To achieve optimum results in an equipment painting or reconditioning project, it’s critical that you know which “cleaning” process to use. In this blog, we will look at two of the most common methods to prepare machinery for a fresh coating: sandblasting and bead blasting. While both strip paint and other materials off the surface of equipment, there are differences between the two processes:

 

The Bead Blasting Method

Bead blasting uses tiny glass beads at a lower air pressure than sandblasting. This slower and gentler approach should be employed if causing damage is a concern when stripping the metal clean. The result of bead blasting is a more polished look than projects using sandblasting. Both sandblasting and bead blasting pose safety concerns, and they differ in each case. Bead blasting is the safer of the two processes because it doesn’t produce silica dust like sandblasting and is also lead-free.

 

The Sandblasting Method

Sandblasting uses fine sand with high air pressure, making it faster than bead blasting. Think of sandblasting like using sandpaper on the metal. It is far harsher on the metal than bead blasting. Because sandblasting is more powerful than bead blasting, it can smooth and even shape the metal surface. Because sandblasting produces silica dust, it is heavily regulated to protect workers from the serious health problems it can cause from long-term exposure.

At Enviro-Tech-Coatings, we are professionals in bead blasting and sandblasting, as well as in other equipment cleaning processes. We maintain Air Permits and are a fully approved site for blasting and painting to assure the safety of our crews and the quality of our work. We offer a wide range of coating, painting, and metal finishing services for many industries. For the reconditioning of used equipment, we provide full-surface reconditioning services for industrial equipment and machinery. To learn more, please get in touch with us today.