Choosing an aluminum oxide blasting grit for removing bedliner
What is Bedliner?
Truck bedliner or simply Bedliner is a protector applied or installed into a truck bed. They can be used to protect the bed of the truck from impact and abbrasive damage. There are two broad classifications of bedliners: “Drop-in” and “Spray-on/in”. “Drop-in ” bedliners are installed into a truck bed with limited preparation work, and are removable for cleaning. Spray-in bedliners require specific preparation to allow the coating to adhere correctly to the bed. How well the coating adheres will determine how long it will last.
Over time, spray-in bed liner can chip, crack, bubble, or fade. When this happens, the bed liner needs to be removed and replaced. This process is typically not easy, requiring a lot of time and hard work, but blast abrasives can make the job easier. One such abrasive is aluminum oxide. But, as you will see, aluminum oxide is not the best blast abrasive to remove bedliner.
What is abrasive blasting?
Abrasive blasting is the process of ejecting abrasive particles from a nozzle onto a surface to remove layers of corrosion or coating. This is often done to remove paint, rust, or other coatings and can be done with a few different types of abrasive media.
Media choices for abrasives include glass beads, sand, crushed walnut shells, garnet, and aluminum oxide. Aluminum oxide is regarded as one of the strongest and most durable types of abrasive media, but it has significant downsides in terms of safety and is not the fastest or most efficient option.
Aluminum Oxide alternatives for removing bedliner
10X Engineered Materials has created a new superoxalloy blast abrasive that surpasses the leading alternatives, including aluminum oxide. The KinetiX and EpiX lines of abrasives will remove the bed liner efficiently and effectively, without damaging the substrate or leaving embedded particles.
These new abrasives are able to get the job done in one blasting session instead of multiple sessions. They are also virtually dust-free and are able to be reused many times. Additionally, 10X abrasives are cleaner than the alternatives without any free silica, beryllium, heavy metals, or crystalline structures, making them safer for both people and the environment.
Currently, KinetiX and EpiX are available from abrasive distributors around the US. If you don’t see a distributor near you, contact 10X and we will work with you to get you what you need. EpiX abrasive, which is best for precision applications such as powder coating and medical applications, is also available to purchase directly from the 10X Engineered Materials website.