Log Home Restoration: Knowing When To Media Blast; The Good, The Bad And The Dusty

Log home restoration consists of many different techniques and procedures. One procedure that may not be familiar to some log home owners is “media blasting.” Just the name sounds pretty aggressive and may cause concern. However, used properly it is the best method of removing certain coatings and finishes.

 

 

 

Media blasting is similar to sand blasting in that it is a system that uses compressed air to force a particular media through a hose onto a surface with enough force to remove a coating or other material from the surface being cleaned. Different media reacts differently depending on the surface being cleaned and the coating being removed. Sand being one the most abrasive media is generally used for more industrial applications such as rust removal from steel, epoxy paints and other hard surfaces. Sand is not used as much as it once was because of the safety issues involved. Sand is made up of Silica, a known cancer causing agent. Therefore other types of media that have become available are preferred and are widely used.

 

In the case of log home restoration, media blasting has become an acceptable way of cleaning and removing some finishes from the logs and other surfaces. As with any type of cleaning or stripping, care must be taken in order to not change the profile or damage the surface of the logs or other substrate.

 

There are many different types of blasting media being used on the market. The most popular for log home restoration is crushed corn cob, crushed glass or glass beads and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda.) Each has it’s place and purpose.

 

Corn cob is probably the most popular and readily available. It works well at removing tough finishes without harming delicate surfaces such as vinyl trim, aluminum or glass. It also can be reclaimed, sifted and reused a few times before becoming spent and of no value. The disadvantages of using corn cob is, one it’s cost. Like other food products, corn is getting expensive, especially when using a couple of thousand pounds on a log home. And two, it probably creates the most dust. Although any finely ground media will be dusty, corn cob being so light and less dense, creates far more than most others. Also, being the most dusty means that it will get in every nook and cranny in and around your log home. It would be wise to ask whoever you get to do your blasting what precautions will be taken to eliminate as much dust as possible. Just as a side note, some dust will get inside of the home no matter what is done to prevent it so be ready to do some spring cleaning. There are a few ways however to help reduce the infiltration.

 

Another blasting media being used is sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda. This is used with good results especially if there is mold and mildew or smoke damage. It is the most expensive of the three and therefore generally used for the aforementioned applications. Unlike corn cob, soda can not be used over because it breaks down to the point that it becomes ineffective, again making it more expensive. It is like corn cob in that it is very forgiven and will not damage the underlying substrate. It is so forgiven that it can be used to remove paint from glass and plastic, but it has to be done properly.

 

Crushed glass or glass beads is a finely ground recycled glass that is the texture of fine sand. It does not cut the skin if handled, but can be harmful if ingested or inhaled so safety equipment must be used as with any media. Glass, unlike soda and corn can damage the surface and the substrate particularly wood and especially soft wood such as cedar or white pine.  The utmost care must be taken so as not to gouge or pit the wood. Although non-abrasive, glass is very hard and sharper than corn and soda thereby making it much more aggressive. The slightest contact with a window or door will damage it beyond repair making the contact area look like a frosted glass pane. Costing the least, it does clean well and remove stubborn coatings. Glass is the least dusty and can be recycled a few times if sifted. Overall it has the fastest cleaning ability due to the sharpness and density making it a cost effective method of stripping.

 

Media blasting using these three products performs well at removing latex stains and paint as well as some of the tougher “film forming” oil stains and sealers. They are eco-friendly and biodegradable making it easy to dispose of once spent. Usually it can be raked into the soil or the bulk can be gathered up and spread in an out of the way area where a few good rain showers will dissolve or dilute it.

 

Although some sanding may be involved, media blasting compared to sanding alone or using other latex strippers that usually contain methylene chloride, known to cause cancer, has become the best method of removing finishes that the typical oil strippers will not remove.

 

 Log home restoration consists of many techniques and procedures. Media blasting is one that has found it’s place in the log home restoration process. Knowing when to media blast depends on the finish on the log home. Knowing how to media blast depends on not only the proper technique, media, air pressure, and nozzle size, but also a knowledgeable operator. This is one procedure that you will get what you pay for.

Make sure you know what you are paying for.

Another Project Finished!

Just finished a log home in Elizabeth City, NC. Complete strip with an oil sealer on all the woodwork. Pictures will be up soon.

Understanding Log Home Restoration Staining Options

If you have owned your log home any length of time, then you have probably already had to deal with maintenance issues. If you are considering buying a log home, understanding maintenance requirements and procedures can help not only in the buying process, but also help in understanding what is involved in the periodic upkeep of the home.

