Glass Beads vs. Crushed Glass

Glass Beads vs. Crushed Glass

Glass beads and crushed glass are both effective abrasives to produce a desired finish on a part. Glass beads are commonly used in a blast cabinet or reclaimable type of blast operation. They impart a consistently bright matte finish on aluminum and steel substrates. Crushed glass is most desirable for removing heavy coatings, paint layers or rust to expose a clean and bare surface. Although they’re both manufactured from glass, the final finishes produced can vary.

For more crushed glass abrasiveinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

If you’re trying to decide what abrasive is best for the job at hand, comparing glass beads and crushed glass is a crucial way to determine if one of these options is right for you.

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When to Use Glass Beads

Glass beads are best suited for finishing metals. They can be used for frosting and etching glass, among other typical applications:

• Cleaning (perfect for surface preparation without changing tolerances or imparting ferrous contaminants)
• Finishing (varying sizes create a wide range of unique surface finishes and blending of machining marks)
• Peening (reduces the tensile stress in metal components, increasing fatigue limits)
• Deburring (successful removal of burrs without any part damage resulting in a smooth peened surface)

A benefit to using glass beads is that they are environmentally friendly and contain no free silica, a common concern in metal finishing operations. Generally found in traditional sandblasting media, free silica can release harmful chemicals during the abrasion process. While companies can still choose silica sand, more regulations are required due to workers’ increased risk of severe respiratory disease.

The size of the bead, your specific workpiece shape, the distance of the blast nozzle, air pressure and the type of blasting system all play an essential role in the final finish and your abrasive consumption. You can recycle glass beads multiple times if used appropriately. When selecting glass bead blasting equipment, consider a sandblast cabinet to help recover this blasting media for effective reuse.

Glass beads are an ideal abrasive, helping you save both time and money. When you can spend less time on one cycle, you can get through more cycles faster if you have a large number of items that need blasting. The available range of sizes ensures you produce the desirable finish on your parts. Experienced glass bead blasting media suppliers can help you choose between coarser glass beads and finer ones.

Whichever type of glass beads you choose, all will give a bright, smooth and more satin-like finish.

When to Use Crushed Glass

Crushed glass, due to its irregular crushed shape, produces a greater etch on your workpiece, making it practical for surface preparations where subsequent coatings may be applied. Our crushed glass is superior in various applications for its performance, health and environmental benefits compared to other abrasives.

• 100% recycled glass can be reused many times and is favorable for safe disposal.
• It’s environmentally friendly, with non-toxic chemical properties reducing pollution risks.
• It’s non-reactive and chemically inert, reducing rust back and making it safe to use around water.
• It contains less than 1% free silica compared to silica sand, which contains up to 99% free silica.
• Our SDS does not list beryllium, a heavy or toxic metal commonly found in slag and other abrasives.
• The natural, white post-blast finish creates an attractive final finishing step.
• It significantly reduces embedment issues which occur up to five times more in slag blast media.
• It’s translucent, meaning visibility and productivity are increased substantially.
• It’s less dense than other abrasives, resulting in less material usage and reduced media costs.
• Depending on the select plant, it may be both QPL approved or CARB approved.
• It’s SSPC AB-1 Class A, MIL-A-22262B(SH) approved based on toxicological safety evaluations.

While both are commonly used to finish metal surfaces, abrasive blasting and sandblasting are distinct processes advantageous for different circumstances and projects. Using glass beads for sandblasting is less conventional. However, you can use crushed glass blasting media with a standard sandblast pot.

Gradations and Profile Guide

Crushed glass is available in a range of sizes, each resulting in various Mil finishes.

MEDIUM 1.0 – 2.5 MILS : Typical 2.3 MIL (SSPC-AB1 Grade 2)

Cleans and polishes surfaces for a smooth, white finish. Ideal for automotive, dustless blasting and as a soda blast alternative.

MEDIUM – COARSE 2.5 – 3.5 MILS : Typical 3.1 MIL (SSPC-AB1 Grade 3)

Suitable for bridges, tanks, steel construction, and precast concrete.

