Laurissa Hamilton surveys the job ahead of her family's company, Hamilton's Sandblasting and Contracting Inc.

The second and third generations of a family business began sandblasting the old paint off the historic metal ceiling tiles on the main floor of the old Elks Building Tuesday.

Clint Hamilton, of Hampton, said his father, Darwin Hamilton, bought the business almost 50 years ago — on May 1, 1973.

Clint Hamilton is the second generation to operate the business. He works with his daughters, Laurissa Hamilton Cantu, of Wellsburg, and Alyssa Hamilton, of Dows.

He said it will take two or three days to remove the flaking paint from the ceiling tiles and apply a primer coat.

The business, Hamilton’s Sandblasting and Contracting Inc., is based in Hampton. It is a mobile sandblasting and painting service.

“Anything from semi-trailers … to fryin’ pans … and now rocks too!” its business card proclaims.

Clint Hamilton sets up the sandblasting truck outside the front of the Elks Building. The company is one of the few left in Iowa that performs this type of work, he said. His father bought the business almost 50 years ago.