Stripping Latex Paint and Stains

Stripping latex stains and paint can be difficult. Using the proper technique and chemicals will make the process much faster and leave good results. However, chemical stripping  will not work on every coating.

Testing must be done to determine if the finish will come off with chemical stripping and the degree of difficulty of removal. It may be necassary to use other methods.

In this video clip the nozzle is very close to the wood. This should be avoided if possible to keep from “fuzzing” the wood and creating more work.

In this case the weather was cold and chemical strippers are not as effective as in warmer weather therefore more pressure was needed in this case.  Some defelting was needed after stripping, but that is the price paid working in 40 degree weather.

Log Home Restoration: To Caulk or Not To Caulk

In the log home industry, like all industries, the implementation of techniques, products and procedures vary from company to company.  From concept to design to actual construction, each log home will have it’s own set of variables and unique challenges. However, one particular procedure is often preformed in an inadequate manner, or substandard products are used, or may be neglected altogether. 

Ignoring the proper installation and maintenance of this very important aspect of the construction process can and has led to major damage. Logs, trim work, fascia, soffit and other areas of the log home have succumb not only to major mildew problems and insect infestation, but most importantly, wood rot. 

This important procedure is caulking. Probably at least one half of the log homes I inspect or work on are improperly caulked, not caulked completely (meaning the home is weather tight) or not caulked at all. 

Generally, most log homes have some amount of caulking. Usually it is found around windows and doors. Sometimes the corners have either been caulked or some type of expanding foam may have been used. However, more often than not, that is about all the caulking that can be found. 

Now, depending on who you talk to, will determine the answer to what and how much should be caulked on a log home. The reality is, common sense will reveal the truth. 

I recommend caulking every joint and seam from under the eaves of the exterior walls down to the floor rim joist. Starting at the top, this would include running a bead of caulk between where the soffit and the siding or logs meet. This is one of the most overlooked areas of the home and one of the largest areas that not necessarily leaks from water intrusion, but air and insect infiltration. Most of the time this wall just butts up to the soffit and very seldom has any type of weather proofing. 

Next, if the window and door trim has been installed, it is hard to tell if these areas have been caulked properly or caulked at all. If the builder is reputable, then most likely it has been taken care, but it would be wise to check. It may be necessary to remove the trim to be able to see where the logs butt up to the window/door framing. 

Now to the logs. This may be debatable, but it seems to me if there is a crack or gap between two pieces of wood, this is an invitation for air, water and insects to enter. When we use a chemical strip to remove old failing finishes during a log home restoration, we always find leaks. It doesn’t matter if the house is one or one hundred years old. Every log home will leak to some degree or another. We have stripped many log homes from large lake homes to small cottages and to date, they all have leaked somewhere to some degree. 

With that being said, that is not necessarily bad. When a leak is found, it is marked so later when the caulking process begins, we can identify where the leak was and address it as needed. Granted, these leaks were caused by high pressure water being forced onto the logs. However, if the water can find it’s way into the home, so can ambient air an insects. 

So, at the very least, all window and doors, butt joints, log corners and checks should be caulked and caulked properly. 

The next questionable area is the seams between each stacked log. Most but not all manufactured log homes have a tongue and groove system milled into the logs. During construction generally each log will have some type of gasket, usually foam, and a bead of caulk running the length of the log in this groove to form a seal between the two adjoining logs making them weather tight. In theory, this should be sufficient. The problem is in new construction, these new logs are going to shrink, settle, twist ,warp and bow over time as well as expand and contract due to temperature changes and depending on the initial moisture content of the logs, all of this can cause considerable movement. This movement very likely will cause the caulking and the foam gasket material to fail, logs to pull apart at the seams and also butt joints to separate. 

If this happens, the only remedy is to caulk. But until this is done, water, insects and air are able to easily enter and begin to cause damage and at the very least, make for a drafty log home.    

This can easily be eliminated from the beginning if the homeowner will ask to have the entire home caulked at the construction phase or when log home restoration is needed. Once the old sealer is removed exposing clean bare wood, then would be the perfect time to install new caulking and thereby eliminating any potential problems with water, air or insects. 

To caulk a log home properly only takes a few days. If it is new construction, there is not much prep work. If it is a log home restoration, there may be some old caulk that will have to be removed first but, after that, the new application is easily applied, tooled and cleaned to leave a neat weather proof joint that will last for several years. 