COARSE 3.5 – 4.5 MILS : Typical 3.8 MIL (SSPC-AB1 Grade 4)

Ideal for bridges, tanks and steel construction and precast concrete, and where a deeper profile is desired.

Choose Glass Abrasives From Finishing Systems

Finishing Systems is known as a top blasting media supplier for glass beads and crushed glass. We provide finishing solutions and products to companies large and small for a wide range of uses. Whether you need to strip paint or remove rust, our abrasive blasting equipment can deliver the results you desire without damaging the material’s surface.

To learn more about glass beads, crushed glass or other abrasives, please contact us today!

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Contact us to discuss your requirements of glass fire beads. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

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Crushed glass abrasive blast is made from 100% recycled glass, made in the USA!  It is not imported and readily available!  Tired of dealing with out of stock, ocean freight delays?  Switching to crushed bottle glass is an economical, locally available, environmentally friendly, MADE IN THE USA option during these tough times.  Request a Quote Now!

 It is non flammable and non sparking.  This is an inert abrasive that is recommended by NIOSH as a substitute for slag and mineral abrasives.  Contains little to no heavy metals, no free silica, and is therefore great for blasting projects where it is impractical to recover lost or spilled spent abrasive. Applications are numerous, ranging from use as a filler, anti skid, anti-slip additive for resin and epoxy coatings, surface prep for sandblasting, log home blasting, auto body restoration and blasting, concrete panel blasting, etc.

Crushed glass offers significant cost savings over using plastic beads, soda blast, and glass beads.  Because it is more aggressive, it is able to remove corrosion and tougher coatings that other medias cannot, such as thick and rubbery elastomeric coatings.

Glass blasting sand is very economical, available in a variety of grit sizes, and through a wide variety of grades, can achieve all MIL Profiles.  We sell glass blasting media from a variety of different manufacturers, with locations all around the country. 

This is a recycled glass product and should be shipped from a location closest to you - actual grit sizes available depend on what plant media is shipped from.   Please use our Quote Request Form.  We generally can reply back with a quote for you in a few hours, usually same day. 

MINIMUM ORDER:  We sell our glass by the pallet, so the  minimum quantity is 2000 to 3000 lbs depending on the plant and packaging you request. 

Sizes and corresponding achievable MIL Profiles - available from multiple locations, packaged in 2000 lb pallets (40, 50 lb bags) or 3000 lb tote bags.  All product sold in pallet quantities only.

• #1040 and/or 10/20 and/or 12/20 and/or 12/40 depending on plant location: Coarse. This grade will remove heavy rust, thick coatings, and barnacles. Great for concrete, structural steel, heavy tanks.  MIL Profile:  3.0 to 5.0 mil, 3.8 mil typical profile.  SP5 surface finish.  850 micron is average particle size. 
• #2040 Medium Coarse.  This blend of grades is great for light paint and rust removal in shipyards, on bridges and tanks, steel construction, precast concrete blasting.  Great for all general blasting needs.   MIL Profile:  2.0-3.5 mil on steel surfaces.  3.1 mil typical profile.  SP5 surface finish.  450 micron is average particle size. 
• #40/70 Medium.  Used on stainless steel for wet/dry blasting of light mil scale, maintenance work, graffiti and restoration, boat blasting.  Excellent for log home blasting and auto paint stripping (we recommend a PSI at about 45-50 when blasting thinner metal such as for auto restoration), as well as other light duty work.  MIL Profile: 1.0 to 2.0 on steel surfaces, max. mil profile achievable with this grade is 2.5 if you really know what you are doing.   2.3 mil typical profile.  SP5 surface finish.  250 micron is average particle size.  40-70 is the recommended mesh size when blasting brick.  A 70-80 PSI is also recommended so you do not cause discoloration of the brick or damage the Mortar in between.  Crushed glass will leave a nicer, brighter finish to the brick vs a denser media like copper slag.  Glass will also be less dusty than copper slag.
• #70/100 and/or a -70:  Fine. Great on softer metals and substrates.  Excellent for etching and degreasing on aluminum, car parts and wood.  Works as a good substitute for soda blasting, walnut shell, and corn starch.   Also can be used to obtain a satin finish on stainless steel.  MIL Profile: 0.5 to 1.0 on steel surfaces.  Good for fiberglass boats, powdercoating, light automotive work.

