If you have a surface that needs to be cleaned, profiled, or prepared to have a new coating laid down, you may be deciding what equipment will do the job right – a shot blaster or a floor grinder. We will walk you through some factors to consider to help you choose the right tool for the job.
Be sure to check out our video that shows you when and why to select a shot blaster for your next project, or keep reading to learn more.
What Is the Goal for Your Space?
Surface preparation can be broken into two categories – surface cleaning and profiling your concrete. If you have a surface that has old paint, dirt deposits, or a thinner epoxy coating, both a shot blaster or a floor grinder can take it up pretty easily. However, shot blasting can profile the concrete, opening it up more so a fresh coat of paint or epoxy will adhere to the surface. This saves time, reduces your labor cost, and still gets the job done right.
For surfaces that have thick, rubber or mastic coatings, a floor grinder may be the better option to clean the surface before breaking out the shot blaster to get a deeper profile. Trying to use a shot blaster on elastomeric coatings means the steel shot may bounce off the surface, rather than breaking it down.
Shot Blasters for Small Spaces
If you are working in a smaller space, shot blasting with an IMPACTS S210E is ideal – it is lighter in weight and easy to maneuver in small spaces like basements and storage rooms than most walk-behind floor grinders. Plus, with the In-Line Separation system, abrasive and dust are vacuumed up as you go, reusing the shot and cleaning up dust and debris. This saves you time in your surface preparation step so you can move on to painting or laying an epoxy coating rather than cleaning up slurry or thick dust from grinding.
Shot Blasting Works Faster on Most Surfaces
Like we mentioned earlier, shot blasting can help you kill two birds with one stone – cleaning and profiling at the same time. Additionally, shot blasting is an aggressive method of cleaning and profiling, and it can help you reach your goals quickly and efficiently.
Grinding is a more methodical way to remove coatings and create a smoother, more even surface. While it’s ideal when your goal is to create a low-profile or highly polished surface because you need that extra time to do it right, if that’s not your goal, it will take extra time for no reason.
Contact Us for Shot Blasters and Shot Blasting Accessories
If you want to add an efficient, powerful shot blaster to your equipment inventory or you need the best prices on steel shot and other shot blaster accessories, we can help! To learn more about our selection, find out which parts and accessories are right for you, and get the best possible price, speak with a product expert today by calling 815-472-9754.