Rust is an iron oxide formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen with the catalytic presence of water or moisture. This reaction will break down and eventually cause failure over time if not treated and removed. The majority of these cases call for sandblasting and then the proper application of a refinishing coat.
Sandblasting rust consists of using a media substrate such as glass, sand, garnet, walnut shell, or alternative to strip the layer of rust and remaining failed coating in order to expose the raw steel once again. If removed correctly and to spec per project, this layer of rust will be completely eliminated, essentially leaving a “like new” surface. With our mobile sandblasting machine, we can meet any mil specs and profiles consistent with any coating application that follows or our client’s desires.
Mountain Media provides two types of sandblasting services: dry blast and wet. Wet blasting or dustless blasting utilizes shooting high PSI water along with the medium. This process enables us to minimize the dust cloud when we are on the blasting project. Typical uses for this are brick or concrete building restoration projects, marine ship hulls, and many more where containment is key. Sandblasting materials shot dry can travel to unwanted areas such as neighboring water or buildings. This process can mitigate the environmental risks that may be associated with the job and sometimes bring down containment costs on projects.
Dry blasting is the same process except the water is removed. Dry blasting is used on surfaces where water can be damaging to the surface. Log home restoration and most steel applications where flash rust could occur are almost never shot wet. However, if a surface such as steel requires wet abrasive blasting due to containment, we add a chemical compound that will deter flash rust for up to 48 hours. This window gives us time to properly prime the surface, cutting anything from light to heavy rust off dead in its tracks. Rust removal via sand or media blasting has been essential to many industries since its creation in 1870 by Benjamin Tilghman. The process originally designed to sharpen files and etch into glass quickly evolved into one of the world’s most valuable industries. From sandblasting stainless steel to etching gravestones. The wide array of industries that rely on sandblasting techniques is always expanding. Our expertise and mobility make our reach stretch way beyond the typical confines of a normal operation. We have teamed up with many sandblasting companies to provide top of the line equipment, safety gear, and bidding processes with our clientele.