Shot Blasting

Shot blasting is a mechanical surface preparation process in which steel abrasive media is propelled at high velocity against the steel surface. This strips away mill scale, rust, existing coatings and surface contamination, leaving a clean, bright surface with a consistent anchor profile that coatings can bond to reliably. Structural steel leaves the mill with a layer of mill scale that is flaky and provides a poor key for paint and protective coatings. Shot blasting removes this scale and any corrosion, ensuring that any primer, powder coat or galvanising applied afterwards adheres properly and performs as intended.

Yes. Shot blasting is included as standard on every steel order that leaves our Wakefield workshop at no additional cost. All fabricated beams, columns and steelwork are shot blasted before despatch. This means the steel arrives on site in a clean, prepared condition ready for installation or for any additional protective coating your project requires. You do not need to request shot blasting separately when placing your order.

We blast to Sa 2.5, which is the near-white metal cleanliness standard defined in ISO 8501-1. This is the grade required before most protective coatings are applied, and it is what paint and primer manufacturers specify as the minimum surface preparation for their products to perform correctly. Sa 2.5 means virtually all mill scale, rust and contamination has been removed, leaving a clean, uniform grey surface with a defined anchor profile.

Yes, and this is exactly what shot blasting is designed to facilitate. Once the steel has been shot blasted, a primer or protective coating can be applied that will bond securely to the prepared surface. We offer a primer coat as part of our finishing service, applied directly after shot blasting. We also offer powder coating and can arrange galvanising where maximum corrosion resistance is required. Shot-blasted steel that is not immediately coated will begin to re-rust in humid conditions, so it is important to specify and apply the required finish promptly.

Shot blasting is carried out as part of our standard fabrication process and is already factored into our usual lead times. Because we do everything in-house at our Wakefield workshop, including cutting, drilling, welding and shot blasting, there is no additional delay for shot blasting. For most standard RSJ and structural beam orders, we can fabricate, blast and deliver within a few working days of order confirmation. Call us on 07301 033 581 to confirm the current lead time for your specific order.