Sandblasting & Abrasive Blast Cleaning

Sandblasting (also known as abrasive blasting) is a process which uses a jet of high-speed, high-pressure abrasive particles across a surface to remove rust, corrosion, old paint systems, coatings, primers and other unwanted contaminants.

Abrasive blasting can also be used to transform the texture profile of a surface; turning rough textures into smooth textures or vice versa.

It’s typically used to restore the appearance of equipment and structures, to preserve their lifespan by removing harmful corrosion, or to prepare a surface for coating or painting.

True ‘sandblasting’ has been banned in the UK since the late 1940s, as the silica sand formerly used by the industry can lead to serious lung conditions.

Rest assured, D F Coatings never uses harmful silica sand in our abrasive blasting processes. We primarily use steel shot, with non-metallic garnet grit blasting also available for softer surface materials such as aluminium.

In addition, all our employees follow strict health and safety guidelines and wear blast-proof protective equipment during each abrasive blasting session.

We use scaffolding wraps and extraction fan equipment to prevent the spread of blasting dust into the local environment, and we can also use slurry blasting (a process of blasting with a mix of abrasive media and water) to further contain the dust.

Abrasive blasting is typically used for cleaning, preparing or finishing steel, but it’s also suitable for many other substrate materials; including other metals, concrete, ceramics and wood.

Some items may be unsuitable for shot and grit blasting due to the risk of fire from sparks created during the blasting process; such as petrochemical pipes and tanks, for example.

For spark-free blasting, D F Coatings also offers ultra high pressure water blasting as well. Not sure which blast cleaning method is right for you?

Get in touch for free, impartial advice.

If you’re looking to apply a coating to a steel surface, surface preparation blast cleaning is often essential to achieving good coating adhesion.

Surface preparation blasting can be carried out to different standard classifications. Less thorough blast cleaning grades are more economical and quicker to complete, while more thorough blast cleaning grades will achieve better visual quality and longer-lasting coating adhesion.

The D F Coatings team can achieve all grades of surface preparation, including:

• SA1 ‘Light Blast Cleaning’ (aka SSPC SP7 / NACE No. 4): Removal of loose rust/coatings. The most economical option for short-term coatings and low-corrosion environments.
• SA2 ‘Thorough Blast Cleaning’ (aka SSPC SP6 / NACE No. 3): Removal of tightly-adhering rust/coatings/material. Offers a great balance of visual quality and affordability, with decent coating adhesion longevity in low-corrosion environments.
• SA2.5 ‘Very Thorough Blast Cleaning’ (aka SSPC SP10 / NACE No. 2): Removal of tightly-adhering matter and nearly all streaks and stains. Offers long-lasting coating adhesion in humid and marine environments.
• SA3 ‘Blast Clean to Visually Clean Steel’ (aka SSPC SP 5 / NACE No. 1): Uniform metallic colour and removal of all matter, streaks and stains; even when viewed under a microscope. Maximises coating integrity and longevity for vital equipment in highly-hazardous environments; such as chemical tanks, submarine vehicles, turbines and more.

Confused by different surface preparation standards? Don’t worry; our team can talk you through them and recommend the best grade for your needs and budget.