Effective removal for playground markings
Removing playground markings currently takes up about 30% of our time. Nearly all of it in the school holidays or at weekends. Most of the schools seem to be in Yorkshire, Lancashire, North West or South West England or in the London area (partly because we are generally contracted to companies who are installing new markings - who are based in or marketing to these regions), but we have undertaken work in Scotland and Wales as well.
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We specialise in using a low pressure sand jetting system. This 'damp' system captures line marking material, dirt and abrasive, preventing the health and safety risks associated with dry sandblasting, and with none of the toxic fumes and thick smoke of burning the material off. We can also offer ultra high pressure water blasting line marking removal. For speed, UHP water jet removal is probably the route forward.
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For cost, and for small jobs, the sand jet wins. Most playgrounds fall into the sand jet camp - but the cut off is about 3 days’ removal work where the time/speed of the sand jet starts getting overtaken by the speed of UHP. That being said, there are also many instances of the playground tarmac being in such poor condition that sand jet is the only way to go.
Sand jet cleaning
For accuracy and delicacy - the sand jet is extremely effective and can clean road markings from concrete (including textured concrete), brick pavers, paving slabs & tarmac. UHP is something of a blunt instrument - particularly as the removal 'point of impact' can't be seen - and the 'cut' is typically 20cm wide. This does mean that the sand jet can remove one set of overlapping markings, and leave the other set intact.
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This central spot had to remain at this school in Sleaford.
Ultra high pressure water
UHP is faster (much faster) and leaves less residue around. It is also intrinsically safer (or at least, the way that the machine applies the water to a surface is safer than the open sand jet!) for use around schools. It is, however, significantly more aggressive on the tarmac.
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These cricket marks generated a wonderful 'melted rainbow' effect when removed with UHP, as can be seen here (a job in Cannock- December 2015). Some cleanup will still be required post UHP cleaning - but at least we haven't added sand to the clean up issue.
High pressure water
Sometimes high pressure water at around 500bar can suffice. This is about 5 times the pressure of a standard pressure washer - but 5 times less than ultra high pressure water. It also runs at 30+ litres per minute - so there is some power there!
This is a court in Blackburn - June 2017
Key benefits
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The systems are gentle enough to clean delicate surfaces, yet powerful enough to strip multiple layers of paint in one pass. If there is an issue we will stop and ask!
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None of the systems are chemical processes so no noxious or harmful slurries or fumes are generated.
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The sand jet uses only minimal amounts of water and abrasive meaning the system is regularly used indoors.
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UHP and sand jet easily remove line markings for forklift bays etc., and key epoxy screed surfaces for new coatings.
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The sand jet is accurate enough that we can remove one set of overlapping markings - leaving the other intact.
