Where Did the Term "Sandblasting" Come From?
American inventor Benjamin Chew Tilghman patented the first sandblasting process in 1870. Thomas Wesley Pangborn refined it with compressed air in 1904. For the first century of the industry's existence, silica sand was the primary — and often only — abrasive media available. The term "sandblasting" became the universal shorthand for the process, and it stuck in the public vocabulary even as the industry moved far beyond sand.
Today, most people who search for "sandblasting" are actually looking for abrasive blasting services that use modern, safer media. When you call a professional abrasive blasting company, you're getting a service that uses garnet, aluminum oxide, crushed glass, or other engineered abrasives — not sand.
Why Did the Industry Stop Using Sand?
Silica sand contains crystalline silica. When blasted against a surface, sand particles shatter into microscopic dust that becomes airborne. Inhaling this silica dust causes silicosis — a progressive, irreversible lung disease that scars lung tissue and permanently reduces the lungs' ability to transfer oxygen to the bloodstream. According to the American Lung Association, silicosis has no cure and can be fatal.
The health risk isn't limited to the person operating the blast nozzle. Anyone in the vicinity of silica sandblasting is at risk — supervisors, helpers, nearby workers, even office staff in adjacent buildings during prolonged exposure. Multiple European countries banned silica sandblasting as early as 1947. OSHA classifies respirable crystalline silica as a known carcinogen and sets strict exposure limits for workers.
Modern abrasive media eliminate this risk entirely. Materials like garnet, crushed glass, aluminum oxide, and steel grit don't contain free silica and don't produce the dangerous dust that sand does. They also generally outperform sand — cutting faster, producing more consistent surface profiles, and lasting longer before replacement.
What Media Do Modern Blasting Companies Use?
The choice of blasting media depends on the surface being blasted, the material being removed, and the surface profile required for whatever coating comes next. Here's what professional blasting companies actually use today:
Garnet is the most popular general-purpose blasting abrasive. It's a naturally occurring mineral (6.5-7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale) that cuts efficiently, produces low dust, and creates a clean angular profile ideal for coating adhesion. It's the workhorse media for rust removal, paint stripping, and general surface preparation on steel and concrete.
Aluminum oxide is harder than garnet (9 on the Mohs scale, just below diamond) and cuts aggressively. It's the go-to for industrial applications that need fast material removal or deep surface profiling — structural steel prep, heavy coating removal, and manufacturing equipment restoration. It's expensive but highly recyclable in contained environments.
Glass bead is a spherical media that peens rather than cuts. Instead of creating an angular profile, it produces a smooth, satin finish. It's used for finishing work, cleaning without aggressive material removal, and applications where a smooth surface texture is preferred over a rough anchor profile.
Crushed glass (recycled bottle glass) is an increasingly popular choice for mobile blasting. It's affordable, performs comparably to sand without the silica hazard, produces low dust, and is environmentally friendly since it's made from recycled material. Many dustless and wet blasting operations use crushed glass as their primary media.
Soda (sodium bicarbonate) is the gentlest commonly used media. It removes coatings without altering the substrate underneath — critical for historic building restoration, wood cleaning, and applications where the base material must remain undamaged. It dissolves in water and leaves no embedded particles.
Walnut shell is another soft, organic media used for gentle cleaning. It's effective for removing coatings from softer metals, wood, and fiberglass without scratching or profiling. However, it can mold in humid environments (relevant in Georgia) and shouldn't be used in enclosed blast cabinets for that reason.
Steel grit and steel shot are used in industrial applications requiring aggressive profiling or shot peening (a process that strengthens metal by inducing compressive stress). They're expensive, heavy, and not practical for mobile operations, but they're common in shipyards, bridge maintenance, and large-scale construction surface prep.
Does the Media Choice Actually Matter?
It matters enormously. The wrong media can damage the substrate, fail to create the required surface profile, or leave contamination that causes coating failure. Here are three examples:
If you blast a concrete floor with steel grit when the coating manufacturer specifies a CSP-3 profile, you'll create a CSP-6 or CSP-7 profile that's far too aggressive — the coating won't fill the valleys properly, leaving voids that lead to premature failure. Using garnet or crushed glass at controlled pressure produces the correct profile.
If you blast historic brick with aluminum oxide at full industrial pressure, you'll erode the soft mortar joints and damage the brick face. Using soda or glass bead at reduced pressure removes the paint without touching the substrate — exactly what Dahlonega's historic downtown buildings and Athens' 15 historic districts require.
If you use walnut shell to strip rust from structural steel, you won't get a deep enough anchor profile for the primer to grip. The coating will peel within months. Using garnet or aluminum oxide creates the angular profile that structural coatings need for long-term adhesion.
So Why Do People Still Say "Sandblasting"?
Same reason people say "Kleenex" instead of "tissue" or "Google" instead of "search." The original brand name became the generic term. When someone in Marietta or Lawrenceville searches for "sandblasting near me," they're looking for abrasive blasting services — not a company that literally uses sand.
Professional blasting companies understand this and optimize for both terms. When you contact Strickland Surface Preparation, you're getting modern abrasive blasting with the right media for your specific surface and application — never silica sand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is sandblasting the same as abrasive blasting?
Yes. They describe the same process. "Sandblasting" is the older common term; "abrasive blasting" is the correct industry term since modern companies use safer alternatives to sand.
Why don't blasting companies use sand anymore?
Silica sand causes silicosis — a serious, irreversible lung disease. Modern media like garnet, crushed glass, and aluminum oxide are safer and often perform better.
What is the most commonly used blasting media today?
Garnet is the most widely used general-purpose media. Aluminum oxide is common for industrial work, glass bead for finishing, and crushed glass for mobile and environmental applications.
Does the type of media affect the result?
Yes. Different media produce different surface profiles, speeds, and finishes. The right choice depends on the surface material, coating being removed, and what's being applied next.