SANDBLASTING is sometimes the best solution, but not always. Abrasive blast cleaning using the correct pressures and abrasives is an excellent method of cleaning Oak Beams or period timbers in old or listed buildings. Sand Blasting timber frames to remove paint, or unwanted coatings from beams that are old but in good condition can prove to be fast, economical, and without causing surface damage. The disadvantage of open sandblasting is the dust and debris and spent grit that is hard to contain so we would recommend that the project site be uninhabited.

Sometimes the oak beams or hardwood timbers are only dirty after being exposed or have a light stain or varnish on the surface to be removed we would advise MICRO MEDIA SOFT CLEAN this type of air propelled media cleaning is similar only in the fact that it is technically still blast cleaning but at very low pressures, and low blast media volumes. Less dust and debris is produced and the surface is washed with cleaning media rather than stripping away a very fine layer from the surface. It is generally accepted that this method is the kindest of all air propelled cleaning systems available. We have the capability of removing paint from the surface of a drinks can without damage to the surface.

Blastrax received this recent email 'The conservation officer did attend today and I am delighted to report that he was very complimentary about your test patches. He is, as a result happy for us to proceed with cleaning all exposed beams'.

DRY ICE BLASTING is a new process that eliminates the use of abrasives the cause of unwanted dust in the atmosphere. Small pellets of carbon dioxide known as dry ice are propelled at the surface of the oak beams cleaning quickly and thoroughly. The pellets return to a gaseous state upon impact leaving no residue or waste to pollute the surrounding work space. Blasting oak beams,removing old coatings or simply cleaning oak beams is now a process that can be undertaken without the problem of contaminants, large amounts of spent abrasive and the reassurance that dry ice blasting is a non abrasive process. Dry Ice Blasting is more costly than the other processes but it is possible to complete projects whilst still in residence with ease.

SODA BLASTING can achieve high cleaning speeds on Oak and timber, Oak beams and timbers and because the Soda Blasting Media is bi-carbonate of soda it is safe to use and friendly on the environment. Listed buildings present no problems for this process because when Blasting with Soda it is non abrasive and is used at low pressures preserving the integrity of the surface being cleaned.

OAK RENOVATION any mechanical method of cleaning, whether it is hand or power tools or light blast cleaning will not produce the same results as hours with soapy water and a toothbrush, but we are aware of getting the very best results in terms of speed, and cost but zero damage to the substrate is always our number 1 priority. If the conservation officer insists on a process not linked to any form of abrasive cleaning, hand or power tools or blast cleaning, however gentle we can provide a chemical poultice system that is rather labour intensive and may need to repeated several times to get the desired results but is English Heritage, National Trust and the Building Conservation Trust approved. The results will depend on thickness of paint and type of coating to be removed and so test areas are always carried out.