7 Best Pressure Washer Sandblasting Kits (Reviews 2021)

Pair your washer with the best pressure washer sandblasting kit will help you remove rust and paint, it can even help you remove those extremely difficult stains on your driveway. These kits will transform you pressure washer into a sandblasting machine, adding a whole new element to an already impressive tool.

Wet sandblasting has become popular for many reasons, and i’ll show you everything you need to know to get started the right way. I’ve put together a buying guide and i’ve also prepared some pressure washer sandblasting kit reviews of my favorite models.

Benefits of Pressure Washer Sandblasters

Unsure whether or not a pressure washer sandblasting kit is the right way to go? Well, here are some benefits which should help your decision.

1. Remove Caked-on Layers

Have you ever tried to strip paint by hand? You’ll go through loads of sandpaper and end up with sore arms.

Perhaps you’ve used a power sander, still loads of sandpaper and a weird vibration feeling in your fingers and hands for hours afterward.

With a pressure washer sandblasting kit, it’s suddenly surprisingly simple to tackle even the most caked-on dirt, rust, paint,  grease, stains, and more.

Pressure washer sandblasting attachments can even remove old chewing gum, dried hard and impossible to remove from the concrete out the front of your home? Not anymore.

The thing I truly loved was how easy it was to use, it’s not taxing on your back or shoulders, my hands were left feeling like they were vibrating and it took no time at all to set up and do the job.

2. Affordable but Powerful

Pressure washer sandblasting kits are very affordable, I used to think that to get something sandblasted was going to cost an arm and a leg. Thankfully that’s not true.

Sandblasting kits are very affordable. After all, they are comprised of a bit of metal and a plastic hose.

Getting ahold of the sandblasting media is easy too, you can pick up big bags of dry silica sand from your local hardware store.

The only thing you need asides this is a pressure washer, which is considerably cheaper (and in my opinion far more useful to have around the house) than the alternative option which is an air compressor. If you don’t own a pressure washer already, then I highly recommend looking at either my electric pressure washer guide or if you want some serious power my gas pressure washer guide.

3. No Dust

As I’ve mentioned above, there’s a reason you must wear a respiratory mask when you use traditional, dry sandblaster pressure washer sandblasting attachments.

These sandblasters produce a lot of dust, which is incredibly dangerous to inhale. If you use a dry sandblaster, you need to make sure that nobody comes near without a mask, which is rather tricky to do if you are working from home.

Unlike the dry sandblasters, water-based sandblasting is mostly dust-free, that’s not to say you shouldn’t wear a respirator mask, but as the particles of dry silica sand fall down with the water droplets. It’s a safe option if you want to work on a project in your own backyard. Wet sandblasting is safe and eco-friendly, i’m a huge fan of using a wet sand blaster.

4. Easily Tackle Nooks and Crannies

I hate sanding. Flat surfaces are dealt with, with ease, but as soon as there are any nooks and crannies, I die inside a little.

Trying to deal with these with typical sandpaper… It’s possible but it’s not enjoyable, it’s uncomfortable and takes a long time with a lot of effort.

However… with a pressure washer sandblasting kit, dealing with nooks and crannies is a breeze. Just point the nozzle at them, and they are dealt with.

5. The Surface Stays Cool

Dealing with plastic or thin metal can be tricky, as these surfaces tend to be heat sensitive. Using a dry sandblaster, these surfaces can get damaged by heat. Whether that’s warping, bending, or discoloration.

Heat can have irreversible adverse side effects on these materials.

Fortunately, with a wet sand blaster, as you blast the surface with the dried river sand and water mix from your pressure washer, the water cools the surface keeping the temperature under control. When you wet sandblast with pressure washer sandblaster kits, the surface will never overheat.

You can learn move about surfacing abrasive cleaning and the best pressure washer surface cleaners here.

