Finishing work exposes every flaw. Floating dust lands on wet coatings, contaminates assemblies and slows rework. The goal is to keep ambient particulate low by shaping airflow, cleaning the air continuously and preventing re‑agitation.

Design the space for clean air

Separate finishing from cutting or sanding with barriers or distance. Create a clean-to-dirty flow: intake air at the clean end, extraction at the dirty end. Keep doors and curtains arranged so air moves in one direction and does not recirculate dust back over the work.

Continuous ambient air cleaning

Deploy portable or ceiling-mounted air cleaners sized for the room, focusing on airflow under load rather than free-air figures. Position units to create a gentle loop past the workface and avoid dead zones. Use a staged filter set with robust pre-filters to handle coarse dust, reserving high-efficiency media for fine particles. Large-scale MAXVAC Dustblockers can provide continuous background filtration to stabilise air quality in bigger bays.

Stop dust re‑agitation

Housekeeping is critical: avoid sweeping and compressed air. Use industrial H-class vacuums with clean, intact seals and antistatic hoses. Schedule short, frequent cleans during breaks to keep loading low. Add sticky mats and tack cloths at entry points to stop tracking.

Maintain and verify

Check filter condition and pressure drop, rotate pre-filters before they clog, and keep a simple maintenance log. Use a particulate monitor to spot creeping background levels and reposition units if you see persistent hot spots.

Practical takeaways

• Zone the area and set a clean-to-dirty airflow path.
• Use ambient air cleaners positioned to avoid dead spots; verify under-load airflow.
• Protect high-efficiency filters with pre-filters and maintain them.
• Vacuum only; no sweeping or compressed air in finishing zones.
• Track background PM to tune placement and schedule cleans.

With stable airflow, continuous filtration and disciplined housekeeping, finishing spaces stay clean, productivity improves and quality defects fall away.