 

Some log home owners after enjoying the initial excitement of the rustic beauty, the smell of the logs and the “log home living” atmosphere are disappointed to find that with all the beauty comes all the maintenance. However, if they understand proper maintenance procedure and protocol and maintain a  practical maintenance program, they can efficiently manage the upkeep of their home without becoming overwhelmed by what may seem like a daunting task.

 

This all hinges on proper maintenance. Proper maintenance does not mean washing the home with bleach, letting it dry, and applying a  do-it-yourself retail stain, or the all too familiar “water-proofing” sealer. This approach will certainly produce disappointing results.

Your log home is a large investment. Spending the time and the money to maintain it is also an investment. Most people would not go to a “big box” store and buy a can of spray paint to re-paint their car. Yet all too often, the “off the shelf” retail stains are bought and used to re-stain their log homes. This is one instance in which “you get what you pay for!”

 

Assuming that your log home was prepared properly to receive a quality sealer, and the sealer was applied correctly, you should expect 3 to 6 years of protection using a semi-transparent. Semi-solids and solids will last longer but the wood grain will be less visible with the semi-solid and invisible with the solid. You can expect less than 3 years if a clear or lighter stain is used.

 

 A good rule of thumb is, the darker the stain, the more pigment and therefore the more protection. Lighter shades (the natural look) have the least amount of pigment and the least amount of protection. So, it comes down to a trade off. Most people like the natural look of the logs. To achieve this, either a clear or a “honey” color will have to be used leaving the least protection on the logs. Using a darker color such as a “mahogany” or “walnut,” you have the most protection thereby lasting the longest, but most people don’t like the darker shades. Now, the log home owner will have to decide which is more important; using a lighter shade to keep the natural look and sealing more often, or using a darker stain with more protection, but loosing the natural log look.

 

Generally, depending on each log home restoration, it is recommended to use a stain that is in between the natural honey look that most everybody loves and the darker chocolate shades that most people tend to not want. These “middle of the road” shades while revealing much of the wood grain, still have enough pigment to provide ample protection and performance to last several years.

Understanding the different types of stains, the proper application of the stains and proper maintenance procedures will allow the log home owner to know what to expect and to make indformed decisions resulting in less surprises and a more pleasant log home restoration experience. After all, your log home should be a place of retreat.

Quick Tip

If your log home has a deck, you have a potential mildew and rot problem waiting to happen. Water running off the roof and splashing back onto the logs can cause some major damage in a relatively short period of time if not addressed. The best solution would be to put a roof over the deck to keep the water away from the wood altogether. The next best thing is to keep a close eye on the logs and keep any mildew cleaned off. Also, make sure a good finish is applied and more importantly maintained. The wood must be kept dry and protected.  It is much easier to brush some stain on the wood as needed rather than having the expense of replacing logs.

It may cost a bit more, but….

Perfect example of a job done in a hurry and cheap and a job that although cost more, applied properly, the results are obvious. Do it right the first time.

Help Wanted

Loking for someone honest and willing to do what it takes to get th job done. Some out of town work involved during summer months. Must have driver license and be a non-smoker. Willing to train. Learn the job and become a crew leader, Good pay but hard and dirty work. The lazy need not apply. Hiring May 1st.

What You Should Know Before Staining Your Log Home

With all the advantages of log home living, like everything else, there are trade-offs. Most log home owners, by no fault of their own, are not fully aware of all that is required to properly maintain their homes. Sun, wind, water and insects are a constant threat to the integrity of the home. While most log homes are finished with semi transparent stains to reveal the beauty of the wood, compared to semi solid and solid stains, they offer the least protection from the elements.

 

It must be taken into consideration when choosing a new finish what is important to the homeowner. If the log home is the permanent residence, then the owner has the ability to perform routine inspections of the logs, trim, caulking and chinking and overall appearance from time to time. This will allow more options when deciding what type of sealer to apply. If the property is a vacation or rental home and only visited a few times a year, the options are less.

It’s all about the finish. Latex vs. Oil. Latex and many oil based stains are “film-forming stains”. They actually form a film on the wood. They usually have a sheen or gloss, and can be detected by the drip and lap marks left from sloppy workers. They often peel, blister and flake leaving traffic patterns where people walk. Some require 2 to 3 coats depending on the type and many require maintenance coats every year to 18 months. They do hold up well when properly applied and maintained and when the wood is prepped correctly. However, poor wood preparation is the leading cause of most premature finish failures. Wood prep and proper application is critical!

