ceiling media; rated exhaust bags) and the correct size, an exact-fit replacement performs the same as an OEM-branded one — usually at a lower price. Send us your measurements and we'll match you the first time.
What size ceiling filter does a Garmat 3000 use?
It depends on how your specific booth's ceiling grid is laid out, so measure one frame opening before ordering. Common Garmat ceiling blanket sizes we stock include 38" x 62", 38" x 65", and 38" x 107"; anything non-standard we cut to size with our custom-cut ceiling blanket.
How often should I change Garmat booth filters?
Change on pressure-drop, not just a calendar. When your manometer shows the recommended rise across the filter bank, it's time. See how often to replace paint booth filters and reading a paint booth manometer.
Can I add a prefilter to my Garmat exhaust to save money?
Yes, and it is one of the best-value moves you can make. Staging an inexpensive metal-mesh or fiberglass prefilter ahead of your exhaust bags knocks down the heaviest overspray so the finer, pricier exhaust media loads more slowly and lasts longer. Just remember the prefilter supplements — it does not replace — the rated exhaust media behind it.
Ready to reorder for your Garmat booth?
Whether you need the ceiling blanket, the exhaust tower bags, or a mesh prefilter to make the bags last longer, we stock exact-fit media for every Garmat model. Orders placed before 2pm MST ship the same day.
Shop Garmat filters →
Garmat ceiling filter blanket →
Not sure of your size? Find my filter →