7 best pressure washer sandblasting kits

PRODUCT	DETAILS
	Tool Daily 2500 PSI Pressure Washer Sandblasting Kit	Maximum PSI: 2500 Sand Wand Material: Plastic Nozzle Tip Material: Ceramic	View on Amazon
	M MINGLE Sandblaster Kit	Maximum PSI: 2500 Sand Wand Material: Plastic Nozzle Tip Material: Ceramic	View on Amazon
	DUSICHIN DUS-017 Wet Sanding Pressure Washer Sand Blasting Kit	Maximum PSI: 2600 Sand Wand Material: Plastic Nozzle Tip Material: Brass	View on Amazon
	Tool Daily 5000 PSI Pressure Washer Sandblasting Kit	Maximum PSI: 5000 Sand Wand Material: Steel Nozzle Tip Material: Ceramic	View on Amazon
	Valley Industries SBK-400 Wet Sandblast Kit	Maximum PSI: 3500 Sand Wand Material: Steel Nozzle Tip Material: Carbide	View on Amazon
	AgiiMan Pressure Washer Sandblasting Kit	Maximum PSI: 3200 Sand Wand Material: Plastic Nozzle Tip Material: Ceramic	View on Amazon
	Interstate Pneumatics PW5301 Wet DIY Sand Blaster Kit	Maximum PSI: 3500 Sand Wand Material: Steel Nozzle Tip Material: Ceramic	View on Amazon

Best Pressure Washer Sandblasting Kit Reviews

This is the sandblasting kit for you if you are looking for a pressure washer sandblaster attachment that can handle most domestic work while not costing an arm and a leg.

This Tool Daily model is ideal for pairing with light to medium-duty pressure washers, which produce at most 2500 PSI maximum working pressure.

This sandblasting kit is made with relatively cheap materials, but don’t let that put you off. This a cracking bit of equipment if you are only going to use it infrequently for abrasive cleaning i.e. preparing a fence for new paint.

You get a 10 foot-long rubber hose, which is long enough to reach your bucket full of sand, but not long enough to affect the rate of suction, something with can happen on a long hose run.

Attached to the rubber hose is a 10-inch sand wand, this is the part of the kit that you stick into your dried river sand bucket. The sand wand has a perfect design so that it produces optimal sand suction without jamming.

On the other end of the rubber hose is a 16-inch pressure washer wand and attaches to any standard ¼ inch pressure washer connector. The nozzle attached to the pressure washer wand is made out of thick plastic with a replaceable tip.

You also get a pair of protective eyeglasses included with this sandblaster kit, which is a nice cherry on the top.

For the price, this is a great pressure washer sandblasting kit, but it does have some drawbacks, while it will strip paint and rust, it can while you are using it clog up. The pipe with sucks sand out of your dried river sand bucket can fill with water and the dried river sand within get’s stuck.

You then have to unclog it before it’ll work properly again.

Pros

• Suction fed injection
• 10-inch long pressure washer wand
• Good two hose clamps
• Good quality wet sandblaster attachment
• Can be used with electric pressure washers
• One of the cheapest pressure washer sandblasting kits

Cons

• Plastic sand wand
• Can clog up when it’s being used

You can see it in action here below

View on Amazon

Next on my list is a mid-range sandblasting kit. This kit from M Mingle is perfect for most sandblasting projects you may have at home.

If you happen to own a Karcher pressure washer from their K Series (K2, K3, K4, K5, K6 and K7), then it is especially valuable, as this kit comes with an adapter specifically to fit this to a Karcher pressure washers K Series.

You can also use any standard ¼ inch connector with this kit as well, so you aren’t just limited to using Karcher pressure washers.

This sandblasting kit includes a 10 foot-long sand hose, so you don’t have to worry about a loss of suction, a  plastic sand wand which like the above sandblasting kit, has been designed to suck up the dried river sand from your sand bucket optimally. The sandblasting nozzle housing is made of a thick, sturdy plastic and hoses a replaceable ceramic nozzle and uses good hose clamps.

The pressure washer wand is made from sturdy metal and is 16 inches long.

This kit has been designed to handle pressures up to 2500 PSI maximum pressure and a maximum temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Using pressures about 2500 PSI working pressure can see this kit clog up frequently.

You also get safety goggles.

Pros

• Comes with a Karcher K series adapter
• Ceramic nozzle tip
• High quality wet sandblaster attachment
• Perfect for use with electric pressure washers
• includes two hose clamps
• Low working pressure

Cons

• Plastic sand wand
• Can clog up occasionally

View on Amazon

If you want an affordable pressure washer sandblasting kit and aren’t worried about longevity, then DUSICHIN has you covered.

With this kit, you get what you pay for, so don’t expect to get much life out of the nozzle of the sandblaster. After a few projects and it’ll start to fail, at least that was my experience, though it was perfect for dealing with that single project before having to get a new kit for the next.

So if you only need a one-hit-wonder, this is a great kit for you. That’s not to say it’ll need to go into the trash, you can just replace the nozzle and you’re good as new.

Why is this kit going to fail more frequently than the ones above? Well, unlike the previous kits which came with a ceramic nozzle tip, this comes with a brass nozzle tip and it just gets worn out much quicker.