Oil stains are generally linseed or paraffin based oils. Some linseed oil stains can be film forming having the same characteristics as latex stains. They can peel and blister and show lap marks and traffic patterns. They tend to be the big box store products aimed at the do-it-yourselfer and generally last around a year then begin to darken, peel and blister. They offer some protection, but are hard to maintain and usually require recoats as often as within six months to keep the wood looking fresh. Because of the film, most can not be recoated (because of penetrating issues) and require chemical stripping to prep the wood for a new coat. Linseed oil stains feed mildew. Being a vegetable based product the mildew actually grows on the organic fillers in the oil causing the mildew to spread. They are widely used but do not perform well enough to be applied to an expensive log home.

Paraffin oil based stains are true penetrating stains and are not “film forming”. The oil is of a thinner consistency than linseed oil and therefore absorbs deeper into the grain of the wood. Depending on the age and condition of the wood, the absorption rate per square foot can double compared to linseed oils. Being petroleum based, it does not feed or attract mildew, although this is not to say that mildew will not be found especially in shaded areas. In the Southeastern states, mildew can appear most anywhere. But it is more resistant than linseed oil which actually feeds the mildew.

Being a penetrating stain, rather than leaving traffic wear patterns, drips, and lap marks, it completely absorbs into the wood leaving nothing to blister or peel. It simply just wears away over time. Depending on location and weather conditions a typical application should last 4 to 5 years on vertical surfaces (walls and railings) and 2 to 3 years on horizontal surfaces (roofs and decks). If the homeowner wants a longer lasting finish, consideration should be given to semi- solid and solid stains. They will last longer but you loose the beautiful wood grain showing through. And they too are “film forming stains”. The trade off is if you enjoy the natural wood grain look, the home will need more attention. If the wood grain look is not as important and a more solid finish is acceptable, the home can be attended to less frequently. Whether semi-transparent, semi-solid or solid, log homes require more attention than a conventional home. What finish you choose depends on personal preference and knowing what to expect from different types of stains and how they perform.

 

Save Your Deck!

If deck restoration is in your plans, then take the time to understand what is involved in bringing your deck back to life. Although it may look beyond repair, you may be surprised to see the difference after stripping the wood and applying a quailty sealer. Remember when picking a color espeically semi-transparent stains, darker colors last longer. Clear or natural sealers are best saved for the interior.

[caption id="attachment_73" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Before Stripping"][/caption]

Deck Restoration

Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Percarbonate and Sodium Hypochlorite are the three main cleaning agents used in deck restoration. Each chemical has its place in the cleaning process, however, knowing when and how to use each one is often misunderstood.

Sodium Hydroxide, the strongest of the three, can be used either as a mild cleaner or when mixed properly, an aggressive stripping agent. Sold over the counter it is one of the main ingredients found in oven cleaners, dish washing liquid, stain removers, degreasers and deck cleaners as well as a host of other products. City municipalities even use it in the purification process of drinking water.

In deck restoration it is used to remove mildew, grayed out wood fibers and oil based stains and sealers. With proper dilution it can be applied to the wood preferably by spraying but also can be brushed on. It is very important to note that proper safety measures be taken when using this method and all instructions should be closely followed. Never mix water into Sodium Hydroxide. Instead, always mix the chemical into the water slowly and carefully. Mixing water to the chemical first causes a reaction that produces an enormous amount of heat and fumes. Safety goggles and gloves are mandatory as well as other protective clothing. Also, this chemical will kill grass and plants as well as stain glass, siding and other surfaces. If you are not sure about how to use this product, it is strongly recommended to find a professional who does. This is nothing to play with.

If there is no sealer on the deck or if only traces remain, a mild solution of Sodium Hydroxide and a good surfactant can be applied and allowed to dwell for a predermined length of time. This allows the mixture to soften up the surface contaminants and degraded wood. A scratch test can be preformed to determine how easily the deck will clean up. If it is hard to remove, either more mixture will have to be applied and/or more dwell time allowed. If it is determined to be at a point that it can be removed, then a pressure washer will be used to remove a very thin layer of the degraded wood and any stain or other contaminants such as mildew, grill grease, flower pot stains, etc.

Care must be taken when using a pressure washer. If someone is not familiar with using a pressure washer, irreversible damage to the wood can occur causing costly replacement of decking boards or handrails. Actually, less than 1000 psi / of pressure is needed. Water pressure is not as important as water volume. The more water, the more cleaning and rinsing power. At the very least, 4gpm is needed to properly remove the unwanted material. This rules out most homeowner type pressure washers which usually rate less than 3gpm (gallons per minute.)

