If a graffiti artist has targeted your office building, then you need an effective way to remove the paint. However, you can't simply wash or wipe this paint off your building. Graffiti can be hard to remove completely without damaging its underlying surface.

While pressure washing and chemical cleaners might remove some paint, you should also consider dustless sandblasting. Here, your contractor applies a high-pressure abrasive that is mixed with water to affected surfaces. The blast abrades the paint away.

Why use dustless sandblasting to remove graffiti?

1. You want a quick and easy solution

Graffiti isn't a good look for a professional business. Plus, once one person tags a wall, others might follow.

So, you want a quick solution. The problem is that the paint that graffiti artists and taggers use isn't always easy to remove. You need to use specialist materials or equipment, and it might take some time before your wall is back to normal.

For example, if you use chemical removers, then you have to apply the solution and wait for it to work. You then have to clean the area to get rid of the paint. The remover might not work effectively the first time, and you might need multiple applications before you see significant progress.

Plus, if people will walk past your building during the clean-up job, then you might need to cordon off the area. If you opt to use a pressure wash, then you'll release a lot of water into the street. You need to protect passers-by from getting wet or having accidents. You also have to spend time cleaning up when the job is done.

Dustless sandblasting is a quick and easy solution. The abrasive removes paint as soon as it hits the surface without the need for extra cleaning.

This kind of sandblasting also releases less dust - the water damps it down - so you shouldn't need to shut down areas outside your building while your contractors work. You also have a faster clean-up afterwards.

2. You want to get rid of all paint traces

While some graffiti removal techniques get rid of the top layers of paint, they don't always work on residues. So, you might remove the paint from a tag, but it will still be visible. Its outline might show on the surface even after repeated cleans.

While you can repaint the wall, even this might not cover the residue completely. Some of it might still show through.

Dustless sandblasting abrades all the paint off. If you use an expert contractor, they can even blast down below the surface without damaging it to remove residue marks and outline traces.

3. You're worried about surface damage

Some graffiti removal treatments can damage surfaces as well as remove paint. For example, a high-pressure clean on a brick wall might pull out mortar and make older bricks crumble. A chemical treatment might etch or dull a metal. Or, it might damage a wooden surface.

You can't always tread lightly here. For example, if you have a lot of graffiti in vibrant colours, then you might need to use a high-pressure hose a few times if you decide to wash it off. Lower pressures won't be powerful enough. However, higher pressures are more likely to damage the surface under the paint.

Dustless sandblasting is less damaging if it is applied correctly. Your contractor can use the right abrasive media for the surface. They can control the blast through careful use of pressure and nozzle types. This process works effectively on most materials, so you can work on multiple surfaces at the same time if you need to.

If you need more advice on how to get graffiti off your building, then contact Blast Pro. We offer a range of sandblasting solutions, including dustless techniques, that will make your walls look like new again.