Abrasive Media Engineered for Gulf Coast Industries
The Right Media for Your Surface, Your Environment, Your Spec
For assets in the Houston-Galveston area, from offshore platforms in the Gulf to storage tanks along the Ship Channel, surface preparation is a constant battle against humidity and corrosion. Abrasive Warehouse & Equipment is a Houston-based authority on abrasive media, parts, and equipment, with a second strategic location in Odessa to serve the Permian Basin. We focus on providing surface preparation solutions that account for the high salt content in our air and the stringent surface profile requirements of the local marine, oil and gas, and transportation industries.
Selecting the right abrasive media depends on factors such as surface material, desired finish, surface profile and equipment setup. We help you select an abrasive that delivers the specified anchor pattern, maximizes your removal rate, and holds up in the humid conditions between blasting and coating. That last factor is critical for preventing flash rust.
Whether you need a single bag for a custom job or bulk pallet orders for industrial operations, we provide reliable access to the abrasive media your process depends on.
Matching Abrasive Media to Your Surface & Environment
Selecting the correct abrasive is not just about the desired finish. It is a technical decision based on substrate, existing coating, and required surface profile, often specified to a NACE or SSPC standard. Our team has documented which media perform best on the Tnemec and Carboline coatings frequently used in local refineries and what it takes to achieve an SSPC-SP10 Near-White Metal Blast on a salt-crusted heat exchanger.
Key selection factors include:
Substrate Hardness: Choosing an abrasive that is harder than the coating but not so hard it damages the underlying steel.
Profile Depth (Mils): Steel grit for deep, sharp profiles needed for thick system coatings vs. glass beads for a smooth, non-destructive finish.
Recyclability: Factoring in the cost-per-turn of steel shot in a controlled blast room versus the single-use nature of garnet or crushed glass in the field.
Environmental & Safety: Utilizing environmentally sound solutions like baking soda for sensitive substrates, and our dust collector and ductwork installation services to manage airborne particulates.
Explore our selection of industrial blasting media. We stock media specifically for the challenges faced by fabricators, shipyards, and refineries across Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Southern Arkansas.
GLASS BEAD
(ROUND SHAPED GRAIN)
Glass bead blasting media produces a smooth, bright satin finish without removing base material. It is lead-free, soda lime-type glass containing no free silica, made into preformed round ball shapes. Glass bead will produce a clean, bright, peened, satin finish without changing or damaging the parts and with no metal removal. It is commonly used for finishing, polishing and delicate surface preparation.
Commonly used sizes: #6, #8, #10, #13 (smaller number = larger particles)
Sold in 50# bags or 2000# pallet
ALUMINUM OXIDE (brown or white)
(ANGULAR SHAPED GRAIN)
Aluminum Oxide is angular, durable blasting media and can be recycled many times. It ranges from 8 mesh up to 1200 mesh (the smaller the mesh the larger the particles). It is the most widely used as an abrasive because of its cost, longevity, and hardness. Harder than other commonly used blasting materials, aluminum oxide grit powder penetrates and cuts even the hardest metals and sintered carbide.
Commonly used sizes: 24, 36, 60, 80, 120, 220 and 240
Sold in 50# bags, 2000# pallet, 2000# super sacks or 400# fiber drums
STEEL GRIT
(ANGULAR SHAPED GRAIN)
Steel Grit is ideal for aggressive cleaning applications. It will quickly strip many types of surface contaminants from steel and other metals. The angular nature of Steel Grit produces an etched surface on metal for superior adhesion of paint, rubber, and other coatings (the larger the number the smaller the particles). Steel Grit has different hardness… (GS 40-51 rc, GM 47-56 rc, GL 54-61 rc and GH 60+ rc)
Commonly used sizes: 25, 40 and 50
Sold in Grit sizes 14-40 50# bags, 1700# pallet or 1700# drums and Grit sizes 50-80 40# bags, 1500# pallet or 1500# drums
STEEL SHOT
(ROUND SHAPED GRAIN)
Steel shot blasting is the mostly used for cleaning, stripping, and improving a metal surface. The grade or size of steel shot will determine the finish that you are wanting to achieve on the surface of the metal (the larger the number the larger the particles). The round ball shape of the steel shot produces a clean, smooth and polished surface through a peening, In a peening application, steel shot is also used to impart compressive strength to torque or load bearing metal parts such as crankshafts, engine turbine blades and heavy-duty springs.