Sodium Percarbonate is the same chemical found in the popular “Oxy Clean” products advertised on television. A non-chlorine cleaner, it is a good choice as a deck cleaner when a less aggressive cleaning or stripping is needed. Although it may remove some stain residue that may be left intact, it is better suited for the removal of mildew, dirt, light grease spots and gray, degraded wood. It will not harm grass or most surfaces if properly rinsed.
It is mixed to a predetermined solution depending on the severity of the job, allowed to dwell and removed with a pressure washer as with the Sodium Hydroxide. With this product it is advised to only mix what can be used in a couple of hours as it looses it cleaning power over time.
This is a good, less aggressive cleaner that can be used where there may be delicate plants and flowers in the area or animals in close proximity. Safer for the homeowner to use than that of the more aggressive strippers, it will clean the wood well enough that a sealer can be reapplied with decent results.

Sodium Hypochlorite is chlorine found in typical household bleach. Used as a disinfectant and sanitizer, it is excellent in removing and killing mold and mildew. It does little however in removing dirt and other contaminants.

Many homeowners and some less informed contractors use bleach to clean decks and other wood surfaces. There are a few things that need to be considered when using this method for cleaning wood.

Most importantly, chlorine bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite) is one of the main chemical compounds used in paper mills to brake down the wood fibers in the paper manufacturing process. Chlorine desinagrates the lignin in the wood which is the glue that holds the wood fibers together in the wood. Once the lignin is removed the fibers are reduced to a pulp that then is extruded through a series of rollers that expels the water and leaves a paper substance after it dries.

The point is that too strong of a chlorine mixture can destroy the wood fibers in the deck.
If bleach is poured onto a piece of wood and allowed to dwell any length of time, you can take a stick and actually scrape away a significant layer of the wood. If you examine it, you will find that it has turned the wood to pulp. Not only does this destroy the wood, but it is almost impossible to rinse all of the bleach from the wood. If you put bleach on your fingers and try to rinse it off, you will find that it is very slippery and very hard to remove it from your fingers. This indicates a high ph level. The same thing is true with the wood. So there ends up being a bleach or stripper residue left on and in the wood. Not the ideal situation to be applying a new finish. Since these chemicals are hard to completely rinse from the wood even after copious amounts of rinse water, the wood will still have a high ph level. To counter this, the wood has to be neutralized to lower the ph level in order to stop any damage to the wood and also interfering with the new finish. To do this Oxalic Acid is used. Applied by sprayer, the acid lowers the ph level of the wood and at the same time brightens the wood. This process whether intentional or not, is often overlooked by the homeowner and painters during the deck or log home restoration process leaving residual amounts of chemical in the wood. Again, not the ideal situation to be applying a new finish.

Also, chlorine by itself does little for cleaning dirt and other contaminants. Therefore a detergent must be added. TSP (trisodium phosphate) is a good cleaning agent mixed properly. TSP is a derivative of borax and care must be taken when applying to any surface. Be sure to never let it dry on glass or certain metals.

Chlorine does have its place in the cleaning process. Mixed properly and applied sparingly, it is the best method of not just removing mold, mildew and algae, but also killing the mildew spores deep into the wood cells. Used properly, chlorine can do an excellent job without damaging the wood, but it must be used correctly and must be neutralized to achieve good results without damaging the wood.

Remember, the key to a long lasting stain is properly cleaned and dry wood. Anything that will interfere with the performance of the sealer; existing stains, dirt, mildew, chemical residue or moisture must be completely removed using one of the cleaning methods, neutralized with an acid bath and allowed to dry. Dry is defined as moisture content of at least 15% or lower. Anything higher and the oil stain will not absorb properly into the wood.

LOG ROT PROBLEMS

Probably the first place to expect log rot on your log home is at the deck. If your deck is under roof, great, but most decks are exposed to the weather. For the most part, decks are constructed out of material that can withstand the elements, the most popular being pressure treated lumber. However, the log wall the deck is attatched to generally is only coated with a semi-transparent stain, that while intact will provide protection, but too often is neglected, opening the door to mildew problems and even wood rot.

When rain water runs off the roof and onto the deck, it will splash back onto the logs, keeping the wood wet. Oftentimes the wall will be shaded either from trees or even from the eaves of the house making it hard to dry out. With a failing stain and exposed wood, you have a recipe for log rot.
Replacing logs can get expensive, especially if it involves outside or inside corners. Even replacing with 1/2 logs is labor instensive. Therefore, a solution must be found to resolve this problem.

There are several options available. Some better than others. The first thing however is to keep a quailty sealer on the logs and then explore other ways to protect the wood. The last option is log replacement. Don’t let it get to that point. A few dollars in a gallon of stain can save several thousands in replacement.

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