Marine Equipment Protection and Preparation: Choosing the Right Abrasive for Blasting

Abrasive blasting (also commonly referred to as sandblasting) is a highly effective method of removing old paint, rust, dirt, and mill scale from marine equipment. It’s ideal for improving the coating life and getting rid of rust and other contaminants on ballast tanks, lube oil tanks, sumps, vessels, and drill ships. Currently, there are a number of different types abrasives used in blasting. Choosing the right material (abrasive) used for blasting is essential to providing your marine equipment with the best care and protection for the future. Here’s what you should know about some popular types of abrasive materials to help you find the solution that fits the needs of your equipment:

GARNET

Not just a gemstone found in jewelry, garnet is also used as an abrasive. It’s fast, effective, and produces relatively little dust in comparison to other options. It’s great for heavy-duty jobs that involve getting rid of tough coats and stubborn rust. Garnet is an excellent choice for a variety of jobs and is suited for use on concrete, steel, aluminum, asphalt, and brick. Its price tag is a bit higher than a few other abrasive options, however.

COAL SLAG

If you’re looking for an abrasive that gets the job done for a lower price, consider coal slag. You’ll also be doing the environment a favor if you opt for this abrasive. It’s a by-product from power plants that would otherwise end up as waste. It’s not ideal for wet abrasive blasting, so it’s not right for every job, but it’s quite decent for use on steel and concrete.

CRUSHED GLASS

Able to produce a cleaner finish than many other abrasives, crushed glass is a relatively low-cost and attractive option, particularly for use on concrete. It can also be used on steel, aluminum, asphalt, fiberglass, and brick, but other abrasives are often better choices for these surfaces.

WALNUT

This is one of the pricier abrasives but has become quite popular in recent years for use on motors and engines specifically. It doesn’t create anchor patterns and is tough against oil, grease, dirt, and paint. It’s also one of the eco-friendliest abrasives and generally creates less dust and waste.

MINERAL SANDS

Low dust and a middle-of-the-road price tag make mineral sands like staurolite and olivine viable to consider for the needs of your equipment. Rust and old coatings are no match for mineral sands.

PLASTIC

Great for use on aluminum, fiberglass, and other plastics, this is a gentle abrasive. It’s great for mold and paint removal on certain surfaces but isn’t usually forceful enough for steel, concrete, or asphalt. It’s also quite a bit more expensive than bargain abrasives like coal slag.

BAKING SODA

When baking soda is used as an abrasive, it’s often called “soda blasting.” It’s a fairly new type of abrasive, and some don’t even consider it an abrasive because it’s so gentle. It works well on plastics, wood, glass, and chrome and can help remove mold.

Abrasive blasting has come a long way over the past several decades, and the reputation it has for being harmful to the environment or to workers is changing as well. The abrasives mentioned above are considerably safer and better for the environment than older options like silica sand, which has been linked to the lung condition, silicosis. With a variety of abrasives on the current market, you can factor in things like dust production, price, efficiency for particular materials, and overall strength to find a solution for your equipment that helps you protect it and extend its life.

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