Sandblasting, also known as abrasion blasting, is a common term used in the metal fabrication industry. Abrasion blasting is one of the methods that metal goes through before it’s clean enough and ready for use. This technique is also helpful in different applications, such as removing dirt, grime, and rust from various surfaces.
The blasting process may involve cleaning auto parts to get rid of oil, grease, and dirt. It can also include reconditioning rusty chains in a shipyard. The technique involves taking compressed air from a power source then directing the high-pressure stream containing abrasion media to your work-piece.
This is an effective pre-finishing technique that has been used for several years, especially in metal fabrication companies. It has evolved from traditional methods to more sophisticated abrasion methods used currently.
Sandblasting has changed from typical sand blasting machine to more user-friendly blasting materials, though the still name remains. But why has it remained in the market for so long despite different technological changes taking place?
Sandblasting has proven to work in many applications with several benefits. Here are ten benefits of sandblasting that businesses and residential settings are harnessing.
Table of Contents
1. Sandblasting Treats Rusty Equipment
Rust is the worst enemy to any metal equipment as it can cause massive damages. When rust attacks metal equipment, it oxidizes it, causing corrosion. In the end, rust renders a vital machine useless within a short time.
If not stopped immediately, it can cause an equipment malfunction.
It’s an essential method used in industries and other businesses such as a commercial kitchen. Having your equipment sandblasted makes it new and functional again. So, if any of your essential equipment gets corroded, you can quickly bring it back to life through dry blasting.
2. Used to Prepare a Surface for Painting and Coating
When doing any painting and coating work, you need the surface material to turn out beautiful after you’re done. Not preparing the surface before painting or coating will result in substandard work or a failed process. Sandblasting helps you achieve a maximum cleanliness level with zero contaminants, which improves the lifespan of the paint.
Whether you’re painting a surface for the first time or repainting, sandblasting is essential. It works efficiently to remove old paint from a surface you intend to paint. This way, you can easily apply a fresh coat and achieve incredible results.
If it’s a new surface that has never been painted, you still need to remove any rough surfaces and particles. It will eliminate all the bumps and rough spots, so the final job becomes smooth and refined.
The method is used in preparing ideally every surface before it undergoes the painting or coating work. It’s crucial for vehicle restoration projects meant for improving their value. It ensures no dirt particles stick to the metal surface and interfere with the painting process.
3. The Process of Sandblasting Is Quick
Imagine how long it will take you to clean your metal equipment the manual way. The cleaning job will not only be erroneous but will take a lot of human effort and time. Sandblasting saves you from all the trouble and saves your precious time.
The blasting materials and equipment are very efficient, fast, and experiences minimal downtime. The process speeds up the cleaning process and reduces the effort you’d rather give if you were to do it manually. The machine operator will use less effort to finish the toughest cleaning job within a short time.
The particles used work quickly to blast away pollutants from the surface to give you a swift turnaround. A cleaning job that would take hours if you were to do it the manual way would only take a few hours with sandblasting way. Objects of two millimeters and more are blasted quickly with precision and speed.
This is an effective method for manufacturing companies with too much equipment to clean. The technique saves money, time, and effort.
4. Used to Remove Oil Spills From Driveways
As you drive along your driveway, oil from your car spills off and accumulates on the surface. This will make your driveway look ugly and dirty and may even make it slippery and unsafe.
Other methods of cleaning the driveway take a lot of time and are also very expensive. The sandblasting cleaning method is more effective and quicker. It blows water and the blasting agent on the surface to remove the stains within a short time.
This is a wet blasting method where the water and cleaners work together to breakdown stubborn stains. The blasting agent then blows away the broken stains to leave the driveway free of oils and grease.
Wet blasting the concrete driveway works better than power washing. It penetrates deeper and removes small thin layers from the surface. Remember to seal the driveway to protect the blasting effects.
Go to this link http://vaporhoningtechnologies.com/wet-sand-blasting-vs-dry-sandblasting/ to understand the difference between wet and dry sandblasting.
5. Sandblasting Is an Easy Process
While many cleaning processes will require several processes and complicated procedures, both wet and dry sandblasting are simple and easy processes. You’ll not need to scrub the surface using harsh chemicals. There’s also no heavy labor or heavy-duty cleaning methods used for sandblasting.
Sandblasting is a quick and easy solution that doesn’t take too much human effort. Although you need to be a professional to do the job, the whole process is simple if you know what you’re doing.
Laying a tarp under the surface getting blasted makes cleanup quick and straightforward. When done, you only need to remove any extra materials left under the tarp, and the work is done.
