From Stone to Metal: How Rubber Sandblast Stencils Simplify Surface Preparation

No matter how long you’ve been in the engraving industry, you know that there are the simple projects where you’re working a perfectly smooth surface, and the trickier work where you must spend a significant amount of time just preparing the surface before you can even get to the etching or engraving part of the process. While accurate surface preparation is always going to be a part of your work, using rubber sandblast stencils can help to simplify your surface preparation systems meaning you can complete each project quickly and successfully.

Steps for Sandblasting Surface Preparation

Getting your surface prepared correctly is one of the key factors in making your sandblasting projects successful every time. No matter whether you’re working with stone or metal, here are the essential steps you need to follow for successful surface preparation with your sandblasting work:

• Assess the conditions – the first and most obvious step in surface preparation is to closely examine your target material to see what condition it is in. This will involve a visual inspection to see what cleaning techniques you’re going to need to use, and a tactile inspection to pick out the imperfections that will need to be corrected before you can start your sandblasting work.
• Clear existing coatings – once you know what your target surface looks like, it’s time to start cleaning. Your first step is to remove any existing coatings. This is because the sandblasting process will remove layers of material, and if you don’t start with a clear surface, you can end up with unsightly jagged edges around the edge of your design. You also want to clear off any existing oils as these will change the way that the sandblasting media impacts the first layer of the target surface.
• Remove loose material – next up is to remove any pieces of loose material. You’ll typically find these more with metal projects where the piece has been cut roughly, but you might also find unusual lumps and bumps in an unfinished piece of stone that you’ll want to remove. This process can either be on a macro scale where you’re physically prizing the loose material away, or on a micro scale that uses finer tools and sanding to bring the surface level.
• Dry the surface – once your target surface is clear of previous work and debris, it’s time to make it as dry as possible. This allows the sandblasting media to do its work easily, as well as making it easy to stick your rubber sandblasting stencil down. You can either dry through high-speed hot air or via chemical evaporation; the strategy you choose will be partly your personal preference and partly a result of the exact makeup of the target surface. Once it’s fully dry, you’re ready to apply the stencil and create your perfect design.

How Rubber Sandblasting Stencils Makes Life Easier

It’s clear to see from the to-do list above that you need to be looking for ways to save time and effort when it comes to surface preparation. This is where you need to be investing in rubber sandblasting stencils. A sandblasting stencil is similar to the idea of stencils used in other design projects. You cut your design onto the rubber stencil roll and then use industrial adhesive to stick it on to your target surface. The sandblasting material will bounce off your rubber stencil and only erode the gaps in your design, giving you a clean and accurate finish to your project.

The higher adhesive quality of a rubber sandblasting stencil means that you don’t have to worry about small imperfections in the surface as they’ll still stick fast. This helps you simplify your surface preparation process and make the clean up fast. You’ll also find that once you’re done with your sandblasting work, rubber stencils are easy to remove with minimal adhesive residue leftover afterwards.

Getting Professional Help

If you’re looking for more advice on how rubber sandblasting stencils can help with your surface preparation, it’s time to connect with our team of sandblasting experts here at U-Blast. We are committed to serving our customers with our blend of transparency and authenticity to help provide you with the highest quality products. We have decades of experience in the sandblasting field, so we are also excellent sources of advice for matters of surface preparation and stencils to help you get the best results every time.