Corn Cob Blasting

When it is time to refinish the exterior of your log home there are two basic ways to pre pare for staining. The first method would be washing the logs with a solution of TSP, water, and bleach applied with a pump sprayer and rinsed with clean water. Stubborn stains can be removed with a stiff brush. This works well on degraded semitransparent stain or where lightening of logs is not desired.

The preferred and recommended method is corn cob blasting. This is a process by which ground corn cob is shot at high pressure against the logs. It is much like sandblasting but will not damage the logs. It is a totally dry process and works well on degraded semitransparent stain, latex paint or solid stain or if a lighter color is desired. The corn cob is a biodegradable product and may be collected on tarps,sifted through a screen and recycled for use again.

Some degraded finishes can be removed in one day while solid stains or paint require more time. After logs are blasted they must be blown off with a leaf blower or air compressor to remove dust and residue. This leaves the logs slightly roughed up which allows the semi transparent stain to absorb deeply into the wood. Sanding with an Osborne Brush may also be done at this time for a baby smooth finish although the stain does not seem to absorb as deeply after sanding. Either way you are now ready for borate pre-treatment,caulking,and staining.

Call us today to speak with a log home professional!