Commonly used sizes: 170, 230, 280 and 330
Sold in 50# bags, 2000# pallet or 2000# drums
PLASTIC MEDIA
Plastic media is ideal for stripping coatings from sensitive surfaces without damaging the substrate. Lightweight and low-density, it removes paint and coatings from aluminum, fiberglass, and composite materials without etching or warping. A go-to for aerospace, automotive restoration, and precision parts where surface integrity matters.
Commonly used types: T-2 Urea, T-3 Melamine, T-5 Acrylic
Sold in 50# cardboard boxes, 250–275# fiber drums, or 1,500–2,000# super sacks
GARNET (BLAST & WATERJET)
(OVAL OR ANGULAR SHAPED GRAIN)
Garnet is a used for a variety of blasting applications. Can be used in both dry and wet abrasive blasting. It offers high performance and recyclability. It ranges from 8 mesh to 120 mesh (the smaller the number the larger the particles).
Commonly used sizes: 36, 30/60, 80 and 80 waterjet cutting
Sold in 55# bags, 2200# pallet or 2200# super sacks
CRUSHED GLASS
(ANGULAR SHAPED GRAIN)
Crushed glass grit has an irregular shape product. It will produce more of an etch on the surface. Crushed glass is often used for stripping and to prepare a surface for coating. It is 100% recycled glass (such as beer and wine bottles) making it environmentally friendly. Crushed glass breaks down quickly making it hard to reuse. The smaller the number the larger the particles.
Commonly used sizes: #1 course, #2 med course, #3 medium, #4 fine
Sold in 50# bags, 2000# pallet or 2000# super sacks
VIBRATORY & MEDIA & COMPOUNDS
For vibratory finishing, tumbling, and mass finishing applications. Contact our team for available media and compound options for your specific application.
BLACK BEAUTY
As a blasting media, the product is used by customers when removing surface coatings, such as rust, paint, and scale from a variety of substrates, especially stainless steel, aluminum, concrete, bricks and wood.
MEDIUM: General purpose for removing paint, rust scale and other coatings
FINE: Used for light paint & rust removal and applications needing a reduced profile
X-FINE: Light blasting for items needing a clean surface and a low profile
Sold in 50# bags or 3000# pallet
WALNUT SHELL
(ANGULAR SHAPED GRAIN)
Walnut shell grit is a polishing-soft aggregate used for the removal of foreign matter or coatings from surfaces without etching, scratching, or marring the cleaned areas. It is great when refurbishing old cars. It will remove old paint without damaging the metal.
Commonly used size: 20/30 course
Sold in 50# bags or 2000# pallets
BAKING SODA
(ANGULAR SHAPED GRAIN)
Baking Soda Media or sodium bicarbonate is utilized in soda blasting. There are several grades mostly differentiated by granulation. Baking soda is great for cleaning and stripping where a softer abrasive is required to prevent damage to the surface(s) or it needs to be water soluble. It will remove paint, powder coating, grease, carbon, asphalt, dirt, mold, graffiti, and odors.
Sold in 50# bags or 2000# pallets
STAINLESS STEEL SHOT & GRIT
Stainless steel shot and grit is the go-to media for blasting stainless steel, aluminum, and other surfaces where contamination from carbon steel must be avoided. Shot delivers a smooth, polished finish while grit creates an angular profile for superior coating adhesion. Highly durable and recyclable, making it a cost-effective choice for high-volume operations.
Commonly used sizes: S-110, S-170, S-230 (shot); G-25, G-40 (grit)
Sold in 50# bags or 2,000# super sacks
Solving Region-Specific Surface Preparation Challenges
We provide solutions based on decades of local observation. We understand that a profile that works in a dry climate can flash rust in minutes during a humid Houston summer.
With over 100 years of combined team experience, our expertise extends beyond media to the full system. We handle equipment installation, inspections, rebuilds, and service contracts — weekly, monthly, or quarterly — to keep your operation running.
Whether you need a single bag or bulk pallets delivered to a laydown yard in Pasadena or a drilling site near Odessa, our logistics serve Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Southern Arkansas.
Small Orders or Bulk Supply
Abrasive Warehouse & Equipment supports both small and large abrasive media orders.
For pallet quantities, recurring supply needs or specialized applications, our team can provide custom pricing and logistics coordination.
Need Help Selecting an Abrasive?
If you are unsure which blasting media is best for your application, our team is ready to help. We can review your process and recommend the most effective abrasive media based on your materials, equipment and finishing requirements.