The Los Angeles based sandblasting company takes a step forward to pledge commitment to the commercial and industrial projects in the broad area, but not residential jobs.
“As a professional sandblasting company,” explained Mark Hawkins, the company’s CEO. “We have both the experience and the equipment required to take up residential projects too. But our hands are tied. Residential areas are nothing like commercial and industrial areas, which are usually found in remote places and the premises are quite large and secluded. There are quite a few restrictions in residential communities, with air and noise pollution found at the top of the list.”
Sandblasting is a method of cleaning surfaces – often prep them for painting or powder coating. Most surfaces in commercial and industrial facilities are exposed to very harsh conditions and are subject to weathering. Metal tanks, architectural concrete surfaces, brick walls and other materials become filthy or the paints, graffiti, and all sorts of contaminants cannot be effectively removed unless they are sandblasted.
Sandblasting businesses use different abrasive materials and the required force to remove dirt or old paints and leave the surface clean. Also, to make surfaces as smooth or as rough as required for the following project.
“The whole point of sandblasting services is to have hard surfaces prepared for a project or leave them spotless. And this method is used when other methods are not efficient. To do that, we use special sandblasting equipment and machines, and set the speed, the time needed, the pressure required to achieve the expected results, based on the surface’s condition and the material. You can understand that this process comes with some substantial noise. It also creates some dust particles, which when contained in the constrained commercial premises won’t affect the environment. We cannot say the same for residential areas. That’s the main consideration.”
Sandblasting is also known as abrasive blasting since sand is quite archaic and hardly used any more due to the extended environmental pollution created when sand is broken into tiny particles. The most common abrasive materials used these days include aluminum oxide, glass beads, plastics, silicon carbide and other fine, similar materials, while the companies use appropriate gear and take the necessary measures for environmental control.
“We are a mobile sandblasting company,” said Hawkins. “This means that we go to the customer. This makes absolute sense if you consider that some of the surfaces we are asked to sandblast cannot be moved. And so, there is no controlled sandblasting facility where we could serve residential customers too. Besides most calls we get from residents is about sandblasting concrete or stucco walls – that’s an example. Naturally, we need to go to them and not the other way around.”
Hawkins explains that the company takes all precautions required and complies with all regulations and guidelines, but still serving residential communities is not possible.
“We understand that when homeowners need to clean or prep some durable surfaces and all other cleaning and surface preparation methods have failed to do so effectively, their next thought is to find companies that sandblast. Who wouldn’t think that finding a company that specializes in sandblasting near me would solve my problem without further ado? Unfortunately, we cannot help for environmental reasons alone. Surely, we use the most advanced control techniques, anything from vacuum blasters and water curtains to drapes and all sorts of methods to confine air pollution, but we cannot do that in residential areas. Plus, it’s the noise. Don’t forget the noise pollution.”
The company continues to serve industrial and commercial customers using the latest techniques of sandblasting and the best anti-pollution methods to efficiently clean and prep brick, stucco, metal, wood and other hard surfaces, or even engrave signs and designs when needed.
