Painting and Sandblasting

Painting is a familiar and time-tested way to coat a multitude of surfaces. Typically, painters ensure a surface is appropriately clean and apply a coat of primer, as needed, and then one or more layers of wet paint to achieve the desired look. While this process produces favorable outcomes in many situations, painted metal frequently yields mediocre, short-lived results.

Preparing metal surfaces with sandblasting followed by electrostatic painting, however, is a proven method for durable, long-lasting, attractive coatings. With this technique, metal parts or products first receive a pretreatment round of blown abrasive grit, glass beads, walnut shells, or other media to thoroughly grind away dirt, oil, rust, old paint, and other residues and contaminants. In addition to cleaning, sandblasting abrades the metal just enough to provide a surface ready for optimal paint adhesion. The cleaned metal is then prepared with a thin, even coating of zinc-based primer and a powder coating that is heat-cured. Finally, the desired color of paint is applied and heat-cured again to produce a fully bonded, durable, and resilient protective finish.

Coating metal by painting without sandblasting first often results in an initially attractive product that soon bubbles, flakes, and peels. A proper sandblasting treatment before painting offers dramatic improvements, such as:

• Better durability and longevity. Paint adheres best to a surface that is very clean and slightly rough, and sandblasting can achieve precisely these results, even in tight corners and other areas that would be challenging to prepare by hand. This preparation leads to a coating that thoroughly bonds with the part or product surface to offer lasting results.
• Protection. It would take many coats of paint to replicate the level of protection you achieve by coupling sandblasting with primer and a single paint layer. A quality paint job can safeguard vulnerable metal equipment from rust, corrosion, chemicals, solvents, abrasion, and other environmental hazards.
• Improved appearance. Sandblasting before painting removes uneven areas where leftover paint or rust has built up. It can also remove small burrs and surface flaws. A newly even, smooth, and clean surface will result in a much more attractive finished product.
• Safety. Sandblasting requires no chemicals or other hazardous materials to remove surface contaminants. Furthermore, the media used in sandblasting, typically glass beads, aluminum oxide, steel shot, walnut hulls, and others, are non-toxic.
• Reduced costs. Sandblasting before painting generates savings by preparing surfaces for a higher-quality, longer-lasting paint coating. Parts are unlikely to be rejected for poor quality, and the paint coating will last far longer than without sandblasting preparation.

Protecting valuable equipment and components from degradation or harsh environmental conditions is a vital element in improving their longevity. Combining a sandblasting pretreatment with industrial painting is a cost-effective and enduring solution. These processes help safeguard your equipment investment quickly and efficiently, and the experienced team at Northern Heat Treat is here to support your needs in this area.

Industrial painting and sandblasting from Northern Heat Treat will help you clean and preserve vulnerable components and equipment from rust while also enhancing their abrasion resistance and aesthetics. We utilize our fully functional sandblasting unit and paint booth, which is one of the largest in the region, to improve part life and durability by cutting down on general wear and tear. We can also assist in any overflow painting project from your in-house operations.

At Northern Heat Treat, our sandblasting and painting solutions are a cost-effective, long-lasting method of extending your equipment’s lifecycle and improving component performance. Contact us today to plan your next project with us.