Because of this, I suggest using baking soda rather than sand, as this finer media/medium won’t be so harsh on the nozzle. Though this will be less effective at removing paint etc than dry silica sand, baking soda is much less abrasive.

This sandblaster kit can be connected to any standard ¼ inch quick connector and can work with any pressure washer ranging from 1000 PSI to 2600 PSI so can be used by most pressure washers.

The sand wand is made out of a tapered plaster, which helps to ensure an even feed rate and prevents jamming.

The sand wand is only 7.2 inches long, and the pressure washer connector comes in at 17-inches in length, and sturdy hose clamps.

Pros

• Incredibly affordable wet sandblaster attachment
• 17-inch pressure washer wand
• Works with baking soda
• Perfect electric pressure washer accessories

Cons

• The brass nozzle isn’t very durable and will require frequent replacements for prolonged use

View on Amazon

Time for a change of pace, this is a higher-quality bit of kit while still being rather affordable, which is why it’s on this list of pressure washer sandblasting kits.

This sandblasting kit is manufactured by Tool Daily and is rated for some serious power, this thing can handle up to 5000 PSI maximum pressure! Though make sure you can reach at least 1500 PSI minimum pressure, so you don’t need the most powerful pressure washer to use this pressure washer sandblaster, this can be used with most pressure washers.

This makes it a perfect tool for those projects that perhaps you wouldn’t complete at home, such as removing paint from your car before a new paint job, stripping away layers off rust, etc.

For a tool that’s capable of handling these sorts of jobs, this product comes in at a rather low price point.

This sandblasting kit comes with a 17-inch sand wand. This is made out of stainless steel and can handle a higher sand flow that the higher pressure washers demand.

The hose is 10 feet long and is made out of durable, high-quality material, a great addition to your other pressure washer accessories.

The hose itself is attached to the sand wand and the spray nozzle by two clamps, this is an excellent feature as you can easily detach the hose from the sandwand and nozzle allowing you to dry the hose just in case any water comes down your sand hose.

The spray nozzle is made out of brass and comes with replaceable tips.

The steel pressure washer wand had a standard fitting, so it can be attached to any ¼ inch quick connector.

If you want a long-lasting, durable sandblasting solution, then this is a fantastic model.

Pros

• The detachable sand hose is easy to dry in case of accidental water leak
• Handles up to 5000 PSI working pressure though can be used with an electric pressure washer
• Good quality pressure washer sandblaster
• Very versatile pressure washer sandblasting attachments

Cons

• You must make sure you secured your hose tightly

View on Amazon

This is a somewhat pricier model, but it’s also the highest quality sandblaster on this list, this is a wet sandblast kit that will last you for a very long time.

This suction fed injection sandblasting attachment, manufactured by Valley Industries, this sandblaster is made out of some very sturdy materials that allow it to handle up to 3500 PSI maximum pressure, while not the highest pressure on this list, this will pair perfectly with one of these electric pressure washers.

This kit can handle up to 10 gallons of water per minute (GPM) from your pressure washer, which is a HUGE number.

The sand suction hose is 18 feet long and is made out of rubber that’s been reinforced with a metal mesh.

This is a pressure washer sandblasting kit that will last you a long time, across as many projects as you can throw at it.

The sand wand is made out of stainless steel and is made up of two tubes, one tube is for dried river sand the other is for air intake, the reason this kit has two tubes is that this combination ensures an even and smooth sand flow.

The spray nozzle is made out of brass and comes with a carbide tip, this is the most durable and highest quality type of tip out there.

The pressure washer connector is very short, but it will fit any standard pressure which uses a ¼ inch male quick connect plug.

Even though this kit costs more, it’s a worthy investment, it’s made out of the most durable and sturdy materials on this list, it’s a tool that won’t fail you.

Pros

• Carbide nozzle tip is the most durable kind out there
• Mesh reinforced 18-feet long sand hose
• An incredible wet sandblaster attachment
• Durable material
• The perfect pressure washer sandblaster attachment

Cons

• Short pressure washer wand

View on Amazon

This next pick is a solid domestic pressure washer sandblaster kit, and it comes from AgiiMan for a very fair price.

This kit comes with everything you need, and more, I love the fact that AgiiMan has included protective eyeglasses, you must pay attention to your personal protection equipment.

I’m sat here today because I forgot to put my eye protection glasses, which sit over my glasses on the other day when I was chasing out walls to run network cables. As I was using my SDS Drill to chisel out the remains after the chaser has cut to depth, small chunks of brick went flying towards my face, and well, my glasses are now sporting two large scratches. Thankfully my eyes were saved, but now I’ve got to deal with scratched lenses.

