| Corn
Cob Blasting
by Tom Tydeman
 You’ve
decided to restore your logs but before you can
apply the new stain you must remove the existing
finish. There are several methods to remove the
existing finish on your log home such as; chemical
stripping, power washing, sand, glass and corn
cob blasting. Each of these methods has both pros
and cons. Although log home restoration professionals
and coating manufacturers may have different views
and opinions, in many situations the most popular
choice is cob blasting. To help make your decision,
you should understand the requirements needed
for optimal stain performance.
Optimal Stain Performance
Having warm, dry, sound, textured and clean logs
is the consensus from log home professionals for
the best coating performance. Many failed finishes
are a result of not following all five requirements.
Warm: Surface temperature
generally between 50-90 degrees Fahrenheit
Dry: Moisture content of the
wood below 20 percent
Sound: Free of decay and UV
degradation
Textured: Enhances adhesion/increases
amount of stain wood will take on
Clean: Logs free of dirt, pollen
and mold.
Positives of Corn Cob Blasting
Corn media is both non-toxic and biodegradable.
Corn Cob Blasting prepares the log surface which
is ideal for stain to achieve excellent penetration
and adhesion. This method can be done at any temperature
and removes up to 98% of any existing stain or
paint off the logs. Logs are now clean,
dry and textured. The original bare wood
surface is ready to immediately accept a stain
color of your choice with an end result of a new
look.
The Process
A Corn Cob blasting machine uses high volume
compressed air together with the ground up corn
cob media. As the corn media is blasted through
a long hose, the nozzle is moved back and forth
as a bare layer of wood is exposed. The air pressure
can be adjusted to remove only as much of the
log surface necessary to remove the existing finish.
After Blasting
Since the bare wood is now exposed, it is the
ideal condition for a borate treatment to penetrate
into the logs. The borate will help prevent decay
and repel most insects. After application, you
will need to wait several days for your logs to
completely dry. Keep in mind a textured surface,
like Corn Cob blasting creates, may take on more
stain than normal producing a darker look than
advertised. However, the more stain that is absorbed,
the more pigment and UV protection you will have
and the longer your new finish will last. If you
want to minimize this, lightly sand the logs and
add a product such as After Blast by Perma Chink
which helps to seal the logs allowing the stain
to absorb more evenly.
Who Corn Cob Blasts
Many log home restoration companies are now using
the method of Corn cob blasting to remove the
existing finish from log homes. There are also
“blasting” companies that will use
corn cob media, just be sure they are trained
and have experience working with wood surfaces.
Corn Cob Blasting requires much more than blowing
corn media through a blaster! Proper training
on the operation and technique is required. Depending
on the type of wood and what coating you are removing,
will determine the size nozzle, grit weight and
distance the nozzle should be from the log surface.
Negatives of Corn Cob Blasting
Although Corn Cob Blasting achieves a positive
result, there are a couple of negatives to keep
in mind. The Corn Cob Grit can find its way into
your home. This can be a nuisance as the media
forms a “dusting” in parts of your
home where the logs have broken seals. Also, light
sanding may be required for those homeowners who
prefer a smooth milled finish.
A Good Choice
When you decide to remove your existing log home
finish, you may want to consider the widely used
technique of Corn Cob Blasting. This method produces
ideal conditions for stain performance which includes
a dry, textured, and clean log. Once this process
is complete, the bare wood is exposed ready to
stain for the look of your choice. There are many
reasons why Corn Cob blasting is a great way to
remove a log home finish… start by choosing
one that is environmentally friendly and have
a BLAST!
Tom Tydeman
Log Options, LLC
www.logoptions.com
(Photo courtesy of Perma Chink)
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