Sandblasting with a pressure washer – is that possible?
If you already have a pressure washer in your garage, you can also use it for sandblasting. You can read here what effect can be achieved with it, what accessories are necessary and what else you need to pay attention to.
The effect of sandblasting with a pressure washer
Basically, only wet blasting is possible with a pressure washer. This means that the abrasive is added to the water in this case. This means that the effect is of course much weaker than with dry blasting.
In many cases, it is doubtful whether it is possible to remove rust from surfaces in this way. However, in some cases it is worth a try. In any case, even very stubborn dirt can be removed in this way.
In some cases, it may be worthwhile to purchase a pressure washer if you use it frequently anyway.
Sandblasting attachments
Most brand-name manufacturers offer attachments for many of their pressure washers that can also be used for wet sandblasting. These attachments are technically relatively simple, usually consisting of a screw-on attachment and a hose for the abrasive.
The price of such attachments from brand manufacturers is usually in the range of around 70 – 100£, but some manufacturers also offer them at a lower price.
More on the topic: Best Pressure Washer Sandblasting Kits
Standardised blasting material
However, you should bear in mind that not every blasting material is really suitable for use with a pressure washer. Many manufacturers offer their own blasting material, which usually has a special grain size and is only available in certain materials.
Blast furnace slag is particularly widespread because of its highly abrasive effect. In connection with the high-pressure cleaner, grit sizes of 0.2 to 0.8 mm are usually used, often mixed to achieve better abrasion.
It should be borne in mind that the abrasive cannot usually be reused, and without the use of blasting cabins the consumption can be very high.
Some manufacturers offer very expensive blasting material – often a 25 kg bag costs £30 or even more. So you should consider in advance where you want to use high-pressure blasting and whether dry ice cleaning by a service provider is not much more efficient and cheaper. Moreover, dry ice cleaning also saves the cost of removing the contaminated water.