PPE people, PPE!

So alongside your eye protection, you also get an adapter for the spray wand, this adapter can convert the standard ¼ inch quick connector of this pressure washer wand, into the bayonet fitting that fits perfectly into the Karcher K series pressure washers.

This pressure washer sand blast kit can handle up to 3200 PSI of pressurized water coming from your pressure washer and performs incredibly well as long as the water temperature remains below 140 degrees Fahrenheit as it can’t handle more than that as its maximum temperature.

The sand hose in this kit is made out of flexible plastic and comes in at 10 feet long, this is connected to a more robust, and studier plastic wand which is tapered to ensure optimal sand delivery.

Finally, there’s the pressure washer wand which is made out of stainless steel, which on one end has a ¼ inch connector, on the other end there’s a solid plastic nozzle with a brass gasket, the tip itself is ceramic so you don’t have to worry about the tip failing on you.

Pros

1. Includes Karcher K series adapter
2. Handles up to 3200 PSI maximum pressure so even an electric pressure washer can power this
3. fantastic replacement wet sandblaster attachment

Cons

• Plastic sand wand

View on Amazon

Don’t be fooled by the manufacturer name, this is not a pneumatic tool. Interstate Pneumatics have put together a fantastic wet sandblaster for pressure washers.

This model is a good pick if you are looking for good quality, durable, reliable sandblaster that will last through a lot of projects.

But with quality does come price… This is a relatively expensive model.

This wet sandblaster kit can handle water pressure up to 3500 PSI with a flow rate of up to 10 gallons of water per minute (GPM).

This makes more than strong enough to handle all your domestic sandblasting projects. You get a very long PVC hose, this comes in at 18 foot-long. This is great, this length is in that perfect zone, ensuring that you get a steady sand flow, while that extra distance keeps your dry silica sand well out of the water of water kickback, which reduces the chances of the dried river sand clumping and blocking the feed.

The hose is connected to a steel sand wand, this wand has two pipes, one for the sand output and the other ensures proper airflow.

You don’t get a long pressure washer wand, but you also don’t lose any pressure from having a long pressure wand….

The nozzle attaches to any standard ¼ inch quick connector. The nozzle itself is made from brass.

One thing to note, this sandblasting kit is prone to clogging if you use the wrong sand. Your typical play sand isn’t good enough, and using it will result in a clogged sand hose, as the wet sand clogs the hose.

View on Amazon

What Is Sandblasting?

I’ve no doubt that there have been moments in your life when a sandblasting kit would have really saved the day, perhaps you’ve even spent hundreds of dollars on getting professionals in to do the sandblasting for you, thinking that it’s just not possible to do it yourself, well you can.

Sandblasting is exactly how it sounds, It’s a powerful abrasive, you are literally blasting sand at a surface, this sand strips paint, rust, well anything that is the outermost layer is taken off of the surface.

Basically, if you’ve ever sanded something by hand or used a power sander such as an orbital sander, this is just a much more powerful option, that’s quick and effective. No need to use sandpaper or a chemical paint stripper.

Typically to do this at home, you’d need either a pneumatic tool such as an air compressor or a pressure washer. Apart from these machines, you’ll also need a sandblasting kit and a bag/bucket of sand or another sanding media.

Domestic sandblasting kits use dry silica sand, purified river sand, builders sand or pool filter sand. But you can use something more delicate such as baking soda or walnut shells.

With a wet sandblaster, you’re using the power of pressurized water to blast sand onto the surface you are pointing the nozzle at.

This combination of sand and water results in a cleaner job over a dry sandblaster as there is much less dust, and fantastic results overall from abrasive cleaning.

Dry vs. Wet Sandblasting

So you may be wondering what the better choice is? Using a pressure washer or an air compressor? Or rather Wet vs. Dry sandblasting.

The truth is there isn’t a universal answer, one isn’t better than the other, it all depends on your project, both methods are equally very good at what they do.

So based on your circumstances and the needs of your project should dictate which one you go for, as I had a pressure washer already and I didn’t own an air compressor, the decision was relatively easy.

However, here is an overview of the basic differences to help you make your choice.

1. Material

Possibly the most critical factor that you should consider is the surface that you are going to be sandblasting.

For example, if the surface is made out of wood, then you probably want to choose dry sandblasting (I didn’t..), even if the wood has been treated to handle moisture. This is because wood tends to blister or bend from exposure to excess water.

