Sandblast Cleaning
Cleaning and removing paints from hard surfaces such as brick and stone sometimes requires something stronger than a power washer. Sandblasting is easier and faster than washing or using paint remover to remove deeply seated dirt or numerous layers of paints. Does this Spark an idea?
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Equipment
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Buy or rent a sandblaster that has a pressurized vessel that can hurl the abrasive material at high velocity. Choose a heavy-duty sandblaster for home improvement projects. Use a portable sandblaster that you can take with you for smaller jobs. A cabinet-type sandblasters can do the job 30 to 50 percent faster than a portable sandblaster and it has a larger capacity, which can save time.
Abrasives
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There are two main types of abrasives: non-metallic and metallic. Non-metallic abrasives include sands, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, glass beads, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), plastic blasting media, walnut shells and corn cob. Use non-metallic abrasives for delicate projects such as removing stains or mildew, or removing oil or grease from moving parts of machinery. Metallic abrasives include steel shot, steel grit, zinc cut wire or carbon cut wire. Use metallic abrasives for cleaning steal and hard surfaces such as concrete and stone. You can also use metallic abrasives if you want a rough texture.
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Method
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Close all valves before operating the sandblaster. Fill the sandblaster with abrasive to the fill line. Seal the tank by pulling up on the ring closure. Turn the air valve on. Then, open all valves except the nozzle valve. Aim the nozzle at the target, then open the nozzle valve slowly. A steady stream of material should begin to come out of the nozzle. It should be in mist form. Move the nozzle back and forth in a sweeping motion. Adjust the pressure as needed.
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