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How to Sand Epoxy With Silica

Sandblasting is a challenge and difficult to do at home. It requires the use of several large pieces of equipment and a large work area. It is possible to rent the equipment for a reasonable price and set up a temporary sandblasting pit, but the process is messy and takes time. Sandblasting is not often used with epoxy surfaces, but with the use of silica glass particles, it is possible to sandblast epoxy to remove exterior coatings, paint or other materials from the surface. You can also use a sandblaster to completely blast away epoxy from a surface when using larger particles of silica and a higher blasting pressure.

Things You'll Need

Plastic tarps
Duct tape
Sawhorses (optional)
Sandblaster with 3-mm nozzle
Silica with 0.2-mm particles
Respirator mask
Welding hood
Welding goggles
Long sleeve shirt
Thick pants
Sturdy shoes
Fine grit sandpaper

Instructions

- 1
  Create a small sandblasting room outdoors in a driveway or other sheltered area. Create an enclosed box with tarps about 4 feet high and at least 2 feet wider than the largest size of your epoxy item. Use duct tape to hang the tarps to the side of buildings or over sawhorses.
- 2
  Fill the sandblaster with silica particles. Set the PSI (pounds per square inch) to between 80 and 100.
- 3
  Put on a respirator mask, welding hood, welding goggles and thick, long sleeved clothing. Wear sturdy shoes.
- 4
  Place the epoxy item in the center of the sandblasting pit. Spray the item evenly with the silica to remove any dirt, paint or other coating from the surface. Move the nozzle back and forth continuously, to avoid blasting a hole into a specific area of the epoxy. Never spray one area more than 10 seconds at a time.
- 5
  Continue spraying the epoxy until all desired coatings and paint are removed. You can also spray the epoxy at a higher PSI to blast it away completely, revealing a different material underneath, such as metal.
- 6
  Dip some sandpaper in water. Rub the sandpaper over the epoxy to remove any pits left by the sandblasting process and to give the epoxy a smooth appearance.

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