Why choose water jet blasting vs. abrasive blasting, or vice versa? Here’s a look at these cleaning methods.
Surface preparation is the removal of debris and films that will interfere with the ability for new coatings to adhere to the object’s surface. This type of cleaning service comes in multiple forms; companies and municipalities can mainly choose between or use both water jet blasting and abrasive blasting. What are the characteristics of each of these cleaning methods, and which meets your needs?
Water Jet Blasting
Water jet blasting uses clean, chlorine-free water to remove loose and stuck-on debris from surfaces. It also removes coatings such as paint, salt, rust, and much more. Water jet blasting machine specialists can fine-tune the water pressure up to 40,000 psi to prepare the surface for new coating systems without penetrating the original surface.
Abrasive Blasting
Abrasive blasting uses sand, grit, garnet, and other highly abrasive materials to remove debris and in some cases remove the surface’s ingrained imperfections. Pressurized air typically blasts the abrasive media at the surface, but sometimes pressurized water is also used. Milder abrasive media include glass or plastic beads and ground-up walnut shells and corn cobs.
Water Jet Blasting vs. Abrasive Blasting
Water jet blasting has plenty of benefits and little to no disadvantages. It is environmentally friendly, producing no waste and not risking any breathing hazards for workers. Water jet blasting also has significantly lower operational costs; only the equipment costs more. Perhaps the only downside of water jet blasting is that it can achieve a near-white metal finish but not necessarily a true white metal finish.
Abrasive blasting can guarantee a surface to which new coating systems can bond. It will create the surface profile necessary for the strongest bond. It can also give that white metal finish, which removes the topmost layer of the material. The concerns that come with abrasive blasting are the potential respiratory risks it poses, the operational cost, and the integrity of the material after the original surface is removed.
Water jet blasting and abrasive blasting can serve the same or slightly different purposes or be used together to create the surface desired. Either way, Jet Blast Inc. is happy to provide professional water jet blasting service.
Contact Jet Blast Inc. Today!
Jet Blast® Industrial Services strives every day in an effort to provide our customers with the best service and equipment possible. Providing a safe and stable workplace has allowed us to keep a team of quality people with most having a tenure of 15 – 25 years with Jet Blast®. With all that experience under one roof, we have been able to provide reliable 24-hour service since 1979. I believe this helps to set us apart from the competition.
Compare us! Let us make your job easier. If you’re located in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Northern Virginia, or Washington, D.C., contact us by email at [email protected], call us at 410-636-0730, or fax us at 410-789-3907, and don’t forget to keep in touch with us on Facebook!