Preparing steel and other surfaces for new coatings often calls for abrasive blasting first, to remove previous paint, mill scale, rust, or contaminants. Adequate surface preparation is necessary to prevent about 75% of coating failures.  Abrasive blasting uses a controlled flow of abrasives mixed with compressed air delivered to the surface of the substrate, to clean the surface and leave a profile. The type of abrasive used varies with the job but can be sand, sand substitute, steel grit, garnet, and others.

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The profile is the angular roughness of the surface which coatings can grab onto.  In general, the greater the surface profile (the peaks and valleys of the micro-indentions in the substrate) the better the coating will adhere to it.  Following the recommended industry standards for the surface profile of the substrate and the coating system gives the best chance for a successful paint job.

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Abrasive blasting combines a pressurized stream of air with an abrasive, which is propelled onto the surface of steel to remove paint, rust, and contaminants.  Abrasive blasting can also be used on concrete to remove discoloration and other marks, and on brick and masonry to clean it.

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G.E.N.T.S' Enterprises has trained technicians who will blast to customer specifications as established by SSPC and NACE.  Our Protective Coatings Specialists (PCS) are experts at helping select the best combination of blast specification and coating system for your project.