Mold, Smoke & Fire Remediation
Restore Irreplaceable Historic Artifacts and Monuments Without Risk of Surface Damage
Cold Jet’s dry ice blasting machines deliver superior preservation results for restoration professionals, museum conservators, architectural preservation specialists, and cultural heritage organizations. By replacing hand scraping with chisels and wire brushes, abrasive soda blasting and sandblasting, harsh chemical treatments, and weeks of labor-intensive manual cleaning with a proven non-abrasive, chemical-free solution, preservation professionals achieve the following results:
- Zero Surface Damage on Delicate Materials: Testing under 350x magnification on artifacts showed no pitting, abrasion, or surface degradation—safely clean thin marble carvings, soft tin ceiling tiles, and ornate architectural details without damage.
- Significant Reduction in Restoration Time: Complete restoration projects in a fraction of the time compared to traditional methods.
- Lower Project Costs: Complete projects with fewer crew members and little or no containment or cleanup requirements. Zero secondary waste eliminates disposal costs entirely.
- Clean in Place: Restore permanently installed sculptures, building architectural elements, and museum artifacts without costly removal, relocation, or disassembly.
- Win High-Value Contracts: Differentiate your services with non-abrasive cleaning capabilities. Confidently accept high-value delicate restoration projects that competitors cannot accept.
- Environmentally Responsible and Worker-Friendly: Dry ice cleaning is a chemical-free process ideal for lead paint abatement, outdoor monuments, and sensitive historic sites.
- Zero Secondary Waste and No Disposal Costs: Dry ice sublimates on contact, leaving no water, blasting media, or chemical residue behind—eliminating cleanup and disposal costs.
Ready to transform your historical restoration process? Contact us today to learn how Cold Jet dry ice blasting machines can protect irreplaceable surfaces, reduce project costs, and help you meet the strictest preservation standards.
What are the Benefits of Dry Ice Blasting for Historical Restoration?
Dry ice blasting safely removes contaminants from historic structures and artifacts without causing surface damage, enabling faster restoration timelines, lower costs, and superior preservation outcomes.
Dry ice cleaning is non-abrasive and effectively removes contaminants without damaging even the most delicate historic surfaces. Items can be cleaned in place without disassembly, and the process produces zero secondary waste. This eliminates containment costs, disposal fees, and extensive cleanup time – drastically reducing both project duration and total costs.
Traditional historical restoration methods involve tedious manual processes using hand tools, harsh chemicals, soda blasting, or sandblasting. These methods can erode delicate carved details, pit soft materials (marble, tin, limestone) and degrade historic surface finishes. Sandblasting erodes soft masonry surfaces while pressure washing forces damaging moisture into brick and stone joints. Chemical treatments pose health risks to workers and can contaminate surrounding areas. Additionally, abrasive methods generate extensive secondary waste requiring costly containment, cleanup, and disposal – often adding thousands of dollars to project budgets.
Dry ice blasting addresses these pain points by providing the following benefits for historical restoration projects:
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Clean faster and more effectively
Cold Jet dry ice cleaning equipment removes accumulated grime, lead paint, biological growth, pollution, and fire damage from all areas of historic structures and artifacts, including intricate carved details, masonry facades, hard-to-reach crevices, and delicate surfaces. Dry ice blasting reduces restoration cleaning times significantly compared to manual methods. Projects that would take weeks by hand can be completed in days or even hours with dry ice blasting.
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Protect irreplaceable surfaces
Dry ice blasting is non-abrasive and will not cause surface erosion, pitting, or damage to historic finishes and patinas. Testing on artifacts showed zero damage even when surfaces were examined under 350x magnification. The process safely adjusts to clean everything from weathered limestone masonry to polished bronze sculptures and delicate wrought iron elements. This ensures authentic preservation, maintains historical accuracy, and protects the value of irreplaceable artifacts.
