Pick the Right Blasting Media Before You Pull the Trigger
There's no undo button on a sandblaster. Once a surface is etched, textured or stripped, it stays that way. So choosing the right media is the most important call you make before you start.
Whether you're microetching a dental prosthetic, deburring a machined part or cleaning a delicate specimen, the media in the tank decides the result.
Quick comparison
| Media | Shape | What it does | Finish | Material removal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium oxide | Sharp, angular | Cuts the surface | Etched, matte | Yes |
| Glass bead | Round | Peens the surface | Smooth, satin | Minimal |
| Sodium bicarbonate | Angular, shatters | Cleans without texturing | Unchanged | Very low |
| Walnut shell | Angular, soft | Gentle clean and polish | Unchanged | Very low |
Aluminium oxide: the all-rounder
Hard, sharp and durable, aluminium oxide is the most widely used microabrasive across almost every industry. It cuts efficiently and breaks down slowly, so it creates less dust while you work. It also stores well in sealed, dry conditions, which makes bulk buying worthwhile.
- Use it for: surface prep and microetching before bonding, deburring and deflashing, glass etching, removing adhesives and tough coatings
- Sizes: finer grades (around 25–50 micron) for precise surface prep; coarser grades (100 micron and up) for aggressive removal
Glass bead: clean without cutting
Round beads peen the surface instead of cutting it. You get a smooth, uniform finish with little or no material loss.
- Use it for: cosmetic finishing, peening, light deburring, cleaning thin or delicate parts, removing calcium deposits
Sodium bicarbonate: the gentle option
Blasting-grade soda shatters on impact, so it strips contaminants and coatings without damaging the substrate. It's water soluble, biodegradable and non-conductive.
- Use it for: non-destructive cleaning, coating removal from electronics, fossil and specimen preparation
- Note: use soda made for blasting – not the supermarket kind
Walnut shell: soft but effective
Crushed walnut shell is organic and biodegradable. It's angular enough to clean well but soft enough to protect more vulnerable surfaces.
- Use it for: delicate cleaning, paint and corrosion removal, buffing and finishing, and anything involving wood
Three rules for better results
- Test first. Run a quick trial on a sample of the same material at the same pressure.
- One media per tank. Mixing media contaminates your results. Dedicate a tank to each.
- Never refill from the collector. Spent media is mixed with fine particles of whatever you blasted. Refill with fresh media only.
Stock up
AIS carries microabrasive blasting media, sandblasters and Vaniman dust collection to match. Browse the full sandblasting range or contact the team on 1800 625 008.