I need a recommendation for someone who can sandblast paint off my Eichler fireplace in Green Meadow, Palo Alto. It is made of cinderblock. If you know a local Northern California sandblaster can you please let me know.
I've got the Courtyard model that has the external cinderblock "wall" in front of the house and last summer I had the cinderblock wall sandblasted. (I'm pretty sure the fireplace material, at least in my house, is the same as the exterior wall cinderblock). The bad news is that the cinderblock is actually softer than the paint (oil based) and it was virtually impossible to remove all the paint from the nooks and crannies of the cinderblock. The final surface is sort of a mottled cinderblock/paint combo which is not entirely unpleasant, but if you're looking for a spotless new fireplace you might want to check really carefully with your contractor before starting what is an unbelievably messy process. (5 months later we're still cleaning up pockets of sand).
Please email me if you want info on our sandblasting contractor.
ajmNineOneAtcomcast.net
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