However, if you are sandblasting plastic, then wet sandblasting is your best choice because as plastics get hot, which they would from the friction of dry sandblasting, they tend to bend and change shape. However, the water from the pressure washer is a very effective way to prevent the surface from overheating.

Finally, if you are working with metal or masonry, then either method is suitable, though if you are using metal, make sure to dry the surface properly and apply an anti-rusting product if it’s the type of metal that’s vulnerable to corrosion.

2. Dust

Dust can be a huge issue, which is why many professionals choose to use wet sandblasting whenever they can.

If you’ve never done any type of DIY where you cut into the plaster on your walls, then you have no idea how annoying dust can be.

The other day I was cutting into my walls to run network cables neatly around the home. I used a chasing tool to cut to the depth, then my SDS drilled to chisel away the remains.

The mess… to cut the chases took ~15 mins, prob 30-60 mins to chisel out the rubble, but the dust, well even with doors and windows open, it just hung in the air for hours.

I spent 2-4 hours cleaning, I’d clean a surface, then 15 minutes later… another layer of dust.

So asides from the reduced cleaning, there’s also a health and safety aspect. If you are working in a populated area, I.e., near schools, office buildings or near your family home, you don’t really want a dust cloud floating around.

Unfortunately with dry sandblasting that’s precisely what you’ll get, sandblasting with an air compressor will result in a dust cloud, so make sure to wear the appropriate protective equipment, don’t forget your lungs or your eyes.

With dry sandblasting, As you shoot sand onto the surface you are cleaning, every piece of sand shatters into multiple particles upon impact, as you are using air to propel them, these particles simply fly off into the air, leaving you and your project enveloped in a lot of dust.

Hence my mention above about protective equipment, you need to take care of your eyes and lungs.

However, when you use pressurized water to blast sand onto the surface you are cleaning, there isn’t anywhere near as much dust. The water droplets catch the shattered sand particles, preventing them from wandering off. In fact, the added weight of the water helps make the particles fall to the floor immediately.

This makes wet sandblasting more environmentally friendly and better for people around you. No dust means safe cleaning breathing air.

Because of this, you don’t need to wear a mask over your nose and mouth when working with a pressure washer sandblasting kit, though I still advise that you do.

3. Affordability

I don’t know about you, but I like to spend as little as possible, but I also want quality, I want something that will be reliable and last a long time.

If you don’t have a pressure washer or an air compressor and you are wondering which is a better choice, firstly what other jobs will you be doing? Will you need an air compressor for other tools? Or will you use a pressure washer more often?

Secondly, affordability is an essential factor to consider.

Unless you are looking to purchase a commercial-grade pressure washer, air compressors are typically much more expensive than a water-based tool, you can use lower water pressure of around 1500 PSI for wet sandblasting, so those small, less powerful pressure washers can do the job.

Though personally, I suggest you pick up one of the best pressure washers you can if you are going to buy a pressure washer, by quality, buy once.

How a Sandblaster Works

Wet sandblasters work in a straightforward manner, a probe (sand wand) is used to draw sand or any other abrasive substance up to the pressure washer extension wand where it’s mixed with water.

As the pressurized washer water exits the nozzle, it creates a suction effect which draws sand up the sand hose via the sand nozzle, this sand is then mixed with the water.

This water is used to propel it toward the surface, which you want to strip off paint, rust, grime, grease and graffiti.

This combination of water and sand quickly blasts these things away, using abrasive cleaning, leaving you with a clean and smoothed surface. Different materials can be used for wet water sandblasting and each one will provide a distinctive finish to the surface being cleaned.

Pressure Washer Sandblasting Kit Buying Guide

Hopefully, thanks to this guide, finding a good pressure washer sandblasting kit won’t be complicated. Though there are a few things that you should account for when making your choice.

You need to pick the right sandblasting kit to do a good job on a project, so it should be compatible with your pressure washer.

Here are some of the most important factors that you should consider before making your choice.

1. PSI and GPM ratings

I’ve no doubt that you’ve heard of these terms when referring to your pressure washer.

PSI stands for pounds per square inch. This is the measurement that tells you how much pressure your pressure washer can create.

In your typical domestic model, PSI can range from as low as 800 and all the way up to 10000, though with portable pressure washers, these usually range between 800 to 2000 PSI.

Though a gas-powered model will be much more powerful, making out at around 8000 PSI.

GPM tells you how much water your washer pours out, it stands for gallons per minute. Together these two numbers give you the actual power of your power washer.