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Clean complex architectural details
Dry ice blasting excels at cleaning the intricate carved details, ornate moldings, decorative stonework, and tight spaces found in historic architecture and artifacts. The process easily accesses areas that hand tools struggle to reach, including monument crevices, architectural relief work, masonry joints, and museum artifacts that require precise, gentle cleaning.
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No secondary waste or disposal costs
Dry ice blasting offers a distinct advantage because it produces no secondary waste. As dry ice sublimates into a gas upon impact, there’s no need for extensive cleanup or disposal costs. The completely dry process prevents moisture intrusion into porous masonry that can lead to freeze-thaw damage. On one monument restoration, eliminating secondary waste saved $9,000 – reducing total project costs by 60%.
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Environmentally responsible and worker-friendly
The dry ice blasting process is chemical-free and uses recycled CO2, making it ideal for sensitive outdoor locations near gardens, vegetation, and water sources. The completely dry process prevents chemical absorption into porous brick and stone surfaces. The process creates no toxic runoff, requires no hazmat disposal, and provides a safer working environment for restoration crews – particularly important on lead paint abatement and contaminated site projects. Contractors report the process is significantly more worker-friendly than chemical treatments or traditional abrasive methods.
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Significant cost savings and faster ROI
Historical restoration professionals report typical cost reductions of 50-60% and significant time savings, which means they can complete more projects annually and meet tight deadline requirements. Equipment purchases typically pay for themselves through labor savings, eliminated disposal costs, and the ability to win high-value restoration contracts.
What Types of Historical Items Can Dry Ice Blasting Restore?
Dry ice blasting safely cleans all types of historic materials and structures. The restoration process is being used to preserve cultural heritage worldwide.
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Monuments & Memorials
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Historic Buildings & Architecture
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Museum Artifacts & Collections
Restore Monuments and Memorials Faster and Without Damage with Dry Ice Blasting
Preserve delicate details while removing centuries of contamination with dry ice blasting
Historic monuments face unique cleaning and preservation challenges. Decades or centuries of traffic grime, acid rain, bird droppings, biological growth, and environmental contamination accumulate on carved marble, granite, and bronze surfaces. Traditional cleaning methods risk damaging irreplaceable carved elements and eroding historic surface integrity.
Cold Jet dry ice blasting allows contractors to safely remove years of accumulated contamination while preserving intricate details. Operators can precisely adjust pressure to protect the thinnest details while still achieving thorough cleaning. One Civil War monument restoration was completed in just 1.5 days versus weeks with alternative methods, while saving $9,000 in total project costs through eliminated containment and disposal fees.
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Dry ice blasting cleaning public fountain in Germany
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Restoring monument in Puerto Rico with dry ice blasting
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Dry ice blasting restoring historic lighthouse
Cold Jet dry ice blasting safely restores all types of monuments and memorials, including:
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Public sculptures and statues
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Granite and marble monuments
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Bronze commemorative plaques
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Stone obelisks and bases
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Carved military tributes
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Memorial cannons and artillery
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Outdoor public art installations
Preserve Historic Buildings Faster and More Effectively with Dry Ice Blasting
Restore historic architectural elements 90% faster without surface damage using dry ice blasting
Preserving historic buildings requires removing all types of contaminants from delicate architectural elements. Tin ceiling tiles pit easily with traditional abrasive methods. Ornate plasterwork and carved woodwork can be damaged by harsh chemicals or aggressive cleaning. Historic brick, limestone, and sandstone masonry surfaces are particularly vulnerable to erosion from sandblasting and can absorb damaging moisture from pressure washing.
Cold Jet dry ice cleaning removes failing paint, biological growth, pollution grime, and acid rain streaking from architectural elements and masonry surfaces while preserving original finishes and patinas. Contractors can clean architectural details in place, avoiding costly disassembly and reassembly. The chemical-free, completely dry process aligns with historic preservation philosophies and creates no contamination of surrounding building materials. Dry ice blasting successfully cleaned 4,500+ square feet of a historic tin ceiling without causing any surface damage – a project that would have taken one year by hand grinding was completed in just 100 hours with dry ice blasting.
