Anyone used a mobile sandblasting firm?
Discussion
Evening folks
We are lucky enough to have a roof terrace which is accessed via what is essentially a metal fire escape. The terrace is mid 70s so expect these are a similar age.
They are a getting quite crusty and I am considering getting someone in to sandblast them before properly priming and painting them.
Has anyone used a mobile firm and if so was it cost effective?
We are lucky enough to have a roof terrace which is accessed via what is essentially a metal fire escape. The terrace is mid 70s so expect these are a similar age.
They are a getting quite crusty and I am considering getting someone in to sandblast them before properly priming and painting them.
Has anyone used a mobile firm and if so was it cost effective?
I've no experience but Nilfisk do a sandblasting attachment for my pressure washer, not sure if other manufacturers do them? You stick one and into a bag of suitable sand and the other end onto the pressure washer lance, so the sand is blasted out with the water. Would a new pressure washer and attachment work out cheaper?
The Gauge said:
I've no experience but Nilfisk do a sandblasting attachment for my pressure washer, not sure if other manufacturers do them? You stick one and into a bag of suitable sand and the other end onto the pressure washer lance, so the sand is blasted out with the water. Would a new pressure washer and attachment work out cheaper?
Never heard of that but that's something to research thanks! I do happen to have a nilfisk already.....Kwackersaki said:
Sandblasting could be very messy. Why not look at ice blasting? The only residue is water.
Don't forget the rust and paint chips. I'd not want blasting anywhere near my home if it could be avoided, the residue gets in everything; if the metal work can be cut off, ideally flanges welded on so it can be reattached with bolts, then taken to be blasted and galvanised I'd do that every day of the week.hidetheelephants said:
Kwackersaki said:
Sandblasting could be very messy. Why not look at ice blasting? The only residue is water.
Don't forget the rust and paint chips. I'd not want blasting anywhere near my home if it could be avoided, the residue gets in everything; if the metal work can be cut off, ideally flanges welded on so it can be reattached with bolts, then taken to be blasted and galvanised I'd do that every day of the week.I've recently had timber beams sand blasted in a number of properties and some metalwork done in the building I'm converting to a home office: it comes up really well and far quicker than trying to do it manually but, as others have said, it is very messy. The blasting firm I use does a pretty good job sweeping up, but no idea how they'd do it outdoors.
However you remove the paint, when I had the metalwork done, be ready to get it re-coated asap. Light surface rust can become apparent in days.
However you remove the paint, when I had the metalwork done, be ready to get it re-coated asap. Light surface rust can become apparent in days.
Sand blasting is just that - done on the cheap with sand and future silicosis for the operators, dust everywhere, annoyed neighbours.
I have an ice / Co2 blaster at work, better than sand/media blasting but that paint and rust that’s currently on the staircase will go somewhere! Also very noisy, neighbours are still going to be pissed off.
I would either remove it as mentioned above and have it done offsite or roughly remove the loose rust in situ then spray some Fertan on the remaining rust to convert it. Overcoat in Jotun - Jotamastic 87W
I have an ice / Co2 blaster at work, better than sand/media blasting but that paint and rust that’s currently on the staircase will go somewhere! Also very noisy, neighbours are still going to be pissed off.
I would either remove it as mentioned above and have it done offsite or roughly remove the loose rust in situ then spray some Fertan on the remaining rust to convert it. Overcoat in Jotun - Jotamastic 87W
hidetheelephants said:
Kwackersaki said:
Sandblasting could be very messy. Why not look at ice blasting? The only residue is water.
Don't forget the rust and paint chips. I'd not want blasting anywhere near my home if it could be avoided, the residue gets in everything; if the metal work can be cut off, ideally flanges welded on so it can be reattached with bolts, then taken to be blasted and galvanised I'd do that every day of the week.I've seen various media blasting done, there are good mobile firms, it's used to take the paint and rust off yacht keels for instance.
It's messy.
But once you've blasted it then what?
You want it galvanised, and/or some serious coating applied properly. Painting it outdoors will be a bodge.
Is it easily removable or welded in? If the former, having it taken away and acid dipped/galvanised would be a more thorough job.
ETA may not be feasible if communal staircase and no fire escape. If it’s solely your own, don’t have a house fire while it’s gone!
ETA may not be feasible if communal staircase and no fire escape. If it’s solely your own, don’t have a house fire while it’s gone!
Edited by wolfracesonic on Monday 5th October 12:31
hidetheelephants said:
Is there anyone doing it commercially in the UK yet? It still generates a lot of dust, although it doesn't aerosolise it as much; I would think the cost would be eyewatering.
Certainly someone doing it commercially here in the North of Scotland (so almost certainly will be others in more civilised parts) although I'm not sure about a mobile service.I got a quote to clean up the underside of my pickup and it was surprisingly reasonable.
Thanks for all the further replies, some really helpful bits to consider.
I think you have put me off sandblasting, to be fair I hadn't considered how much mess it'll make.
Interesting suggestion to remove the stairs and acid dip/ galvanise. I had no idea you could galvanise old metalwork. The stairs are bolted in place but god knows how well they would come out?!
Cost wise I can't imagine it would be drastically different doing this to just replacing them in a few years?
Certainly food for thought. The hired needle gun may be an option. I was going to treat with buzzweld or similar as soon as I got the worst of the rust off.
I think you have put me off sandblasting, to be fair I hadn't considered how much mess it'll make.
Interesting suggestion to remove the stairs and acid dip/ galvanise. I had no idea you could galvanise old metalwork. The stairs are bolted in place but god knows how well they would come out?!
Cost wise I can't imagine it would be drastically different doing this to just replacing them in a few years?
Certainly food for thought. The hired needle gun may be an option. I was going to treat with buzzweld or similar as soon as I got the worst of the rust off.
It's fine galvanising old steelwork as long as you're happy with the rust pitting aesthetically and the wastage isn't enough to weaken it, which it doesn't look like from the pictures. Given inflation I'd expect prices are well up since I last got any done, probably something like £2 per kg these days. You may need to factor in the cost of a fabricator welding on mounting flanges(Looking at the pics again the steps are bolted on, but it's not clear if the hand rail is bolted or not), but fabricators generally have accounts with galvanisers and should be able to get you a decent price for that.
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