Have you heard of sandblasting? Here are 10 applications you might not be aware of.
According to Blogging Painters:
“Depending on the surface requiring treatment, the standard abrasives that can be used are steel grit, dry ice, corn cob, copper slag, walnut, and coconut shell. Though considered an expedient process, it does come with a potential health risk. Thus, it is highly advisable to always wear adequate safety equipment.
Where Can You Use Sandblasting?
“Before starting the process, the type of abrasive to be used is determined. As mentioned earlier, there are several media or abrasives used for sandblasting. For utmost performance, sand, concrete, and metal are frequently utilized.
“In addition to that, a sandblasting cabinet secures the abrasives to ensure that it will not scatter all over the place or damage the surrounding area.
“While you will see others doing the process by themselves, it is highly suggested to spend on professional sandblasting services to avoid the risks. Once everything is ready, the process can now start. An air compressor is handled by the worker in facilitating the cleaning process.
“Here are several useful applications of sandblasting:
Strips off paint and corrosion
“This is the primary task of sandblasting. It is a common knowledge that paint and corrosion marks are hard to get rid if you just rely on conventional cleaning techniques.
“The reliable sandblasters can eliminate stubborn paint and rust plus other contaminants from cars, houses, machines, and other surfaces. With regards to removing paint from cars, the process is mild enough to strip off the paint without harming the metal underneath.
Cleans smaller tools
“You may be surprised, but sandblast cleaning is not confined to enormous machines and buildings. This vital process can also be relied on to clean smaller instruments like automobile and metal tools. Examples of these are rusty screwdrivers and wrenches which can be quickly cleaned by sandblasting.
“Meanwhile, you can sandblast machinery clogged with oil, dirt, and grease to ensure efficient functioning. Besides that, the cleaning process prevents machine breakdown and wear and tear.
Smooths and polishes devices
“While cleaning is the main function of sandblasting, the process also leaves surfaces shiny and polished. In some occasions, you will find small mechanical parts made out of metal and plastic featuring rough burrs or other irregularities which make it impossible to assemble.
“Not only does sandblasting polishes surfaces but it also removes burrs, tags, and excess material to guarantee productive assembly. Moreover, it smooths edges to attain the intended shape of the surface.
Creates impressive art
“Yet, another surprising application of sandblasting is to create impressive art and designs. Talented artisans use the technique to carve remarkable patterns on different surfaces such as wood, metal, glass, and other materials.
“Aside from this, other artists use the method to improve the aesthetic value of lackluster commercial properties.
Cleans concrete surfaces
“More than its industrial and mechanical purpose, the sandblasting process is a viable method to clean streets, walkways, pavements, and other concrete surfaces. With these areas ordinarily neglected, routinely cleaning and maintaining them extend their lives and minimize the possibility of accidents.
“Without wasting water, you can effectively and quickly scrub clean concretes and pavements with sandblasting by using high-speed abrasives.
Prepares surface for coating activity
“After sandblast cleaning, your surface is now prepared for painting, bonding, or some other coating activity. Substandard surface preparation will eventually lead to a failed coating system. Achieving a marginal level of cleanliness that leaves behind contaminants in the area will subsequently reduce the coating service life.
“Having said that, sandblasting is an effective process for surface preparation. Inability to sufficiently prepare your surface for coating will only result to waste of money. Incidentally, fragile surfaces like wood may be cleaned with gentler media such as walnut shells or glass beads.
Restores authentic image of bricks and stones
“Bricks, stones, and concrete are ordinary raw materials used for residential and commercial properties. While painting is an option to improve the appearance of a deteriorating building or structure, sandblasting is a smarter solution to remove unnecessary mortar, cement, paint, and other substances.
“Not only does it restore the original condition of the material but it also increases the longevity of the property.
Enables mold remediation
“Mold is a prevalent problem found in homes. Lots of health issues caused by mold are already documented if it is not properly addressed. Concerns including itchy eyes, coughing, sneezing, asthma attacks, severe allergic reactions are some of the consequences of this problem. Take note though, implications can also be dangerous such as permanent lung damage.
“Nowadays sandblasting is a new technique to eliminate mold. Medium used for the process is either baking soda or dry-ice. One of the benefits of this method is that the places which are usually tough to access like attics and crawl spaces are now easy to clean. Aside from that, sandblasting provides for the quick and effective elimination of mold with minimal damage and clean-up.
Creating etched signs
“As mentioned earlier, sandblasting can be used for smaller projects. This handy process can also be utilized for spectacular signs from wood, glass, or stone. Memorials are a practical sample of this nifty sandblasting technique.
“The advantage of using this method is that it has more depth than laser engraving. Having more depth means you can add color to your project to highlight your design. A lot of businesses use this technique to artistically showcase their logo or business name.
Removes oil stains from driveways
“Normally, driveways can become stained with grease and oil over time. One way of effectively cleansing your driveway is thru wet blasting. This process blows hot water, soap, and a blasting agent all at the same time. During wet blasting, the water and cleansers break down the tough stains while the blasting agents blow them away.
“If your driveway has seen better days and has old concrete grimes, wet blasting is a smart choice than power washing. The blasting process allows deeper penetration and at the same time removes a small thin layer of the surface. Afterward, it is highly recommended to seal your driveway to safeguard the blasting effects.”