When you work with a sandblasting extension on your pressure washer, you need both the PSI and the GPM to match that of the sandblasting kit.

A low-rating sandblasting kick will simply not be able to withstand the pressurized water coming from a high-powered gas pressure washer.

Usually, the nozzle fails when you have a mismatch in power, this is where the water and sand combine, so the water wand must be strong enough to support the high pressurized water flow.

2. Nozzle Tip Material

You use a sandblaster to trip paint or rust of surfaces such as metal, even at several feet away from the surface, paint and rust are removed.

So considering how much force with which the sand and water mixture is being exerted from the tip. Well, the permanent nozzle tip needs to be strong enough to withstand that force and abrasive power.

Over time, the tip of your sandblaster will wear out, eventually beyond repair.

The type of tip you choose will change how much you can sandblast before you need a replacement.

2.1. Carbide

A carbide tip is made from compounds of carbon and metal and are some of the most robust materials used for many tools and equipment in the power tool industry.

As such, a carbide nozzle tip for sandblasting kits are by far the most resistant tips to wear and tear.

Also, these carbide materials are resistant to corrosion, which believe me is a very valuable asset for those who use their pressure washers to sandblast.

Though there is a drawback, with this level of quality, durability, and reliability, they do cost more upfront, though you’ll save money and time in the long run as you won’t be purchasing new tips for every sandblasting job you do and you won’t spend your time replacing those tips.

2.2. Ceramic

The most common tip found in sandblasting kits are ceramic nozzle tips. This is because they sit in a nice ratio of durability and price.

These are made out of natural materials, and while ceramic tips do not seem intuitively strong, the ceramic material is incredibly resistance to sand abrasion.

These tips are considerably shorter-lasting when compared to a carbide tip, but they are very affordable.

2.3. Steel

A steel tip isn’t very common, though you may be thinking that a steel tip would have better performance compared to that of a ceramic tip, you’d be wrong.

Steel wears down quickly when exposed to the pressurized water and sand slurry. Unless the steel is actually stainless steel, it will also quickly corrode which will make it unsuitable for use with your pressure washer and actually increase the rate of wear.

Though steel has its place in these kits, just not at the nozzle.

3. Sand Intake

With a sandblasting kit, you need some way for the sand to make it’s way to the pressurized water. This is handled by the sand input intake, it’s composed of two parts, the hose and the wand.

3.1. Hose

The hose is what transports sand input from you sandbag or bucket to the permanent nozzle tip, this is where it’s mixed with water and then sprayed into the surfaced the nozzle is pointing at.

Even though the purpose of the hose is the transport the sand, it doesn’t typically suffer from a lot of abrasive damage. It’s usually one of the longer-lasting parts of a sandblasting kit.

This is the reason that these hoses are typically made out of plastic or rubber, you rarely find ones being made out of metal.

While these hoses don’t suffer from abrasions, you do need to make sure that they work flawlessly with a light-duty pressure washer, the ones which don’t put out a lot of PSI.

To ensure that the sand input intake is sufficient, you should stay away from the longer hoses, ones that are 20 feet long or more.

3.2. Wand

The wand of the sand intake is what you stick into your sandbag or bucket. It’s got one purpose, and that’s the suck in the sand and bring it into the hose.

The wand needs to be quite sturdy. So depending on your needs and your budget, you can opt for one made out of hard plastics, though personally, I would choose one made out of steel for longevity reasons.

How to Set Up Your Sandblasting Kit

Setting up a sandblasting kit is incredibly easy.

As soon as you’ve set up your surface, sand supply, and pressure washer, you can get on with the task.

I recommend that you work in a large, open space for safety reasons.

It’s worthwhile making sure that the area you are working in has a water drain nearby as you don’t want the water and slurry to linger.

An alternative is to sandblast on a grass field, the land can then soak up the water and sand can be good for your lawn.

If you are using silica sand, then you don’t need to worry about environmental impacts since there are no chemical substances such as soap involved. It’s just clean water and natural sand, this mix results in abrasive cleaning.

1. What You Need

• Fortunately, you don’t need much to sandblast as you’ll see below
• A pressure washer, ideally producing 2000 PSI or more
• A sandblasting kit (here’s the one I use)
• A large tarp or a similar water-resistant material to collect the sand (yeah… you can reuse the sand once it’s dried).
• A bag of abrasive media, such as silica sand, crushed walnut shells or corn cobs baking soda or similar.
• Protective equipment, such as protective eyeglasses, clothes, and a respiratory mask.

