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Col-Met · Downdraft

Col-Met EZ Side Downdraft

Filter kit, alternatives, and current pricing for the EZ Side Downdraft.

Fitment data is being verified. Our team is still cross-referencing manufacturer specs for the EZ Side Downdraft. Confirm filter sizes with WERCS before ordering: request a fitment confirmation.

Col-Met model • EZ Side Downdraft

Col-Met EZ Side Downdraft Filter Fit, Explained by the Air Path

Ceiling-in, twin-side-out airflow without a pit: the filter program for Col-Met's value-line side downdraft.

Airflow physics is the whole story on this booth. Air is lazy; it takes the shortest low-resistance path from the ceiling inlet to wherever the fan is pulling. In a side downdraft, that pull comes from both side walls at floor level, so the air column splits over the vehicle and sweeps down and outward. That geometry only holds while both side plenums present roughly equal resistance. Let one side's arrestor load up faster than the other, and the air column shifts toward the cleaner side, dragging overspray across the car with it. Filter condition on this booth is not just about capture; it steers the air.

Quick answer

The Col-Met EZ Side Downdraft is a value-line booth that produces downdraft-style vertical airflow without floor excavation: filtered air enters through the ceiling, moves down over the vehicle, and exhausts through filtered plenums along both side walls at floor level. Its filter program has two working positions, ceiling diffusion media and side exhaust arrestor media, mirrored left and right. The model is catalog-documented in our system and pending field verification, so exact media dimensions are confirmed against your booth by measurement or photo before a kit ships. Both exhaust sides change together, always.

By BoothFilterPro Editorial · Filter Fitment Desk · Updated Jul 15, 2026
Match filters to your EZ Side Downdraft

How EZ Side Downdraft shops choose filters

Intake side. Ceiling diffusion media spans the plenum and does the flow-straightening work that makes the down-wash even. A torn or channeled ceiling panel shows up as a dirt streak in the same spot on every job. Replace the set as a set; mixing old and new panels creates exactly the resistance imbalance the booth hates.

Exhaust side, times two. Arrestor media sits in the floor-level side plenums, and symmetric loading is the maintenance rule this layout adds: change left and right together even if one side looks cleaner. Painters work one side more, so uneven loading is normal; it is the reason to swap in pairs, not the reason to stretch one side. Media dimensions for this model are confirmed per booth, since our record for it is not yet field-verified; a tape measure on one plenum frame and an opening count per side settle it.

Cycle math. Two exhaust banks mean the media bill per change is higher than a single-wall booth, which tempts shops to stretch intervals. Resist that. Keep the EZ series affordable by matching order quantity to real spray volume through a standing program instead of under-changing.

Regulatory landscape

OSHA 1910.94(c) requires the booth to maintain design air velocity during spray operations, and in a side downdraft that velocity depends on both exhaust banks flowing evenly, so lopsided filter maintenance is a compliance problem before it is a paint problem. NESHAP 6H requires exhaust filtration operated and maintained per manufacturer recommendations with records to show it. NFPA 33 limits how much overspray accumulation is tolerable on and around filter media, and side plenums at floor level collect sanding dust and shop debris along with overspray, so keep the plenum faces clear between changes.

Who runs the EZ Side Downdraft

This booth lands with collision shops that wanted downdraft finish quality but could not or would not cut concrete: leased buildings, slabs with post-tension cable, or owners who ran the numbers on excavation and stopped. It also shows up in multi-bay shops as the second booth, bought on the EZ line's price to add capacity while the premium booth handles the showcase work. All of them chose this geometry on purpose; the filter program is how the geometry keeps working.

EZ Side Downdraft filter FAQs

Why do both exhaust sides have to be changed at the same time?

Because the airflow splits between them, and air follows the cleaner filter. A fresh arrestor on one side and a loaded one on the other pulls the down-wash sideways across the vehicle, which moves overspray onto wet paint and defeats the reason you bought a side downdraft. Pair changes keep the column centered.

How is a side downdraft different from a semi-downdraft for filters?

A side downdraft exhausts low on both side walls, so it runs two mirrored banks of exhaust media plus full-ceiling intake. A semi-downdraft brings air in through part of the ceiling and exhausts through one end wall, so it runs a single exhaust bank. The media types are similar; the count, placement, and the pair-change rule are what differ.

What sizes does my EZ Side Downdraft take?

This model is in our catalog as needs-verification, so we do not quote dimensions from the model name. Measure one exhaust plenum opening, count openings per side, and note the ceiling panel layout, or send photos, and we confirm the kit. Cross-referenced fitment data gets verified by the WERCS service team before we lock a repeat order.

Can I vacuum or blow off the exhaust media between changes?

No. Arrestor media works by trapping overspray progressively through its depth; disturbing it releases trapped material toward the fan and can open channels that let overspray straight through. When the pressure reading rises to the change threshold, change it. Cleaning attempts just move the mess.

Does this booth need a make-up air pre-filter too?

If the installation includes a heated make-up air unit, yes, there is a pre-filter stage in the AMU that protects the burner and blower, and it cycles on its own schedule. Note your AMU make and model in the fitment check and we include that stage in the program.

Sources

Primary references cited on this page.

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Match filters to your EZ Side Downdraft