Mecatelier retractable paint booth installed in an old industrial hall with rusty cladding, three-quarter view, doors open onto the interior lighting
Retractable · foldable · mobile option

Retractable or foldable paint booth, mobile as an option

It extends for painting, then folds away to give the floor space back to the workshop. From €17,900 excl. VAT, delivery included, installation not included.

✓No civil works Installation included ≡Frees up floor space
360+Installations
10+Years in business
€17,900Starting price, excl. VAT
7+Countries served

A retractable paint booth extends to create an enclosed, filtered space, then folds away to give the floor space back to the workshop. It is the answer to the most common problem: painting properly without permanently giving up part of the building.

People search for it under three names, and it is worth clearing this up once and for all: retractable and foldable mean exactly the same product — it is the same equipment, called by two names. Mobile is something else: it is an option, castors that let you move the booth, and it only exists on small formats.

01

Three words, one product and one option

The market’s vocabulary is loose, and it wastes everyone’s time. Here is how we use it, and what each term covers.

Retractable

the actual name of the product. The enclosure extends for painting, then folds away and gives the floor space back to the workshop

Foldable

the same equipment, under another name. Many workshops search for it this way; there is no technical difference between the two

Mobile

not a model, but an option: castors that let you move the booth around the workshop. It is only available on small sizes, for reasons of weight and stability

Conventional fixed booth

the real alternative. If you paint every day, this is the one to look at first

Mecatelier retractable paint booth extended in an industrial hall under an overhead crane: grey flexible envelope on a frame, open front showing the filtering back wall, axle stands on the floor
Extended under an overhead crane. The rest of the hall stays free when it is folded away.
Very large Mecatelier retractable paint booth seen from inside: flexible walls on a steel frame, ceiling fully fitted with light rails, red aerial work platform at the back giving the scale
The principle scales up: here an aerial work platform fits inside and gives the scale.
Mecatelier retractable paint booth installed in an old industrial hall with rusty cladding, three-quarter view, doors open onto the interior lighting
An old hall, an uneven floor: this building was not designed to take a booth either.
02

What you keep, what you give up

A retractable booth is not a fixed booth in disguise. Better to say so before you buy than after.

You keep the essentials: an enclosed space, filtered ventilation that captures the mist, working light, and a clear separation between the finishing area and the rest of the workshop.

You give up top-end performance: a folding enclosure is not as airtight as a sandwich-panel booth, and the heating and curing options are more limited. If you paint demanding colours every day, what you need is a fixed booth.

03

Who it really suits

We adapt the configuration to what you actually paint and to the space you have. Dimensions, folding method and layout are studied case by case, after a survey.

Body shops that paint intermittently

the floor space is used for something else the rest of the time

Industrial maintenance and general engineering

painting is one operation among others

Large parts

those that do not fit in any fixed booth

Trucks, agricultural machinery, bulky machines

the enclosure extends around them

Floors that cannot take civil works

no pit, no slab to rework

Temporary needs

on-site work, or standing in for a booth under repair

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What people ask us before choosing between a folding booth and a fixed one.

What is the difference between a retractable, foldable and mobile booth?

Retractable and foldable are the same product under two names — no technical difference, just two ways of searching for it. Mobile is not a third model but an option: castors that let you move the booth around the workshop, available only on small sizes. Beyond that, weight and stability do not allow it. The product is the same in every case: a flexible envelope on a frame, ventilated and filtered.

Does a retractable booth replace a fixed booth?

Not in every case, and it is important to know this beforehand. You keep the enclosed space, the filtered ventilation and the lighting. You give up some airtightness and some heating and curing capability. If you paint demanding colours every day, compare with a fixed booth before choosing.

Does it need building work to install?

That is precisely one of its advantages: no pit, no slab to rework, no civil works. What remains is the electrical connection and the extraction route to the discharge point, which depend on your building and are priced after a survey.

Can it be used for a truck or a large part?

Yes, the principle scales up. We have delivered retractable enclosures large enough for an aerial work platform to operate inside. The dimensions are based on your most demanding parts, not the most common ones.

What does a retractable paint booth cost?

From €17,900 excl. VAT, delivery included, installation not included. Installation, the discharge duct and any floor work remain price on request, because they depend on your building. Travel costs may be added depending on the distance.

A retractable booth project?

Tell us what you paint, how often, and how much floor space you can free up. We will tell you honestly whether a folding booth is the right choice — or whether you should look at fixed booths.