Sizes and corresponding achievable MIL Profiles - available mainly only out of the NORTHWEST USA, packaged in 3000 lb pallets (60, 50 lb bags) or 3,300 lb tote bags.  All product sold in pallet quantities only. 

• Coarse #16.   3.0 – 4.0 Mil Profile. Heavy rust, barnacles and thick coatings. Excellent for concrete, structural steel, tanks, barges, etc. Used as a blending stock for recycling blast operations.
• Coarse/Medium #16/30, 3.0 – 4.0 Mil Profile.  Great for rust and paint removal on ships, bridges, tanks.
• Medium/Fine # 30/50, 2.5 – 3.5 Mil Profile.  Great overall general abrasive for paint and rust removal.  It is also great for blasting concrete for aggregate exposure, shipyard work, structural steel, and elastomeric coatings.
• Fine #50, 1.5 -2.5 Mil Profile.  Fast and aggressive size for all finer blasting requiring a smooth, clean finish, excellent for powder coating, auto paint stripping.
• Super Fine #70, 1.5+ Mil Profile.  Also great for powder coating and auto restoration.  For use on substrates where minimal etching and profiling is preferred, such as aluminum or fiberglass.  This size is commonly used for log home blasting as well as for sandblasting swimming pools.
• Powder Fine #105F, very low profile.  Substitute for soda blasting media.  For very fine cleaning, brightening, deburring, and fine honing with no damage to the substrate.  Great for graffiti and soft metals as well as tile and brick .

Sizes and corresponding achievable MIL Profiles - available out of the GREAT LAKES AREA, packaged in 2,400 lb pallets (48, 50 lb bags) or 3,000 lb tote bags.  All product sold in pallet quantities only:

• 1030 Extra Coarse Crushed Glass, 4 mil profile (1040 and/or 10/20 and/or 12/20 and/or 12/40 depending on plant location)
• 2040 Coarse Crushed Bottle Glass, 3 mil profile
• 4080 Medium Crushed Bottle Glass, 2 mil profile (and/or 40/70 depending on plant location)
• 80/100 Fine Crushed Bottle Glass, 1 mil profile (and/or -70)
• 325 Mesh Crushed Bottle Glass, powder only  (We have extremely fine powders that are not used for sandblasting, please contact us with details as to what you are looking for.)

NEW Locations!  Now shipping 12/20, 20/40 and 40/70 glass abrasive out of locations convenient to IDAHO, INDIANA, WYOMING, COLORADO, NEVADA, OHIO, ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA , CAROLINAS, TEXAS, VIRGINIA, & UTAH customers!  

Lead Time:  Spring, Summer, Fall lead times can range from one day to 2 months, depending on the plant and what you are ordering.  It changes daily with every plant around the country.  Winter time is best for immediate availability.

Benefits of Glass Blast:

