Auckland Water Blasting Technique Revealed: What Is the Elongated U Wand Motion — And How to Use It on Your Property

Learning Water Blasting Techniques in Auckland: On-the-Job Experience Matters

As with all jobs where learning is done on the fly over many years and in various situations, Auckland water blasting workers discover tricks and techniques whose names may not be widely known. The following are a few handy tricks I have learned as an Auckland water blasting service provider over the past few years.

Cutting In and Sweep Planning: Where to Begin and End Your Water Blasting Passes

Whether blasting mud off a recently flooded driveway, navigating the contours of a paved pathway or patio, or pressure washing a deck, there is usually a need for "cutting in" of some kind – creating borders in a tidy way – and we must always consider where we will begin and where we will end a pass (or "sweep"). I have mentioned the benefits of cutting in and the fading technique of the U Wand Motion before, click link here.

Now I will explain, with diagrams, a couple of ways these ideas can be put to use when you try water blasting your property for the first time.

Diagram showing a front view of the action of a water blasting wand demonstrating the Elongated U Wand Motion technique.

Artificial U Wand Motion Feathering: A Smart Alternative in Tight Spaces

Artificial U Wand Motion Feathering can be achieved even when the available space does not allow for the normal lifting up of the wand at the end of each pass. How? We change from sideways movement to vertical movement.   The idea is simple enough but the technique takes a bit of practice.  What enables the water blaster to achieve feathered, rather than sharp or square, edges is the gradual increase or decrease of pressure which occurs naturally if we create distance between the wand tip and the mossy (or muddy) surface we are water blasting by raising the wand at the end of the pass (as demonstrated in the two diagrams).   

Using Vertical Distance Instead of Side Lift

However, we can obtain the same result of applying increasing or decreasing pressure by controlling the distance vertically, as opposed to laterally. We begin the water blasting stream from a distance and smoothly move the wand tip down towards the target spot (from which we will begin our pass or sweep). This trick can work particularly well in such places as internal corners where a free upswing at the end of, or beginning of, a pass is not ideal or not possible. It can be a tricky technique to learn and it is recommended to practise it on an inconspicuous area before attempting it on an open visual feature.

Diagram showing overlap of different sections of water blasting using the U Wand Motion technique

Advanced Tips for First-Time Water Blasting in Auckland

One of the main objectives of the water blaster is to avoid sharp edges and create smooth transitions between water blasted areas by feathering (see picture). However, the first time you water blast your own property you are likely to discover certain aspects of the job that you hadn't thought of. For example, you may come up against a compound internal corner with opposing timber grains in combination with another surface which, for whatever reason, should not be water blasted. In such a case, using Artificial U Wand Motion in combination with different water blasting wand tips (to control the shape of the pressurized stream) along with different pressure settings on the water blaster itself, a seasoned Auckland water blasting operator, having recognized the familiar shape of the corner, will breeze through it in no time flat. However, if it is your first time water blasting your Auckland property then I recommend expecting the job to take significantly longer than initially anticipated.    

As with life itself, where combinations of problems must be met by combinations of skills, the individual situation will always dictate the proportion in which we employ each particular skill.

Need Water Blasting in Auckland? Here’s How Scrubby McTubb Can Help

Do you have unsightly mud or slippery moss on your driveway or pathways? Planning to water blast your Auckland property and deciding whether to DIY or call in a professional?

This blog has shared a few handy tricks I’ve learned from years of water blasting Auckland properties using a pressure washer with a wand attachment. If you're giving it a go yourself, I hope these tips help you get a clean result.

But if you'd prefer someone else to handle the job — with care, attention, and the Elongated U Wand Motion — I am always happy to help out. Call/text me on 021 0852 7756 today to find out more.