What Materials Can Abrasive Blasting Remove?

Abrasive blasting cleans and prepares surfaces for painting or coating by propelling abrasive media with compressed air. It can remove:

• Coatings such as paint, powder coating, Cerakote, epoxy, and adhesives.
• Corrosion and metal surface contaminants, such as rust and mill scale.
• Surface contaminants, such as dirt, mold, mildew, and fire damage residues.

Sandblasting is the common name for the process, but silica sand itself should not be used as a blast abrasive; OSHA’s respirable crystalline silica rule applies to it.

Different types of abrasive blasting, such as sandblasting, wet blasting, and shot blasting, work with various abrasives. The wrong approach can fail to meet standards, such as the SSPC Surface Preparation (SP) standards (SSPC is now part of AMPP) and ISO 8501-1, causing coating failure or rework. SSPC grades have approximate ISO 8501-1 equivalents: SP 10 is roughly Sa 2½ and SP 5 is roughly Sa 3. Knowing what abrasive blasting can remove, and to what standard, is the first step in protecting the substrate.

Materials Overview: What Abrasive Blasting Can Remove

The table below covers materials sandblasting can remove, plus their recommended media, substrate cautions, and examples of applicable standards.

What Abrasive Blasting Removes, Material by Material

Abrasive blasting removes surface contamination while roughening the substrate, following a defined surface preparation standard for cleanliness and surface profile.

1. Rust

Rust is iron oxide that forms during corrosion, which undermines coating adhesion and the metal’s structural integrity. Abrasive blasting removes this corrosion as part of surface preparation before painting. It also textures the surface to prepare it for a new coating. The process can remove rust typically to a near-white metal grade of SP 10 or white metal grade of SP 5, which correspond to ISO 8501-1 Sa 2½ and Sa 3.

Rust can be removed with sandblasting far faster when the abrasive and pressure match the job. In one documented rust removal job, a 50-lb bag of copper slag cleared only 5 square feet in 2 minutes and 43 seconds, while 50 lb of KinetiX 20/70 finished the rest of the tank in 10 minutes and 8 seconds, for a 33% lower job cost.

2. Mill Scale

Mill scale is a layer of iron oxides, mainly magnetite, that forms on hot-rolled steel. It is cathodic to the steel beneath it, so coating over it leads to underfilm corrosion and delamination as the scale detaches. Sandblasting mill scales typically occurs before welding or painting, often to meet:

• SSPC-SP 5, the White Metal Blast Cleaning standard.
• SSPC-SP 6, the Commercial Blast Cleaning standard.
• SSPC-SP 10, the Near-White Metal Blast Cleaning standard.
• ISO 8501-1, the standard used to prepare steel substrates for painting or other coating methods.

3. Paint

Removing paint is essential for maintenance, recoating, and inspection. Abrasive blasting strips paint without scraping or chemical strippers, typically to meet SP 6 or SP 10 standards. Thin substrates call for lower pressure.

For lead-based paint, typical for older structures, you usually must follow containment processes and worker protection under OSHA rules. You may need to physically enclose the abrasive blasting work area to capture dust and debris and satisfy the requirement.

4. Varnish or Lacquer

Varnish and lacquer are among the materials sandblasting can remove at lower pressure. These thin protective finishes behave like other coatings: abrasive blasting lifts them to expose and prepare the substrate for a new finish. Since varnish and lacquer often coat soft substrates, such as wood or trim, lower pressure works best. Match the cleanliness grade to the finish that follows.

5. Powder Coating

Powder coating is an electrostatically applied polymer powder cured into a hard film. Although durable, this coat chips and wears over time. Abrasive blasting removes powder coating to give the next coat a clean surface. The process can achieve an SP 5 finish, leaving clean, bare metal. Depending on your specific job, you may also need SP 16 (Brush-Off Blast Cleaning of Coated and Uncoated Galvanized Steel, Stainless Steels, and Non-Ferrous Metals) or SP 17 (Thorough Abrasive Blast Cleaning of Non-Ferrous Metals).

Nonferrous metals, such as aluminum or magnesium, can’t tolerate free-iron contamination. Use non-metallic media when preparing these substrates.

6. Cerakote

Cerakote is a ceramic-based coating that protects surfaces against wear and corrosion. It can be difficult to remove, since heat-based methods risk damaging parts. Sandblasting removes Cerakote effectively, and it also prepares the surface for the next coat. Two different goals are in play, and pressure is the lever for both.

For preparing a surface to receive Cerakote, pressure is set by the substrate so the blast leaves the profile the coating needs without damaging the part:

• 40 to 60 psi for soft metals, such as aluminum and brass.
• 80 to 100 psi for hard metals, such as steel and titanium.
• 30 to 40 psi for composites, such as plastics and fiberglass.

For stripping cured Cerakote, higher pressure removes the coating faster. The trade-off is profile depth: the same pressure that speeds the strip also cuts a deeper profile into the substrate, so strip pressure has to be balanced against the profile the next coating calls for. Strip at the pressure that clears the coating, then check the profile before recoating. EpiX MP is an officially approved blasting media for Cerakote applications.

The same standards from powder coating apply to Cerakote: SP 5 for carbon steel, SP 16 or SP 17 for non-ferrous metals.

7. Epoxy

Epoxy is a thermoset polymer with strong adhesion and chemical resistance, making it hard to strip. Abrasive blasting strips epoxy to an SP 5 or SP 10 finish without leaving embedded abrasive that can undermine the next coating. Angle the stream under the edge where epoxy meets the metal to speed removal.

8. Adhesives

Adhesive residue is another of the materials sandblasting removes, leaving a clean surface that will bond. The same angled-stream technique used for epoxy applies, which can result in an SP 5 outcome. Gentler, lower-hardness media are typically used for delicate, heat-sensitive substrates. Harder materials are often reserved for tougher, industrial adhesives.

9. Surface Contaminants

Abrasive blasting can remove dirt, mold, and mildew. Oil and grease must come off first with SP 1 solvent cleaning, because blasting spreads them across the surface. Every SSPC blast standard assumes SP 1 has already been done. Since mold and mildew involve biological growth, you still need to address the underlying moisture source after cleaning the substrates.

10. Fire Damage Residues

Fire damage leaves embedded soot, char, and smoke residue on metal, wood, and concrete. Abrasive blasting restores these surfaces to a clean, paintable state when contamination is too heavy for standard cleaning. Matching the abrasive to the substrate helps prevent unnecessary damage during cleanup. When blasting fire damage residues, ANSI/IICRC S700 is the standard to consider.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about abrasive blasting with these answers to FAQs:

Get Effective Abrasive Blasting Materials From 10X Engineered Materials

10X Engineered Materials makes Superoxalloy abrasives: an engineered alloy of oxide minerals, produced from a byproduct of mineral wool insulation manufacturing through controlled formulation and tempering. Mineral wool dust is biosoluble and is classified by IARC as Group 3, not classifiable as carcinogenic to humans, and Superoxalloy abrasives create a low-dust work environment. The research behind those statements is cited on our safety page.

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