Choosing the Right Automotive Spray Booth, Rack, and Lift

Waterborne coatings now dominate refinish work heading into 2026, and most shops didn't adopt them by accident. According to the National Small Business Environmental Assistance Program, shops switched specifically to simplify EPA compliance, since waterborne systems remove pollutants that trigger the stricter documentation and training requirements tied to solvent-based finishes. That shift is also changing what shops need from booth airflow and humidity control. This article looks at how the move to waterborne coatings is reshaping automotive spray booth requirements, and what that means for a shop planning a new booth, rack, and lift setup in the year ahead.