COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL · COLORADO & SIX STATES
Shot Blasting Contractor Colorado
AWSP is the shot blasting contractor Colorado general contractors and facility managers call when a slab is too large, too contaminated, or too time-sensitive to grind. We have run steel shot across warehouse decks in Commerce City, hangar floors in Denver, and stone walkways at Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
All West Surface Prep has worked on existing concrete since 1990, which is 30+ years in the trade. AWSP does not pour concrete. Every job on this page is preparation of a slab that already exists.
What is shot blasting?
Shot blasting is a mechanical surface preparation method that fires steel shot at a concrete slab at high velocity to strip coatings, laitance, and contaminants and leave a clean, textured profile. The machine recovers and recycles the steel shot in a closed loop while an integrated vacuum pulls the removed material into a containment system. The result is a dry, dust-controlled surface ready to bond with a coating, overlay, or sealer.
Because the shot is recovered and reused as the machine travels, shot blasting produces very little airborne dust compared to open abrasive blasting. That is what makes it viable inside occupied buildings, warehouses that cannot shut down, and facilities with sensitive equipment nearby.
Shot blasting does not resurface or repair a slab. It cleans and profiles one. If a floor has high spots, low spots, or elevation problems, that is a separate scope covered on our concrete floor leveling page.
What equipment does AWSP run?
AWSP operates the Blastrac 20D, the newest and largest shot blaster in the Rocky Mountain region. On open floor, a machine that size covers ground that smaller units cannot match on a fixed schedule, which is the difference between a two-week shutdown and a weekend.
Crews also carry portable generators, so a building with no power service, no temporary power, or a de-energized panel is still a workable site. Dust containment is HEPA-managed, which is what allows blasting to run in a building that is still operating around us.
Crew depth is 10 to 15 cross-trained people. Mobilization on most projects is 24 to 48 hours.
Shot blasting or diamond grinding: which does your slab need?
Shot blasting is the right call on large open slabs where you need an aggressive, uniform profile fast. Diamond grinding is the right call on smaller areas, along edges and corners, where a smoother finish is required, or where the slab is going on to be polished. Most real projects use both, with blasting covering the field and grinding handling the perimeter.
| Shot blasting | Diamond grinding | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Large open field areas, coating removal at scale | Edges, corners, smaller rooms, polish preparation |
| Typical profile | CSP 3 to CSP 6 | CSP 1 to CSP 3 |
| Speed on open floor | Faster per square foot | Slower per square foot |
| Dust handling | Closed-loop shot recovery with integrated vacuum | HEPA vacuum attached at the head |
| Surface left behind | Uniform aggressive texture | Smoother, flatter, refinable |
| Known limits | Cannot reach edges, corners, or tight rooms | Slow and costly across very large areas |
Cost follows the same logic. Over a big field, blasting is cheaper per square foot because it moves faster. Over a small or broken-up floor plan, grinding wins because you are not paying to mobilize a large machine that cannot reach half the area.
We cover the method-by-method decision in more depth on the concrete surface preparation hub.
What to look for in a shot blasting contractor in Colorado
A shot blasting contractor in Colorado should be able to tell you three things before a machine comes off the trailer: the profile they will hit and how they will verify it, the containment plan for a building that stays occupied, and a mobilization date they will put in writing.
Ask what happens when the slab surprises everyone. Soft spots, undisclosed previous coatings, and elevation problems are normal on older floors. A contractor who owns one machine will push through on your schedule. AWSP carries blasters, grinders, and the crew depth to change method mid-job without a remobilization change order.
What CSP profile does shot blasting produce?
Shot blasting typically produces a Concrete Surface Profile between CSP 3 and CSP 6, depending on shot size, machine speed, and how many passes the crew makes. CSP is the industry scale published by the International Concrete Repair Institute in Guideline 310.2R, and most coating manufacturers specify a minimum CSP in their data sheet.
That specification matters more than any opinion about method. If a manufacturer calls for CSP 5 and the floor is delivered at CSP 2, the warranty is void whether the coating fails or not. AWSP profiles to the spec sheet and documents what was achieved. Reference: International Concrete Repair Institute.
Where has AWSP shot blasted?
Mount Rushmore National Memorial in Keystone, South Dakota. 40,000 square feet of shot blasting at a national landmark.
A warehouse and distribution center in Commerce City, Colorado. 160,000 square feet of shot blasting on a single industrial slab.
Alongside that work, AWSP has handled 28,000 square feet of surface preparation at Empower Field at Mile High and 30,000 square feet at Wings Over the Rockies, both in Denver.
Project sizes run from 1,000 square foot single-day jobs to multi-phase industrial slabs over 150,000 square feet.
Can shot blasting run in an occupied building?
Yes. HEPA-managed dust containment and closed-loop shot recovery keep the work area isolated enough to run inside a building that is still operating. Crews schedule around your downtime rather than the other way around, including nights and weekends where the facility requires it.
Silica exposure is controlled under the OSHA respirable crystalline silica standard for construction, 29 CFR 1926.1153. Every AWSP supervisor carries OSHA construction safety training. Reference: OSHA respirable crystalline silica.
What happens after the blast?
A blasted slab is a prepared substrate, not a finished floor. Most projects move straight into one of the following, usually with the same crew, which removes the coordination gap where most schedule slips happen.
- Epoxy coatings for industrial and warehouse floors
- Concrete polishing where the slab itself becomes the finished surface
- Moisture mitigation where slab vapor emission would otherwise fail the coating
- Densifying and sealing for bare concrete that stays bare
Frequently asked questions
What is shot blasting?
Shot blasting is a mechanical surface preparation method that fires steel shot at a concrete slab at high velocity to strip coatings, laitance, and contaminants and leave a clean, textured profile. The machine recovers and recycles the shot in a closed loop while a vacuum captures the debris, so the process runs largely dust-free.
Is shot blasting better than grinding?
Neither is better in general. Shot blasting is faster and more economical across large open slabs and produces a more aggressive profile. Diamond grinding reaches edges and corners, leaves a smoother surface, and is the correct choice ahead of polishing. Most projects use both.
Does shot blasting create dust?
Very little. The steel shot is recovered and recycled inside the machine and an integrated vacuum captures removed material as the unit travels. AWSP runs HEPA-managed containment on top of that, which is why the work is viable in occupied buildings.
How much does shot blasting cost in Colorado?
Price depends on square footage, slab condition, what has to come off, access, and the profile the coating manufacturer specifies. A 160,000 square foot open warehouse and a 3,000 square foot occupied retail space price very differently per foot. Send drawings or a site address and AWSP will scope it.
Does AWSP pour concrete?
No. AWSP works on existing concrete only. Surface preparation, polishing, coatings, moisture mitigation, joint filling, and leveling of slabs that are already in place.
Request a shot blasting estimate
AWSP has worked as a shot blasting contractor in Colorado since 1990 and serves Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, South Dakota, and Arizona from Commerce City. See the full Colorado service area or go back to All West Surface Prep.
Call (303) 573-7737, Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm Mountain Time.