Log House - Log Clean Up

Are these “blotches” fungus growth? Are they hard or soft, moist or dry? Close up photos would help.

-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe

it’s leftover plaster that has gotten right into the wood.

how do you clean it up without damaging it. He doesn’t want to sand it because it was “hand-hewn” if that’s the right phrase, and wants to keep this natural look to it.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

sand blasting is the only way debbie

-- cut it saw it scrap it SKPE: ANDREW.CARTER69

Debbie i forgot to ask is this a pine log cabin like douglas fur

-- cut it saw it scrap it SKPE: ANDREW.CARTER69

yes, it is pine.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

then a medium sand blast should do it just fine

-- cut it saw it scrap it SKPE: ANDREW.CARTER69

To save the hand hewn look he might have to clean it up by hand. Sand blasting will change the texture of the pine. Raising the grain. Which by the way looks really cool. He might try a hand plane or cabinet scraper to see just how deep the stain runs. I’d consider working with stains or glazes to find a pleasing look and living with the blotches as part of the history of the structure.

I wondered how the sandblasting would affect the wood.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

sandblasting was a very toff solution wasn´t it ?
there most bee other gentlier solutions
how big is the “blotches” and how many is there 10/100/500 on each wall ?
and how deeb does they go in to the wood ?

Dennis

don’t know.. and don’t know.. but I can ask when he calls.
(I don’t know the guy)

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Try with a wire brush

there is a machine that normally one would find in a profesional shop, we have one in ours, its a bit like a portible hand planer, but instead of cutters it has a large brush about half the width of a rolling pin with stiff bristles, we use this to make woods, normally softwoods like pine and fur, to look more rustic. its quick, not too loud and does not destroy the wood or infuse it with sand. the hard year rings will stand out “rasing the grain” like denis mentioned. Then normally we use wax, or an oil wax mix to finish the wood, giving it a warm glow. bees wax is great it goes on easy, smells nice, and its wipe on wipe off excess and then give it a bit of a buff with a shoe brush.

-- Nicholas, Cabinet/Furniture Maker, Blue Hill, Maine

don´t know,......don´t know,.......don´t know….....the guy
you are truly an expert of the experts LOL!!!

Dennis

I think if by what debbie is saying that were the walls have been lathen plastered the white marks are proberly were the knots are in the timber which would mean theses to be quite deep …

as for the sand blasting there are different grains that can be used so you can reduce the raising of the grain as Dennis has surgested as for using a wire brush i think that pine is to soft and cause tiring in the grain

-- cut it saw it scrap it SKPE: ANDREW.CARTER69

aren’t I good?? Don’t even know the person let alone the answers! .. or the questions. ha

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

You might try blasting with ground walnut shell as first trial.

-- Rick Gustafson - Lost Creek Ranch - Colorado County, Texas