What is sandblasting?
Wet abrasive cleaning method is used in various professions. The process involves removing a surface by utilising a stream of concentrated, incredibly fine sand.
It has a range of different purposes such as smoothing a surface that is rough or roughening a smooth surface to give it some much-needed texture. You may also find that the it is used to give a decorative look to metals.
What about around the home? Well, a stone cleaning machine could be used as a fresh alternative to sandpaper. Wet abrasive cleaning can also be used to completely remove contaminants from a surface.
To create the stream of fine sand, a pressurised fluid, often compressed air will be used to blast the material. Interestingly, there are actually a variety of different forms of abrasive cleaning depending on the use you need.
Sand is also one of the many materials that can be used for the abrasive cleaning process though easily one of the most powerful. As such, if you are looking to smooth metal, this is the material necessary to do it.
What are the benefits of abrasive cleaning?
When you’re asking the question: what is wet abrasive cleaning, you should also be considering the benefits of this technique. There are numerous benefits to consider, particularly when comparing the option to using sandpaper.
Firstly, it’s a lot faster than using sandpaper and working by hand which is far less efficient. If you are working to a deadline or thinking in terms of turnaround time, abrasive cleaning is always going to be the ideal option.
Using abrasive cleaning equipment, you can also make sure that faded or old surfaces are removed evenly rather than a finished product that looks a little messy. One of the reasons for this is that a cleaning machine will allow you to reach the difficult corners and problem areas.
This in part makes it highly useful for removing issues like rust. Rust of course, causes damage to property and you need to remove it as soon as it becomes an issue. Abrasive cleaning presents you with clear way to do this.
As far as uses go, the process will help preserve the durability and indeed the longevity or everything from fittings to furniture in your home.
What types of abrasive blasting are there?
As already mentioned, there are a massive range of different types of abrasive blasting beyond sandblasting. For instance, a common alternative to using silica sand is using a wet process. Wet abrasive blasting does not cause hazardous dust and as such may be favoured by some industries. As well as this, with wet abrasive blasting, it’s possible to use soap and water, simultaneously blasting and degreasing.
Bead blasting is another possibility, and this process uses fine glass beads propelled at a high pressure but not damaging the surface that is being worked on. This can be accomplished using a bead blaster or a similar piece of equipment.
One of the main uses for this type of abrasive blasting is to remove deposits of calcium from pool tiles and other surfaces. One of the benefits of this type of blasting is that it can be used to clean materials that would be damaged if sand was used.
It is worth pointing out that sandblasting can also be automated. With automated blasting, it is usually the part of a much longer list of processes or an overall procedure. If abrasive blasting is automated then care must be taken to ensure that the the blasting chamber is separated from other mechanisms.
A wide variety of materials can be used for abrasive blasting. One of the most interesting examples of this is perhaps dry-ice blasting. Dry ice and air can be used, and the process is effective at dislodging contaminants.
Should I hire a professional?
While it is possible to rent equipment and complete sandblasting yourself, it may be more beneficial to use a professional service. Professionals have access to the best sandblasting equipment, and with tools like this, it’s possible to guarantee fantastic results.
As well as this, these experts have the knowledge needed to ensure that the effects of sandblasting make a material look fantastic. Whether you are hoping to smooth over a material or give it some texture, a professional can provide the support that you need.
Without professional help, a variety of mistakes can be made during the sandblasting process. This can lead to expensive repairs being necessary. On top of this, you can get a personalised service with a sandblasting professional.
Talk to Basildon Stone Ltd, and you can make sure that your needs are met completely.