Remember, log homes are constantly shifting, shrinking and swelling, therefore there will always be caulking issues to be addressed. The solution is to stay on top of it by doing annual inspections and making repairs as necessary. It doesn’t take long and most people can do it themselves or you can hire a professional to do it. Just make sure it gets done before any real damage occurs and you are faced with some real expense of replacing damaged logs or other woodwork. Log home maintenance cost far less than log home restoration. You make the call.

Quick Tip

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

During your log home restoration, if the existing stain is going to be removed by stripping or media blasting, it is highly recommended to apply a borate treatment. Borate is an excellent fungicide and insecticide that is applied to bare wood. Every log home should be treated if nothing more than as a safeguard. It is not that costly and the benifits will far outweigh that cost. Remember, it has to be applied to bare wood and usually requires two coats.

It is not a “cure all” but is another tool to stave off what could turn into costly repairs. Remember, log homes are high maintenance. Neglect is not an option.

Log Home Restoration: Chinking

 

 

 

 

 

Log Home Chinking can be applied different ways. Depending on the look the log home owner wants will determine which technique will be used and even the type of chinking used.

On this log home restoration in South Carolina, we taped each chink line. This makes a clean and neat line. When doing it this way, it is important to not leave the tape on too long.  The longer the tape is left on, the harder it is to remove. But it has to stay on long enough for the chinking to “skin” over. However, removing it too soon and the chinking can run. Waiting too long and the chinking will stick to the tape, pulling it out of the joint.

The weather and sun will dictate how long to leave the tape on. After a few runs have been applied, you get a “feel” for the drying time of the chinking and can carefully pull the tape slowly while lifting only slightly and in short (2-3 feet) sections. It is not hard, but it is a slow and somewhat tedious process.

Short Story About Our Fireplace Insert

        

 

 

 

 

 

When we did our log home restoration, we installed a wood burning insert in the fireplace. It does a really good job and can heat most of the house. It has two blowers on thermostats and it can be “chocked” down to burn all night.

The best thing about it is the fact that in 1999 when Floyd blew through, our other house was completely under water except for about 2 feet of the top of the roof and it stayed like that for 6 days! (That is how we got our log home). The good thing was it was fresh water from the river, not salt water.

Needless to say we lost many of our belongings, but we also saved alot. The insert was one item we saved. After the water subsided, we washed all the mud out and flushed the electric motors with fresh water, let dry out for about 3 weeks, plugged it in and it still works today. 

We saved many other items as well. A TV, pictures, VCR’s, several appliances and almost all of my power tools.  It is a shame the talking heads were telling everybody…”all is distroyed and contaminated”. But done properly, alot of people could of saved a whole lot more than they did. 

That is one expereince that will always be remembered. It was bad at the time, but looking back, God blessed us in so many ways!

On The Inside

 

 

 

 

 

 

During our log home restoration, we did extensive renovation to the exterior and also to the interior. Actually, it was more my wife and her ideas that did the interior decorating.

When we bought our log home, it was pretty plain on the inside, that is until my wife got to work.  Starting in the kitchen, the cabinets were light maple, the countertops were butcherblock and the ceiling is textured.

To give it a more “cozy” look, she put ceramic tile over the butcherblock. The cabinets were darkened by using a propane torch and lightly charring the wood and then applying a mahogany gel stain. The ceiling beams are 1×6 western red cedar attacthed to 2×4 blocks stained with a walnut oil based stain. The island was an old dresser that was modified and is setting on 2×4 blocks ( because I never finished it) and the “stuff”, well you will have to talk to my wif about that. I think she made a deal with a certian restaurant.  Staye tuned for more “On The Inside”.

Zebra Stripes?

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have ever used a pressure washer and left marks or zebra strips on your sidewalk, driveway or deck, then you know it takes some skill and experenice to do it right. Most professional wood restoration contractors use “surface cleaners”. They do a much better job than a pressure washing wand because of the circular motion used to do the cleaning. With more uniform results, the surface cleaner used properly will not leave start and stop marks as does a pressure washer wand. It also makes the job faster and if it is a large job, it can reduce back fatigue.

On this deck, we used hot water to help aid in the stripping process of a latex stain. It was cold weather and the hot water helped activate the stripper.

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.

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]

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