Removing paint from logs is no easy task. The video here demonstrates one method.
Painted logs present a problem as described in an earlier post – removing that paint present another problem – how to do it. You can use chemical strippers but this would be extremely costly, take a tremendous amount of time and create an environmental mess.
There have been suggestions of using a high pressure power washer. Forget it. Not only will you be soaking the logs with unwanted water but it is terribly inefficient in paint removal.
You can use a grinder with sanding pads but this is also inefficient as you will go through pads quickly and have great difficulty getting into small areas.
Sand blasting. My word of advice: “don’t do it.” Sand is sharp and in combination with the pressure will eat significant amount of wood along with the paint. You will find that you have done more damage to the log than the paint.
The method of choice is corn cob blasting or some other media blasting.
Corn cob blasting is much like sand blasting — same equipment however instead of sand one uses ground up corn cobs. The grit is rather soft and quickly removes the paint with little to no damage to the wood. The method is fast as well.
Once cob blasted there will be a slight nap or fuzz to the wood. After cob blasting here I went around with a grinder and sanded each of the logs – a process that actually went very fast once the paint was removed.
The cob grit did remove the paint quickly yet as you will see in the video the grit did get inside the house leaving quite the mess to clean up. Small gaps between the roof line and the logs was just enough space to let the grit into the house. If you use this blasting method I suggest that you cover everything in the house with plastic drop cloths.
The sound on the video is a bit poor at first as you can hear the sound of the air equipment in the background. And yes — before revamping the kitchen was indeed pink (a horrific gift from the previous owner) – it is no longer pink. The video was taken in 2000.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Pricing! How much would it cost to remove red paint from hand hewn logs, house approx. 17oo sq. ft. Want to restore to natural and seal. What is the most efficent way? Price on corn blasting versus stain remover. Just approx. cost. Built in 1992.
I ALSO THINK IT IS PAINTED NOW THAT I SAW THE VIDIO I DONT REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT IT ALSO NEEDS TO BE CHINKED DO YOU HAVE ANYONE IN MY AREA THAT DOES THESE THINGS AND REPAIRS LOG HOMES
MID WISCONSIN
Hello Karl – I dont know of anyone specifically in the area. yes the paint on the logs should be removed – corn cob blasting or there is also a very fine glass media that can be used in place of corn cob grit that shows excellent results. Dry blasting with a fine soft media is the best way to remove paint from the exterior. DO NOT let any one talk you into power washing. Power washing can be one of the most destructive and harmful ways of dealing with you log home. Should any company or individual ever try to talk you into it with some silver tongued logic – demand that they leave the property immediately.
Do you have any photos that you can share of the rotted logs in question and perhaps I can by viewing perhaps suggest at least a starting course of action.
As far as chinking – I am a believer in traditional mortar based chinking. There are plenty of article on here that discuss chinking – just click on the Chinking category on the right hand side column.
I HAVE A BIG LOG HOME BUILT IN 1977 THE LOGS ARE ROTTED IN SOME AREAS
Considering purchasing a 1927 5 bedroom log home that has been painted on outside and most recently, primed white on inside because prospective buyers commented the interior was too dark. Any quick, easy way to strip primer from a few focal walls and overhead logs of vaulted ceiling?
Hello Romanita – Oh my – what a shame. People doing strange things. I would suggest much the same process as I did for James earlier and that would be suing a hand held powered sanding device. Stripping the logs with a chemical stripper makes for noxious fumes. Cob blasting an interior would make your life hell for clean up. I believe alot of elbow work and sanding is your best option.
It would be in your best interest to approach cob basting the exterior to remove that paint.
Thanks for this amazing log cabin site. I’ve been reading posts for a few months in preparation for a semi-renovation on my circa 1865 log cabin that i’ve been living in for 5 years in Maryland.
Right now I’m framing walls around the part of the cabin that used to be an exterior wall. It has a nice coating of brown paint on it and the first thing i need to do is remove the paint. I want this wall to be exposed and beautiful.
It looks like corn cob blasting is the best way to ensure that i don’t damage the log surface. I have about a 3-week window where this would be a good time to make this mess. The portion of wall i’m blasting is pretty small…18′ high x 20′ wide (just one wall.)
