Soda Blasting

Soda Blast Cleaning

Soda blasting is a revolutionary cleaning technology that is not only extremely safe, quick to carry out and cost-effective, but is also environmentally friendly. Therefore this non-destructive cleaning process is fast becoming the preferred method for cleaning and stripping unwanted pollutants and contaminates from an array of surfaces such as timber, metals, structural concrete and all stone and masonry.

How does soda blasting work?

It’s very simple. It uses specially formulated granules of natural bicarbonate of soda, and blasts of controlled volumes of compressed air. The bicarbonate particles explode or crush on contact with the surface, and this non-abrasive action allows it to lift away any contaminates from a surface. It can quickly and safely remove years of built up pollutants, residues and unwanted coatings from virtually any surface. Soda blast cleaning can be used for both interior and exterior building cleaning, historical buildings and in industrial engineering to clean components without damage or water. This system can be used wet or dry to ensure the most versatile approach to every project. Soda blast cleaning can strip paint and remove just about any unwanted surface coating. It will clean sensitive stone and all masonry and remove graffiti without causing damage to the host surface.

Blasting soda is an extremely soft media with about the same hardness as talcum powder (2.4 on Moh’s hardness scale) and will therefore not cause damage to harder surfaces.

It is used in historic property restoration to clean and remove unwanted surface deposits from:

·         Stone including sandstone, limestone, York stone, Portland stone, slate, marble cleaning, terrazzo and granite

·         Flagstone flooring & path ways

·         Cast iron, bronze and statues or monuments

·         Fountains and ornamental sculptures

·         Ceramics and glazed tiles

·         Glass and stained glass

·         All ferrous & non-ferrous metals including anodised aluminium, stainless steel, brass, copper and bronze

·         Plastics & nylon components

·         Rubber & neoprene

·         GRP, fibre glass & plastic coatings 

For more about this amazing cleaning technology go to www.aptsodablasting.co.uk

Tim Donovan – Managing Director for Horan Construction Ltd – Tenby Boat House Project

“APT were very instrumental in helping us solve a major problem. We really couldn’t see a way out of our situation without spending thousands and using a lot of resources, until Andrew came onto site and offered some very practical advice not only about Soda Blasting but other aspects of the job. We saved time, money and got the finish we wanted with the added benefit of it being environmentally friendly, so we kept the planners happy too! Really happy to work with a professional team and thank you.”


CASE STUDIES

Product links - Category of work soda blasting

Name and Location of Project - Barclays Bank Bridgend

Client details - Overbury plc

Location – Bridgend

Nature of the project- Task

To carry out various works on the bank as part of the refurbishment programme, carrying out the sensitive stone cleaning to remove pollution and surface build up to the exterior of the front elevation without damaging natural Portland stone face and the terrazzo detailed columns.

Remove exterior street accessed night safe and replace with new special stone matching pieces.

Remove and adjust existing oak framed window above the ex-night safe to match corresponding windows.

Repair lime plaster-work - ornate to internal surfaces and make up and install new carpentry to the ground floor to match previous material.

The suggested improvements

To use soda blast method cleaning using a Vortex II nozzle n03 at low pressure 3-4 bar to remove natural skin covering and dark ingrained pollution.

To enhance visual appearance, refit new stonework to match existing, break out and splice in new oak pieces to window frames and surround.  

What We Did

We carried out a survey with the Overbury project manager at short made several recommendations to save costs of the refurbishment as described above sourcing local supplies of materials

Task

It was a busy centre of town location so had to liaise with site manager the best site management to ensure safety to pedestrian and other contractors.

We carried out a sample of the soda blasting and the client approved the finish. We then carried out the works outside of opening hours starting with the outside facade soda blast cleaning.

We arranged the internal works to correspond with the delivery of the specialist materials and the client’s very short works programme and the removal and installation of the secured night safe.

Client Testimonial

I would like to thank APT for their excellent work and assistance on the Barclays project, they delivered the project and additional works on time and without issue. I would like to thank Andrew and his team for all the extra effort they went to. I look forward to using them on future renovations.

Graham Lowe    

Project Manager, Overbury

Other comments.

There were obstacles regarding constant movement other contractors to be considered these were overcome by implementing a detailed but flexible approach.