What You Need to Know About Sandblasting

Maybe sandblasting is not in your vocabulary as this jargon has been greatly used in the industry sectors. This is also used to make your house more beautiful as this method can do a lot on surfaces.

Sandblasting, in simple explanation, is a process of using sand or any other material on a surface – usually a metal and also glass. Doing this can leave a lot of mess, but this remains one of the best methods of removing any unwanted elements (paint, rust, or corrosives) from metal or glass surfaces.

Probably you’re thinking of which equipment is used for sand blasting or how is sandblasting done.

Okay, let’s start discussing the equipment used. An air compressor is a must to propel the sand against the working surface. The compressor produces heavy volume of air that pushes the sand out of the nozzle. The compressor’s air moving ability is normally measured in CFM or cubic feet per meter.

It’s advisable to use a compressor that runs at 200 CFM. Others, however, use a separate sand chamber for sandblasting. The air coming out of the compressor must be dry enough because any wetness can gunge up the tip of the nozzle. It’s important to remove water from the air compressor’s hose. Always keep in mind that the machine will not be fully functioning once water and moistness clog up.

Another thing you have to be familiar with is the sand. It’s the most used because this material can be reused or reprocessed. What’s more is it comes with various particle sizes known as grits.

Always make sure sand is dry and the size is consistent for it flow smoothly through the machine. The larger grit will surely jam on the machine. You have to prevent this from clogging to the machine as this will cause the latter to be repaired or replaced. And you don’t want that to happen, right? Make sure to check the material (sand) to be free from any unwanted materials (e.g. pebbles, rocks, leaves, etc.) before moving this into the reservoir tank.

And lastly the sanding process. Sandblasting the entire area, instead of just a select part, is advisable. Make sure to sandblast the areas evenly. Once you’re done, use a fine brush and clean the compressed air. Keep the blasted surface clean.