Intake air is the air that ends up touching your wet finish, so the filter it passes through matters a lot. But "intake filter" isn't one product — it comes in three common formats: pleated filters, panel (pad) filters, and roll media you cut to fit. Each has a place. Here's how to choose the right one for your booth and your work.
Panel (pad) filters
These are flat pads of media — often synthetic or fiberglass — that drop into a frame or grid. They're the simplest and usually the lowest-cost option per piece.
- Best for: ceiling/diffusion positions in many booths, and shops that want a straightforward swap.
- Pros: inexpensive, easy to stock, easy to change, widely available in standard sizes.
- Watch for: they hold less dust than a pleated filter of the same face size, so they load faster in dusty environments. Make sure they seal fully in the frame.
Our version is the wire-framed tacky filter panel, adhesive-coated so captured dust stays captured, in sizes from 20x20 to 20x75. There's also a plain F5 wire-framed intake panel if you don't want the tackifier.
Pleated filters
Pleated filters fold the media into accordion pleats, packing much more filter surface area into the same opening. More surface area means more dust capacity and, often, a higher efficiency rating.
- Best for: dusty shops, fine-finish work, and anyone who wants longer intervals between changes.
- Pros: higher dust-holding capacity (longer life), available in higher efficiency grades, steadier airflow as they load.
- Watch for: higher cost per filter and they must fit the housing/frame designed for them. Confirm depth and size before ordering.
On the exhaust side the same geometry appears as the Andreae accordion filter, which is why it lasts roughly twice as long as a flat pad of the same footprint. For genuinely clean-critical work there's also a premium H13 HEPA for final-stage filtration.
Roll media (cut-to-fit)
Roll filtration is a long roll of media — ceiling diffusion media, paint-arrestor, or intake roll — that you cut to length for your specific opening. It's the workhorse for ceilings and odd-size booths.
- Best for: large ceiling plenums, custom or non-standard booth dimensions, and exhaust/overspray positions where roll media is the norm.
- Pros: fits any size (cut to fit), cost-effective for large areas, one product covers many openings.
- Watch for: you have to cut and install it cleanly so it seals with no gaps or sag. Match the media grade to the position (diffusion vs. arrestor).
For the ceiling that's a tackified F5 ceiling filter blanket — and rather than cut it yourself, we'll cut it to your exact dimensions before it ships. For exhaust, the 41in x 100ft fiberglass roll is the standard filter-wall answer. Our breakdown of roll media materials covers which grade goes where.
How to choose
- By booth type: downdraft and side-downdraft booths usually run ceiling diffusion media (often roll or panel) up top; pleated panels are common where a housing is built for them. See airflow direction by booth type.
- By dust load: the dustier your shop, the more a pleated or higher-capacity media pays off in fewer changes.
- By finish quality: for fine and high-gloss work, prioritize a higher-efficiency intake media regardless of format.
- By size: standard opening? Panel or pleated. Odd size or large ceiling? Roll, cut to fit.
One rule that applies to all three
Whatever format you choose, it only works if it seals. A high-end pleated filter in a leaky frame still lets unfiltered air (and dust) bypass it into the booth. Make sure the filter fully covers the opening, sits flush, and isn't torn or sagging — and check the frame and grid itself while you're in there.
The bottom line
Panel filters are the simple, low-cost default; pleated filters trade more cost for more capacity and efficiency; roll media handles big ceilings and odd sizes. Match the format to your booth design, dust load, and finish standard — and make sure it seals.
Pick your format
Panels, accordion media and cut-to-fit blankets for Garmat, GFS, Accudraft, USI Italia, Blowtherm, Nova Verta, DeVilbiss, Binks, Spraybake and Eagle booths. Odd size? We cut it. Orders placed before 2pm MST ship the same day.
Tacky filter panels →
Ceiling filter blankets →
Custom-cut any size →
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