In the surface preparation industry, you will hear a lot of different terms including concrete polishing, concrete grinding, acid etching, and shot blasting. These are all ways of preparing a concrete surface for the desired coating, smoothness, or to get a new clean surface.
In this article, we will focus on the process of shot blasting. Keep reading below where we explain the fundamentals.
I like to think of shot blasting as something similar to power washing.
Power washing is a common way of cleaning and removing a thin top layer of a surface with the power of water. Shot blasting is similar to power washing but uses little steel pellets/shots instead of water to remove a surface. This is done by a machine that uses centrifugal force to propel the steel shots at a high velocity in a controlled pattern and direction. As the shots hit the surface the outer layers of that surface are removed.
You might think you will create a mess of steel shots all over the room/surface, however, these powerful shot blasting machines have a recovery system that not only keeps your floors clean of steel shots but also recovers those steel shots. The shots are fed back into the shot hopper to be re-shot as the machine continues to work. Shot blasters are also paired with a powerful vacuum that will recover the shots that are used up along with the debris that is created during the shot blasting process.
As mentioned there are other ways to prepare a surface. As with many things, there are benefits to each method. Here are some of the benefits of shot blasting:
- Will remove even the most stuck-on epoxy coatings, paint, and oil stains
- Incredibly efficient at removing the surface
- Shot blasters are available in many sizes that allow you to work at the pace needed for the job
- Requires minimal clean-up due to its self-contained processes
- They are great for outdoor parking lots and warehouse flooring
Conclusion
Shot blasting is a powerful and efficient method for concrete surface removal/preparation. It clears away even the toughest coatings like stains or paint. It will save you time due to its efficient self-contained processes and is available in a variety of sizes to help you get exactly what you need out of it for the job at hand.
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