2. Setting Up

Before you can start to strip paint or rust, you need to do some prep work first. You need the proper set-up to ensure success. Follow these steps below and you’ll have no issues while you work.

2.1. The surface

The first thing you must do is create the right setup for sandblasting whatever surface you are going to work with, whether that’s a car, a panel, or even an old wheelbarrow.

Since you are working with a pressure washer, you need to make sure that there is adequate drainage nearby, this can be a drain, or you can work on soil or a lawn, wherever water can freely flow and get soaked up naturally.

Of course, you’ll need access to electricity unless you use gas-powered pressure washers, and a water supply.

If you want to save and reuse the sand, you’ll also need a large tarp.

Spread the tarp where you are going to work, and place the surface you’ll be sandblasting on top. As you work, the sand will fall onto the tarp. Once dried, you can run the sand through a sieve and reuse it for another round of sandblasting.

It’s an excellent way to save money.

Though if you do this, you need to pay attention and ensure that the sand you reuse is clean. You don’t want tough pieces or rust, paint or plastic to ruin your next project.

Also, always make sure your sand is completely dry before use; otherwise, you run the risk of blocking your sand inlet hose.

2.2. Assembling the kit

First of all, you need to get your pressure washer up and running as you would normally do.

Take the metal wand of your sandblaster kit, and connect it to your pressure washer wand. You may need an adapter if your wand isn’t a standard ¼ quick connect.

Pour your sand or other sandblasting media into a bucket or back and place it somewhere, where want won’t reach it. Alternatively, you can use a bucket with a lid, I’ve even seen people put an open umbrella over the sand to protect it from water.

It’s incredibly crucial that your sand is completely dry while you work; otherwise it will jam the hose.

On the other end of the metal wand is the hose and on the end of that hose will be the sand wand, this may be plastic or metal, take this and insert it into your dry silica sand or bag. Or any other medium you intend to use for sandblasting.

Make sure that you get this right down to the bottom of the bucket, you want to ensure that the tip is above the sand level as it will need air, some kits have a sand wand and an air inlet to ensure an optimal mix of sand, air and water.

Some people will use a bag of sand instead of a bucket, I don’t suggest this, but if you choose to do so make sure that the air intake of your wand is exposed.

When you are holding your sandblasting kit, make sure that the sand wand is continuously covered by sand at all times; otherwise you risk water getting into the sane hose, which will cause a jam.

Position yourself a few feet away from the surface you are going to work with, and you are ready to start.

3. Safety during Handling

Sandblasting may come across as easy, and it is compared to hand sanding, but it does require patience and good control.

The powerful blasting comes with risks, bear in mind that any surface struck by this blast will suffer irreversible damage. Obviously, when we are sandblasting, we are expecting this. So make sure to be patient and controlled so nothing but the expected area is affected.

3.1. How to start blasting

• When you start your pressure washer, you need to make sure that you hold the wand pointing down, away from yourself, others, and any surface you do not wish to get damaged.
• Keep yourself a few feet away from the surface you are blasting, you can slowly get closer, but make sure you keep checking the surface as the high-pressure spray can cause unexpected damage if you get too close.

3.2. Protective equipment

Personally, I am all about the protective equipment, I think that it’s absolutely essential at all times when working with power tools and sandblasting is no exception.

There’s a lot of sand and water kickback associated with wet sandblasting, which you don’t want to get into your eyes or lungs.

To stay safe, I suggest the following:

• Goggles, or protective face mask – When sandblasting, there is a lot of sand and water kickback, you don’t want to get this into your eyes.
• Breathing mask – Even though wet sandblasting creates much less dust than that of dry sandblasting, it’s still essential to protect your lungs. Silicosis is a severe disease that affects your breathing.
• Waterproof clothing – Working that closely with water means you are going to get wet, so it’s worth wearing waterproof clothes and boots that won’t slip.
• Hearing protection – Pressure washers aren’t quiet, and sandblasting adds even more noise, so let’s prevent future hearing loss by wearing earplugs, or earmuffs when working with noisy machinery.

FAQ About Sandblasting Kits

1. Are pressure washer sandblasting kits safe to use?

Short answer? Yes.

But you must keep in mind that you are operating a powerful machine. While sandblasting with a pressure washer is safe, you must respect it, it’s not a toy. So keep in mind all of the potential dangers.

If you are worried about safety while handling a pressure washer sandblasting kit, make sure to take the time to study the directions and use the instructions provided by your sandblasting kit manufacturer.

2. What kind of sand should I use for sandblasting?

Choosing the right media for your sandblasting is important and really depends on the job you are doing.

