What Is Hydroblasting, Anyway?
Using pressurized water to clean and prepare your concrete surface is a highly efficient option.
Key Takeaways:
- Hydroblasting utilizes highly pressurized water to clean concrete
- This process can remove coatings and damaged concrete pieces
- You can use a hydroblaster in an occupied space because the system removes debris immediately
- Your technician can then complete the concrete restoration process
Proper surface preparation is essential to maximizing your concrete floor’s lifespan. This preparation ensures that a sealer will bond with the surface and protect it indefinitely while removing damaged concrete and aiding the restoration process.
Hydroblasting is a highly efficient surface preparation your technician might use from time to time, depending on the project. This method does an excellent job of cleaning the concrete and removing the old sealer before applying a new one.
As the name suggests, hydroblasting uses water to remove debris from the surface, but there’s a lot more to it than that. What is hydroblasting? Here’s the answer, plus some valuable information on how this surface preparation technique can help keep your concrete looking great.
What hydroblasting does
Hydroblasting uses a pressurized water stream to clean your concrete surface. It fires water at a pressure of up to 42,000 PSI, removing dirt, debris, and previous coatings from concrete floors in various settings.
These water streams can also remove weak concrete without generating any dust or vibrations that could do further damage. You can then repair the spots where the concrete washed away before applying a sealer and getting many more years from your concrete floor.
Hydroblasting is also a preferred preparation method when a business owner desires minimal disruptions because it doesn’t create dust.
What is a hydroblaster?
The hydroblasting process is completed using a piece of equipment called a hydroblaster. This equipment can take many forms, but it’s essentially a pressure washer that operates as a closed system.
The gist is that your technician will run the hydroblaster over your floor and shoot pressurized water jets at the concrete surface. This water has enough force to remove nearly anything on the surface, including contaminants like oil and salt.
However, the water doesn’t penetrate the concrete or leave it wet because it has a vacuum system to remove the moisture immediately. Therefore, you won’t have to worry about water damage to your slab because the system eliminates the liquid before it can soak into the concrete.
Using water is also beneficial because it cuts down on the dust the surface preparation process creates. The result is a cleaner job that leaves the concrete ready for the next steps quickly and efficiently.
Hydroblasting to clean a surface
Many building owners will seek a hydroblast technician to clean their floors. These floors could be covered by chemicals, oil, grease, or wax, making the cleanup process challenging. Some parts of the surface could also be difficult to reach with a traditional cleaning method.
Hydroblasting does an excellent job of removing these contaminants through sheer force. The pressurized water can also get into crevices and cracks that other surface preparation methods cannot, allowing for more thorough cleaning in some situations.
Removing coatings with a hydroblaster
Another way you can use hydroblasting is to remove surface coatings. It’s possible to grind these coatings off, too, but hydroblasting might be the preferred method if you don’t want to close your business down during the surface preparation process.
The reason is that hydroblasting is mostly dust-free, so you can keep the building open to traffic while repairing the floor. For example, if only one part of your warehouse floor requires repair, you can keep your employees on-site while a technician removes the coating and fixes that isolated location.
Then, with the old coating out of the way, your technician can apply a new sealer to the surface to protect it. The result is a concrete floor that will stand the test of time, no matter the abuse you put it through in the coming years.
You can also use a hydroblaster in larger spaces, as the equipment can easily handle significant jobs. Make sure you speak with a hydroblast technician early in the process to determine if it’s the right option for your concrete preparation job.
The precision of hydroblasting
A final benefit of hydroblasting is its precision. Your technician can set the water pressure to various levels depending on the concrete surface profile you’re looking to achieve for your project.
Typically, a sealer will require a surface profile of 3 to adhere to the concrete. That’s not always the case, though, so dialing the device down and leaving a smoother surface behind is also a possibility.
The pressure the technician uses also varies based on the coating or contaminant you’re trying to remove. An epoxy coating, for instance, requires more force to remove than some dirt caked onto the surface, so more water pressure is necessary.
In this situation, your technician will test the hydroblaster on a small section of the floor to ensure it will remove the coating without damaging the floor. The tech will then continue with the project once they’re confident in their chosen water pressure level.
Hire a hydroblast technician
Hiring a professional hydroblast technician to assist with your hydroblasting job is essential because it guarantees the project is completed correctly. This technician will use this technology in various ways, ensuring your surface is clean and ready for the subsequent preparation stage. Your concrete preparation team can then polish the floor and apply a sealer, protecting it from the damage it might encounter in your building.
Concreate handles all stages of the concrete surface preparation process and can also apply sealers for additional protection. We do everything put pour the slab, and we have the experience necessary to maximize the lifespan of your floor while keeping it looking great. Contact us or visit thisisconcrete.com for more information on hydroblasting your concrete surface.