Do you have any suggestions on how i may go about renting a piece of equipment and obtaining crushed corn cob. I believe you said that a regular sandblasting machine is used, but there are other considerations such as horsepower and pressure that i have absolutely no idea about. Any help will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks, James
Hey James – Thank you!
Well cob blasting is a messy way to go but it is fast and effective. Be careful with the pressure used as even corncob can cut into the wood. You will still need to do sanding afterward to get a nice smooth surface.
Have you thought about using a hand held grinder? I would would suggest using a hand held sanding device or grinder over cob blasting in this particular instance — Renting one may not be an option and they do take a bit of know how and practice to get the right control and pressure. If the pressure is too high you can do some serious damage.
Great site…so many helpful tips…thank you! Can you give some instruction on how best to remove wood stain from interior logs? This is a manufactured log home (“double D” logs) so the logs have a slightly rounded, finished surface. The home is small, so the darker honey stain makes the interior seem too dark. Is there an easy (and hopefully cost-effective) way to remove the old stain without the mess of cornblasting or sanding? A light finish would be much more desirable.
Thanks much for any help you can provide!
Thanks Tom – Glad that you are finding useful info on here.
The wood stain stain has been applied to colorize the wood. If the stain is a petroleum based then the stain can penetrate deep into the wood. If water based then it may be primarily on the surface but probably still under the finish coat. Chemical strippers can have very noxious fumes and I wouldn’t recommend going that rout as it would be terribly expensive. Have you tried sanding a test area?
If there is not a hard finish to the logs you could try bleacing them – but before you do any bleaching test in an remote area.
One possible option is to use Cascade Automatic Dishwasher powder – It contains oxcylic acid and can brighten the wood without raising the grain. Mix about a 1/ cup of Cascade in a a few cups of warm water and apply liberally. let is set for a few minutes and then wash off with a damp cloth. Experiment in an out of sight area. Cascade should lighten the wood. If there is a hard shell like coating to the inside wood like a poly whatever -then chances are the Cascade mixt will not do much good. — Its worth a shot.
Carol — Thanks — Im so glad that you have found the site helpful. — THe one thing that I can suggest is to start at the back of your cabin and be patient as you work your way around — By the time you reach the front door you will be an expert and your chinking work will look amazing.
I know of people that have actually had chinking parties — my caution on that is not to serve beer until after the chinking is finished.
We would love to see photos of your work
This site is amazing! Thank you so much all of the great info!
My husband and I bought a small (24 x 24) log cabin 9 years ago. We have been learning by trial and error (lots of error) as we go, but it’s starting to look less like a camp and more like a home finally. This is the summer we have been undertaking re-chinking the whole thing.
I found this site just in time. We are chinking with mortar. I was considering synthetic, and am so glad I didn’t do it! Our determining factor was the cost, but it sounds like it would have been just awful!
Our cabin is pine, made from logs cut from this lot, so they are soft to begin with. They were painted – we were planning to repaint after re-chinking, but it sounds like we may want to reconsider.
The logs are unfinished on the inside, which looks wonderful. The chinking (which is mortar) has lasted great on the inside, but the outside has been patched quite a bit. The cabin was built in the 1970′s.
Any words of wisdom for us before we continue?
Thank you so much!!
Hello Mary — Thank you! Ahhh beautiful! Be wary of blasting a milled cedar log home. Lets have a discussion about this — I will email you my phone number as there will be special precautions that you will need to consider before undertaking cob blasting.
Thank you — I appreciate your comments on the site and my home. — I just visited you site — Oh My! Talk about inspiration — what an absolutely beautiful site! — I know Ill be spending quite a bit of time on yours.
Awesome! Thank you so much for the corn-cob blasting info. We have a milled-cedar log home that we believe is painted on the outside. One day we plan to have it blasted. I wonder if some of our winter moisture problems are due to insufficient “breathing” of the logs.
As an aside – I love your website. It’s so nice to see a blog dedicated to one of my favourite subjects! Bearfort Lodge is beautiful and a constant source of inspiration for me. Thanks for sharing!