Abrasive: Pumice Sand Blast Media

WHEN IT COMES TO CLEANING rusty, painted, or grime-smeared surfaces, sandblasting gets it done quickly and completely—and without having to open a bucket of elbow grease. And with the right blast media, you can go beyond simple cleaning and produce a smooth, satiny polish.

There is a welcome variety of sandblasting gear on the market, from hoppered guns you jack into your own compressor to bench-top cabinets for small parts and delicate work. But quality results are closely tied to matching the right blast media to the situation.

Sand itself is falling out of favor (high moisture and hazardous crystalline silica content), but a nice selection of blast media are available to meet every need. Along with media type, grit size is another factor to work into your choice. The key to choosing the right blast media is to focus first on the surface: how much can it handle without damage? If in doubt, start soft and fine.

The foamed-glass nature of pumice makes it an effectively mild, lightweight abrasive and a good fit for those less aggressive or delicate situations where protecting the surface is the primary consideration. Why? Pumice, even crushed to a superfine grade, holds its angular shape and myriad edges to cut quickly and aggressively, removing rust, scale, and a variety of coatings from wood, metal and plastic surfaces. Combine that excellent bite with pumice’s low, sponge-like density and you've got an easy-on-the-surface sand blast media with a highly effective reputation.

PUMICE BLAST MEDIA (GENERAL):

Physical Profile: Foamed Glass Stone

Surface Profile: Low Etch

Working Speed: Medium-Slow

Recyclability: Low

Surface Removal: None

Hardness (Mohs): 6

Bulk Density: 46-58 lbs/cf³

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION and SUPPORT DOCUMENTS:

» Technical Data: the physical and chemical properties of our natural pumice.

» Pumice Safety Data Sheet (PDF)

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PLEASE READ THE SHIPPING NOTES BELOW BEFORE PLACING AN ORDER.

SHIPPING NOTES

1 | For weight-quantities over 20 lbs, shipping cost savings are typically realized by ordering a full-sized production bag (boxed) instead of multiple 20 lb. boxes.

2 | For large orders (over 3 full-sized production bags), please contact us at fc@hesspumice.com for a freight rate.

3 | The shopping cart system occasionally glitches on an address and throws up an “order can’t be shipped to your address/location” (or similar) error message. Not true. We ship almost anywhere. Contact us at fc@hesspumice.com and we’ll take care of you.

4 | The shopping cart system is set up to auto-calculate domestic (U.S.) shipping—for those ordering from elsewhere, please email us at fc@hesspumice.com and we’ll see what we can do.

STANDARD BLASTING GRIT (SBH)

Our Sand Blast Standard (SBH) grade grit contains a small percentage of obsidian and perlite ore sand (igneous minerals) blended with the softer pumice sand, providing bite without being too agressive overall.

Technical Data Sheet (PDF) for Grade SBH

BUY SAND BLAST STANDARD (SBH) GRIT

SOFT BLASTING GRIT (SBS)

Our Sand Blast Soft (SBS) grade contains pure pumice sand for use on soft or delicate surfaces.

Technical Data Sheet (PDF) for Grade SBS

BUY SAND BLAST SOFT (SBS) GRIT

FINE BLASTING GRIT (SBF)

The Sand Blast Fine (SBF) grade is for delicate and/or small, intricate surfaces. Typically used in bench-top sand blast cabinets. Also applicable for fine-tipped sand blast guns on larger detailed surfaces, such as carved wood, plaster moldings, and plastics.

Technical Data Sheet (PDF) for Grade SBF

BUY SAND BLAST FINE (SBF) GRIT

SHIPPING NOTES:  1 | For weight-quantities over 20 lbs (or multiple 20 lb boxes), shipping cost savings are typically realized by ordering a full-sized production bag.  2 | For large orders (over 3 full-sized production bags), please contact us at fc@hesspumice.com for a freight rate.  3 | The shopping cart system occasionally glitches on an address and throws up an “order can’t be shipped to your address/location” (or similar) error message. Not true. We ship almost anywhere. Contact us at fc@hesspumice.com.  4 | The shopping cart system is set up to auto-calculate domestic (U.S.) shipping—for those ordering from elsewhere, please email us at fc@hesspumice.com.