Mobile Shot Blasting London

Shot Blasting, or Blast cleaning is a well-known and widely used method to efficiently clean away dirt, rust, graffiti, grime, or paint coatings as well as other forms of debris that can form on solid surfaces over time.

Whilst Shot Blasting ( also known as Sand Blasting) is an excellent way to clean and refurbish anything from industrial, commercial, and domestic buildings to cars and smaller individual items, certain types of shot blasting jobs require a mobile shot blasting team to complete the job.

Some things that need to be cleaned just can’t be moved to a shot blasting facility, which is why our London based mobile shot blasting team have the equipment and expertise needed to handle any job that requires the item being cleaned to be left in place. Whether it’s walls, girders, or just heavy items that can’t easily be moved, our mobile shot blasting team will be able to handle your project.

Shot Blasting uses high pressure compressed air to propel abrasive media at the target surface, making it an excellent method of removing paint and other coatings from a variety of substrates.

These include surfaces like brickwork, timber, steel, iron, wood, concrete, glass, fibreglass, and stone.

It is much more forgiving to rusty steel, body filler and fibreglass repairs which can be totally consumed by acid dipping so is ideal for areas of metal that may have had repairs in the past, such as bodywork.

Metal is one of the most popular materials to go through the shot blasting process. Due to most metals having a hard surface, shot blasting is able to clean or remove the top layer of material without causing any damage.

Concrete which is used in the building industry is another popular material to be shot blasted. A common use case for this is in the preparation of warehouse flooring, where the machined polish of a power floated floor is removed to provide a keyed surface for epoxy resin paint systems adhere to.

Any defect in the surface being blasted can easily be seen once the process has been carried out. The tiny pellets used can also smooth out any tiny surface defects ready for any further work. If a more serious defect is identified, then the shot blaster can be used to help level it out and then checked to see if it is not serious.

It is also suitable for providing a profile on surfaces like steel before painting to ensure the new coating adheres properly. Keying the surface via shot blasting allows coating systems to stick to the surface uniformly, creating a better final paint finish.

The term Sand Blasting being used today is more often than not actually referring to Shot Blasting. The actual practice of Sand Blasting, using actual sand, was stopped in the UK as far back as 1949.

Regardless, the practice of Shot Blasting is still widely known as Sand Blasting.

Sand Blasting has more or less been replaced by the term Shot Blasting, as a more up to date and accurate term. Sand created silica dust which was extremely hazardous when inhaled. Modern blasting medias are user friendly, eco-friendly and offer far less safety concerns.

In years gone by, sand used to be the go-to material for any abrasive blasting work, this was due to how readily available it was. Silica dust from the sand is a health hazard when inhaled, so it creates a big challenge when used in industry from a health and safety point.
Modern abrasives have been developed which far outperform sand and offer a wider range of uses in multiple industries. The safety benefits offered by these abrasives make them a more viable option within modern industry.

Effectively removing dirt, paint or rust from an object is often a very laborious job using manual removal methods. Shot blasting uses compressed air and a medium to remove these contaminants from a surface.

The method of shot blasting is much more forgiving on fibreglass and rusty metal surfaces. Harsher methods such as acid dipping can give devastating results on these types of surfaces.

All of the materials we use in the shot blasting process are environmentally friendly. Other popular methods of coating removal, for example acid dipping, are considerably detrimental to the environment.

Shot blasting eliminates the need for any harsh chemicals or cleaning agents. The media is blasted at the surface, abrading away any dirt, grime, coatings, or rust.

Intercity Contractors have over 25 years’ experience as a shot blasting and industrial coating specialist. We have established ourselves as London’s premier shot blasting and painting contractors.

Our London based team is capable of using a variety of different media to blast clean a range of objects or surfaces. Before we commence work on your project, our team will discuss all of your requirements with you so we can choose the best process.

Our qualified experts are always on hand to answer any questions you may have and advise where needed.

We boast an extensive portfolio of successful works carried out for the likes of major London borough councils, television studios, Listed Building restoration projects and much more.