6. The Cleaning Technique Is Highly Versatile
The abrasive blasting equipment and processes are used in different applications, and everything turns out so perfectly. It’s an efficient method for removing rust, grime, and residue from a surface to leave the surface looking new again. It can remove rust and dirt as well as polish and refine surfaces.
The technique is not only used for cleaning large areas and enormous machines and buildings. It also works well in small and precision parts and smaller instruments like metal tools and automobiles. You can use it to clean rusty screwdrivers and clean wrenches without trouble.
Whether it’s blasting rough surfaces like the pavement or cleaning delicate areas such as tabletops, the method works great. You can use it to clean up large trucks or clear rust from metal fences without any problems. The blasting machinery works well in clearing dirt, oil, and grease for efficient performance.
What’s more, you can use the same medium multiple times for multiple uses. This means you can reuse your sandblasting materials several times, and they’ll still work well. The reusability of the technique makes it an economical choice for many companies that care about saving money.
7. A Non-Toxic Cleaning Method
Some cleaning processes use toxic and harmful substances for the work. This makes them unsafe to both the people using them and the environment. Sometimes, the cleaners can wear protective clothing to protect themselves, but this doesn’t apply to the environment.
On the other hand, sandblasting materials do not contain any harmful contaminants or toxic substances. It’s perfectly safe for the environment and the people using it. The process uses actual sand; hence won’t cause any trouble even if you were to inhale.
Individuals doing the blasting work can touch and inhale the substances and won’t experience any problems. It also uses heavy industrial equipment capable of handling the job without harming anyone. You won’t waste time on prep time to ensure the equipment is safe as it’s already safe to use.
8. Sandblasting Creates Beautiful Art and Designs
Sandblasting is not only helpful in big companies but also helpful for artists. Many people don’t know this, but artists have used sandblasting to create perfect art and designs for many decades. The sandblasting technique helps in carving impressive patterns.
For any art and design work, sandblasting works on different materials, including metal, wood, glass, and other materials. This method also works to improve the beauty and value of lackluster commercial properties. A perfect sample of sandblasting work is the memorials.
The benefit of using this method in art is that it creates a more depth engraving, allowing you to add more color and highlight to your designs. It’s a perfect method that businesses have also embraced to showcase their business name and logo. If you’re an artist, this method comes in handy to let you create a perfect work of art within a short time.
9. Used in Cleaning Concrete and Other Surfaces
Besides industrial and other mechanical functions, sandblasting is helpful in other industries like the construction industry. The technique also works for cleaning concrete surfaces. It works well in cleaning pavements, walkways, and streets.
Such areas are often neglected because routine cleaning would otherwise take a lot of time and effort. Sandblasting takes a shorter time and minimizes the risk of accidents.
Cleaning these surfaces using the sandblasting method is also highly economical as there’s no water wastage. The high-speed abrasion in sandblasting works wonderfully to clean concretes within a short time.
Apart from cleaning concrete, the method also improves the appearance of stones and bricks in residential and commercial properties. The technique enhances mortar, paint, cement, and other substances in bricks and stones. It works well to restore the original condition of these materials and improve the longevity of the structure.
It’s a perfect way of restoring the appearance of an old and deteriorating structure. If you think your building is too old, try sandblasting, and see how it becomes new again within no time.
10. Sandblasting Enables Mold Remediation
Like rust, mold is a dangerous substance that can render a machine useless and interfere with a building’s aesthetics. Mold is a big problem in most homes, especially in areas that often experience high humidity.
This substance not only interferes with the value of your property but is also a health threat, especially for people with allergy issues. Mold causes allergies, asthma attacks, sneezing, itchy eyes, coughing, and several breathing problems. It can also cause other more dangerous implications, such as lung damage, if not addressed on time.
The old mold removal techniques took a lot of time and were very expensive. Sandblasting technique is an efficient and cheaper way to eliminate mold from structures. The method also works well to help you access places that are difficult to reach, such as the crawlspaces and attics.
Eliminating mold using the sandblasting method is safe and quick. You’ll get rid of mold within a short time with minimal damage to the building.
Try Sandblasting for Residential, Commercial, and Industrial Applications
The sandblasting technique has broad applications for either business or home use. It can clean mold from home, prepare surfaces for painting and coating, and do quick cleaning jobs. Applications that took hours and lots of effort to complete are now done within a short time and with minimal effort.
As long as you follow the blasting process keenly, you’ll never regret choosing sandblasting for your applications. It’s useful for both large operations and small precision cleaning works.
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