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Restoring historic brick masonry with dry ice blasting
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Restoring staircase in historic prison with dry ice blasting
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Dry ice blasting removing contaminants from brick masonry
Dry ice blasting safely cleans all types of historic architectural elements, including:
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Tin stamped ceilings and ornate details
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Architectural relief work
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Stone and masonry facades
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Wooden structural beams
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Cast iron fixtures and railings
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Decorative plasterwork
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Historic door hardware and fixtures
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Balustrades and planters
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Lighthouse structures and lenses
Safely Clean Museum Artifacts Faster with Dry Ice Blasting
Cold Jet dry ice blasting preserves irreplaceable collections with zero surface damage under microscopic examination
Museum conservation demands the highest preservation standards. Irreplaceable artifacts require cleaning methods that are proven non-abrasive under microscopic examination. Failed cleaning attempts can permanently damage artifacts.
Dry ice blasting has successfully conserved US Civil War naval artifacts, World War II aircraft, and vintage vehicles. The USS Monitor conservation project – funded by a National Park Service Maritime Heritage Grant – tested dry ice blasting under 350x magnification and found zero pitting, abrasion, or surface damage. Structural plates that would take 2-3 weeks to clean by hand were completed in approximately one hour. This combination of proven safety and dramatic time savings makes dry ice blasting ideal for conserving priceless museum collections.
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Restoring wrought iron from USS Monitor with dry ice blasting
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Cleaning stone statue at St. Thomas Monastery with dry ice blasting
Dry ice blasting safely conserves irreplaceable museum artifacts and collections, including:
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Military aircraft and components
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Historic naval vessels
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Vintage vehicles
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Industrial machinery exhibits
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Antique light fixtures
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Period furniture and woodwork
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Maritime artifacts
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Historical weapons
Dry Ice Blasting for Historical Restoration is Used Across Multiple Sectors
Cold Jet offers dry ice blasting equipment for historical restoration professionals serving various preservation markets.
What Do Historical Restoration Professionals Need for Dry Ice Blasting?
A dry ice blasting configuration for historical restoration relies on several key components:
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Dry Ice Blaster
A successful historical restoration process starts with a versatile dry ice blasting system. Cold Jet offers a complete range of dry ice blasters, featuring advanced models with our patented Particle Control System (PCS®). This innovative technology gives you the power to precisely adjust cleaning parameters and dry ice particle size – critical for safely cleaning everything from delicate carved statues to aggressive contaminant removal. Each blaster arrives ready with blast and air hoses, an applicator, and a nozzle for your specific application.
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Compressed Air
Most historical restoration professionals can utilize portable air compressors brought to the job site, or connect to existing facility air systems when available.
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Dry Ice Supply
A reliable supply of dry ice is needed to ensure you have dry ice when you need it. We can help you identify a local dry ice supplier and recommend the amount you should order based on your project scope.
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Application Specific Accessories
Cold Jet offers a wide array of nozzle types and accessories to meet the unique demands of different restoration applications. Our extensive nozzle inventory includes options for precision cleaning, aggressive contamination removal, and everything in between. Our team will work with you to determine the optimal nozzle type.
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Machine and Operator Training
To ensure your team can effectively and safely use your dry ice blasting equipment for historical restoration, proper training is essential. Cold Jet provides a comprehensive training course that equips operators with the necessary techniques and safety guidelines for optimal cleaning practices on delicate historic surfaces.
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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Always ensure your restoration team wears the correct safety gear, including insulated gloves, hearing protection, and eye protection when operating your dry ice blaster.
What Is the Best Dry Ice Blaster for Historical Restoration?