If you aren’t sure whether you should be using a fine or coarse medium, you should test the finder one first and adjust from there.

The reason for this is because the coarse media may well damage the surface when blasted under high pressures.

An example of a finer media would be baking soda or crushed walnut shells, while coarse mediums would be crushed glass and swimming pool filter sand.

3. How much pressure do you need to sandblast?

Water pressure is very important, but the amount you’ll need will depend entirely on the job at hand and the media you are using. If you have a lot of rust, well-stuck paint, or dirt you need to remove and you are using a coarse media, then you can use a pressure washer which can produce 1500 PSI or more.

I suggest starting with the lower pressure settings before increasing the power, this ensures the best results.

4. What do I do if water gets into the sand supply hose?

If water gets into your sand supply hose, then you should turn off your pressure washer, disassemble the sandblasting kit.

Remove the sand wand from the sand (since you don’t want your dry sand to get wet). If your model comes with a gun trigger, hold it open, this may aid in removing water.

If you can, remove the hose from the rest of the kit and let it air dry.

You can continue working once the hose is dry, a trick I use is to have a few spare hoses hanging around.

A tip or rather a technique I use is to keep the sand bucket and sand wand elevated above my water wand, this way the water tends not to flow back down the sand inlet hose. If it does happen, it’s important to act quickly to salvage the situation; otherwise it can take a while before you can get back to it.

5. Can you sandblast with a pressure washer?

Yes, you can, you can convert your pressure washer into an industrial wet sandblaster by using a pressure washer sandblasting kit and a medium such as sand.

Wet sandblasting is more efficient than dry sandblasting and does not create dust. This tool easily removes tough stains, rust, multiple layers of paint, and graffiti.

6. How do you wet sandblast?

It’s easy to wet sandblast when you use a sandblasting attachment. You take your pressure washer attach a pressure washing sandblasting kit. Take the kits probe and stick this into your sand bucket, this probe (line) is used to draw in the sand (or any other type of materials discussed in this article, being used as the abrasive substance) to the power washers extension wand, this is where the sand mixes with the water and is propelled towards the surface it’s being pointed at, at high speeds.

7. Can you soda blast with pressure washer?

You can indeed. When using a pressure washer sandblast kit, instead of using a medium such as sand, you can instead use baking soda.

Using this medium will be less aggressive than using sand, but still perfect for Safely remove mildew, oil and grease, and even graffiti.

Baking soda which has been designed for “soda blasting” can be purchased from many industrial cleaning suppliers for large projects or, for smaller projects, a small box from the grocery store can also be used.

8. How does vapor blasting work?

It’s the process of using sand (or other abrasive substances) mixed with water, being blasted at high speeds and pressure towards a surface. This mixture will remove contaminants from that surface.

This is done by attaching a kit to your pressure washer and sticking the kits prob into a bucket filled with an abrasive medium. When the pressure washer is activated, the movement of the water draws the sand up the probe line and mixes with the water.

It’s then propelled at the surface you wish to remove contaminants from such as rust, or for finishing a surface.

9. How do you turn a power washer into a sandblaster?

To turn your washer into a sandblast is simple, Get yourself an abrasive medium such as sand, put this into a bucket, purchase one of the sandblasting kits mentioned above.

Attach the pressure washer sandblasting kit to your power washer, follow the instructions of the power washer sandblasting kit, which will usually go something along the lines of, place the sand probe into the bucket with your abrasive medium (sand), attach the lance to your pressure washer trigger gun.

Then pull the trigger, as the water flows through the lance, sand will be drawn up a mixed with the water, then whatever you are pointing that lance at will be sandblasted.

Wrap Up

Sandblasting is the perfect solution for many jobs, such as preparing a surface for paint to restoring an old rusty wheelbarrow and many other jobs.

Traditional air-based dry sandblasting comes at a steep price and a lot of risks to your and other people’s lungs.

This is why using the best pressure washer sandblasting kit is the right solution for household needs. The water controls the dangerous silica dust and the price of entry is very low, while still doing a great job at removing whatever you are looking to get rid of.

If you are unsure, then as I said at the start of this article, I personally use the Tool Daily 5000 PSI Pressure Washer Sandblasting Kit.

Hopefully, I’ve answered any questions that you may have had about sandblasting with your power washer. I’ve done my best to find the most reliable information as well as give my own personal experience and to organize it all into this buying guide so that you can make the best pick from my list of pressure washer sandblasting kit reviews.

If you have questions at all, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.