Why an in-house blasting booth makes all the difference to your concrete finish

At the Temse site, C-concrete not only has its own concrete plant, but also a fully covered shot-blasting booth for finishing precast concrete. At first glance, this may seem like a purely practical facility. In reality, this shot-blasting booth helps shape the appearance and functionality of every shot-blasted element that leaves the factory.

By carrying out the blasting process in-house, C-concrete can respond precisely to the aesthetic and technical requirements of each project, regardless of weather conditions.

At the Temse site, the elements are blasted in a fully enclosed, covered blasting booth. This offers several advantages:

During blasting, the concrete surface is treated with an abrasive medium propelled at high pressure. This process carefully removes the top layer of cement paste, revealing the underlying texture of the concrete.

Depending on the selected intensity and type of blasting medium, different effects can be achieved:

• a subtle matt finish;
• a visible interplay of aggregates, creating greater depth and texture;
• a rougher finish for improved slip resistance on walking and driving surfaces.

For C-concrete, blasted concrete is a way to translate architectural intent with great precision into the finished precast element. Colour, aggregates and texture come together in one integral product, without the need for additional cladding.

Typical applications include:

The blasting booth in Temse is fully enclosed, which has a direct impact on the quality of the final result.

• The surface is always dry and clean when it enters the booth;
• The space is insulated and therefore easier to control, improving consistency and repeatability;
• There is no risk of contamination from rain, dirt or airborne debris.

This level of reliability is particularly important during the wetter and colder months of the year. While on-site treatments may have to be suspended in poor weather, the blasting booth can remain fully operational. Moreover, because no road transport is required between production and the blasting booth, weather conditions have no opportunity to affect the finished precast element. This makes planning more predictable and reduces the risk of having to improvise on site.

In the blasting booth, the settings are precisely defined and documented:

• the type and particle size of the blasting medium;
• the blasting pressure and distance from the element;
• the speed and pattern of the treatment.

Test samples are produced in advance and reviewed with the client and designer. These reference samples serve as the benchmark for the entire production run. If a project is expanded or completed in phases at a later stage, the same parameters can be applied again, ensuring that the appearance of the new elements blends seamlessly with the existing ones.

For series production involving dozens or even hundreds of identical elements, this level of repeatability is a key quality advantage.

The façade frames for AZ Jan Portaels in Vilvoorde are a clear example of what can be achieved with the blasting booth. For this project, the precast frames not only had to meet the structural requirements, but also support a specific architectural vision.

By blasting the elements in our in-house blasting booth:

The requested finish could first be tested on sample panels, adjusted where necessary and subsequently applied on a large scale with predictable results.

Because the blasting process takes place in an enclosed booth, the blasting medium and dust remain contained within the installation. This offers several advantages:

• safer and healthier working conditions for operators;
• a clean production environment, free from airborne particles;
• controlled extraction and filtration for improved visibility and reduced emissions.

The blasting medium is also collected and reused wherever possible. By working with suitable grit, it can be used for several cycles before replacement is required. In this way, C-concrete combines a high-quality finish with the efficient use of raw materials.

Just as with its concrete batching plant, C-concrete places a strong emphasis on monitoring and documenting the finishing process. For blasted concrete, this includes:

• visual inspections based on pre-approved reference samples;
• recording the blasting parameters for each project and concrete mix;
• registering the blasting media used and any adjustments made to the settings.

This approach ensures full traceability. Should questions arise later about a particular element or project, it is possible to reconstruct exactly how the surface was treated. For clients, architects and inspection bodies, this is an important quality assurance factor.

The blasting booth in Temse is therefore much more than a technical installation. It offers clients and designers several tangible benefits:

With its blasting booth in Temse, C-concrete keeps the entire finishing process for blasted concrete in-house. This gives clients greater certainty regarding both planning and a finish that matches the specifications agreed in advance.
From the initial sample panel to the finished precast element, every aspect of blasted concrete is carefully considered, controlled and tailored to the ambitions of each project.