Restoration professionals choose from Cold Jet’s full lineup of dry ice blasters to match their specific project needs. Popular systems for historical restoration and preservation applications include:
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Aero2 PCS ULTRA
The Aero2 PCS ULTRA is the most versatile machine for historical restoration. Equipped with our patented Particle Control System (PCS®), operators can select the exact particle size for each application – from gentle MicroParticle dry ice for delicate carvings to aggressive 3mm pellets for heavy buildup. This precise control makes it ideal for monument restoration, building conservation, and museum artifacts.
Aero2 PCS® ULTRA -
i3 MicroClean® 2
The i3 MicroClean 2 features intuitive controls in a lightweight, compact design. Operators can easily adjust cleaning parameters to lock in the ideal settings for delicate carved details or ornate architectural elements.
i3 MicroClean® 2 -
Aero 40FP
The Aero 40FP offers powerful cleaning performance for medium to large restoration projects. The system effectively removes lead paint, biological growth, and environmental contamination from historic structures. The machine is ideal for building facades, architectural elements, and larger monument restorations.
Aero® 40FP
Why Invest in Cold Jet Machines for Historical Restoration?
Cold Jet offers a wide range of dry ice blasting equipment suitable for historical restoration applications. When incorporating dry ice blasting into your preservation projects, you need a durable and reliable machine that delivers consistent results on irreplaceable surfaces. Cold Jet machines deliver faster ROI and greater value than competitors.
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Historical Restoration Expertise
With decades of experience working with preservation contractors, museums, and restoration professionals, Cold Jet has developed an unparalleled understanding of the critical cleaning challenges and preservation standards required for historical restoration projects. Our team has supported successful restorations of historic lighthouses, public monuments, museum collections, and architectural treasures worldwide.
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Trusted by Preservation Professionals
With over 24,000 dry ice blasting machines installed worldwide, Cold Jet is the trusted solution for historical preservation. Historic preservation teams rely on Cold Jet equipment to safely restore irreplaceable artifacts and structures.
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Industry Leading Reliability
Our machines are engineered to perform consistently in challenging restoration environments. Cold Jet dry ice blasters offer unmatched reliability and a significantly longer lifespan than competitor models. When working on irreplaceable historic materials, equipment reliability is not optional – it’s essential.
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Lower Operating Costs
Cold Jet dry ice blasting equipment is designed for maximum efficiency, using significantly less dry ice, compressed air, and electricity than competitor machines. This directly reduces your daily operating costs without compromising cleaning quality or safety.
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Proven Non-Abrasive Performance
Cold Jet systems have been independently tested and verified to cause zero surface damage to historic materials if the correct blasting parameters are used. This proven gentle cleaning performance gives restoration specialists the confidence to accept high-value preservation projects and meet the strictest conservation standards.
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Unmatched Support and Training
Our regional support team offers both expert equipment maintenance services and comprehensive operator training to ensure your team’s success on even the most challenging preservation projects.
OUR CUSTOMERS & WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT US
Preservationists and restoration professionals worldwide rely on Cold Jet
With a global install base of 24,000+ installations serving preservation professionals large and small, Cold Jet delivers valuable dry ice blasting equipment for historical restoration.
Cleaning this sculpture demonstrated how delicate – yet aggressive – this process can be just by varying nozzle type, nozzle length and pressure.
While the architect had first asked for soda blasting, we knew it would cost twice as much. With dry ice cleaning, there is no secondary waste and no extra setup to contain any contaminants. In addition, with the historic details on this monument, we felt that dry ice cleaning would be the right answer.
Dry ice blasting is proving its effectiveness in scores of cleaning applications, and – throughout the initial preparation phase of the Split Rock Lighthouse project – demonstrated that when it comes to historical restoration projects, it’s a process that must be considered.
The project was on schedule and incredibly fast. We saved at least three to four days when compared with sand or corn blasting and two days of sanding time. The log home looks brand new – it came out 110%.
Even when the surface was magnified 350 times, we didn’t see any pitting. We didn’t see any signs of abrasion. We didn’t see any damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
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