• Efficiently Cleans steel, aluminum, wood, concrete, stone, fiberglass
• Excellent replacement to silica sand and coal slags.
• Non Flammable
• Non Sparking
• Will not leave mineral deposits on your substrate (no rusting)
• Excellent for use as a separator or barrier with concrete pavers and forms.  A layer of 2040 crushed glass prevents concrete forms from sticking to each other during the curing process and can be swept into the grout cracks during installation.
• Glass Blast will leave a clean, bright finish to metal surfaces
• Excellent for achieving an aggressive profile for coatings, including cathodic protection and overlay performance
• Glass delivers very low particle embedment (less than 2%) which produces a whiter (SP-10) finish to the substrate.
• Lighter weight than most abrasives.  Contractors report back that they use at least 25% less abrasive (some say up to 50% less) when using glass as compared to mineral slags.
• SAFE - no free silica, is chemically inert and non toxic, heavy metal free in most cases.
• Inert - can use it around water
• Mohs Hardness of 6.0 - similar to slags.
• Superior rust-back performance when compared with mineral/slag abrasives.
• Many tests confirm less dust when blasting with glass vs mineral slags - up to 31% less dust generated. 
• Uniform Density
• DUST IS TRANSLUCENT!  No visual barrier to the blasting operator and does not leave black "dust" all over. 
• A great alternative to coal slag.  Will not leave black dust all over.  It is however, very slick when left on sidewalks, concrete, etc. and should be cleaned up.
• Great for thick, softer coatings because it is a lighter weight abrasive.  It does not "bounce" back off the surface. It cuts it like a knife.
• Great for concrete and leaves no residue, discoloration, odor, imbedding, or ferrous impingement.
• Excellent additive for seal coating operations!
• Excellent replacement for soda blasting due to its lower cost and it will not leave a PH imbalance on the substrate (which often requires a PH wash solution so that the paint will adhere).  Glass will also cut through rust, and soda blast will not.
• Excellent replacement for corn cob blasting log homes as it will not embed into the wood, and thus you do not have to hand sand after blasting.  (This can equate to an 80% time savings over corn cob.)
• 100% recycled post-consumer bottle glass  It is a GREEN abrasive!  100% recycled glass.

Detailed Specs:

• Bulk density is 80-85 lbs/cu.ft.which is fairly light, please read Blasting Tips on how to best blast with this type of abrasive.  Other processing plants estimate density to be 65 lbs/cubic foot.
• Specific Gravity:  2.50
• Hardness:  Approx. 6.0 Mohs
• Shape:  Angular to sub angular
• LOI:  0.08
• Softening Point:  Approx. 1350 Degrees F.
• Embedment at 100 PSI: 0.0% to 0.4%

Safety:   We have sizes that are CARB Approved for outdoor blasting as well as listed on the QPL, but you must tell us if this is a requirement.  We also have some material  that can be blended with lead abatement Blastox, as well as pre-coating compounds like Pretox.  Please email us your requirements so we can make sure we ship you approved material out of approved plants, as necessary.

**  Recommend to use at 90 PSI for best results and increased energy savings (unless you are blasting aluminum or other soft surfaces.) 

** The thinner the abrasive to air mixture, the higher your rate of production will be.  Be stingy - meter the abrasive back until you can no longer see it in the air stream.  This may sound counter-intuitive, but glass blasting is different from heavier abrasives. 

Tips On Blasting With Glass Abrasive:

• You do NOT want a lot of abrasive in the air stream.  The grains collide with themselves, lose energy, and hit your surface with less impact.
• Your goal is to not be able to see the abrasive in the air stream.  If you can see it, meter back, as you have too much abrasive going through your hose. 
• Start by purging your line so it is abrasive free.  Then slowly open the feed until you can see the abrasive in the air stream.  Then slowly close the feed until you can no longer see the abrasive in the air stream.  This is what you want.
• If you have too little abrasive in the air stream, you will likely hear a high pitched whistling sound.  Start over and this time repeat the process slower so you can see when the abrasive is no longer visible in the air stream.  Be Stingy!  You will achieve better results with a lean supply.
• Move your nozzle faster than you normally would.  Glass abrasive blasts very fast, very clean.  You will be surprised how light and sharp it is, and how much feathering you get with it. 
• Blasting hard mil scale will require using a finer grit size, as it cuts more like a knife than a hammer.  This is why it is great for softer, elastomeric coatings that often bounce back heavier abrasives. 
• Blast at a 90 or 100 psi, or less.  Higher pressure will be counterproductive due to how light glass abrasive is.  You will simply shatter the glass rather than allow it to work for you.
• You can use a finer size than you would normally use. 
• Estimate 5 to 6 lbs per sq ft usage as a high limit.  So a 1,000 sq ft area would require 5,000 to 6,000 lbs of media.  NOTE HOWEVER that we have many contractors reporting back that they use as little as a third of this. It really depends on your equipment, skill, substrate, what you are removing, how much you meter back the abrasive, etc..  It is easy to waste glass because you do not require nearly as much in the airstream as with conventional abrasives.

We can ship almost anywhere in the country.   Request A Quote Now! 

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