Frequently Asked Questions
Does Blastmaster stain/finish houses after blasting them?
No. We believe that you can focus on doing a few things well, or a lot of things so-so. We choose to focus on what we do best, blasting. However, we do have relationships with several other companies in the log home industry who can offer finishing services as well as other products and services. If you need assistance finding someone, we will be glad to assist you.
Will I get dust in my home?
Yes. Part of the beauty of a log home is the slight imperfections (knots in the wood, slight color variations in the wood grain, etc.). These imperfections also create cracks, gaps and spaces between logs and around doors and windows. Therefore, try as you might, if you choose to have your home cob blasted, you will have dust enter hour home. See the Tips section to see ways to limit this.
Will the cob media scratch my windows?
No. Corn cob blast media has a Moh’s hardness of less than 4.5 which is softer than glass. Therefore, it is safe to use around windows without fear of scratching them.
How often should a house need to be cob blasted?
There is no exact answer to this question. If a house is properly cared for and maintained and finish is applied as directed, blasting should not be needed for many, many years. Unfortunately, finishes do sometimes fail. Whether the finish itself is poorly manufactured or whether it is applied inappropriately or at the wrong time. Any of these factors can cause a finish to fail on a log home. Once a finish begins to fail, the only way to really fix the problem is to take the logs back down to bare wood and start over again.
Do you ever blast with other media?
Yes. While cob blasting is our specialty and primary blast media, we also blast with baking soda, crushed glass, and other blast media as necessary. If a particular application requires a different type of blast media, there are several other options available.
How do I tell if my log home needs to be blasted?
Cob Blasting is recommended when it becomes evident that your current finish is failing. Signs of failing finish include pealing finish, bare wood, graying wood, washed out appearance, dark colors beneath the finish, or if the different sides of the house are different colors from one another. Also, blasting is recommended if you wish to alter the color or type of stain from what you currently have. If stains/finishes are properly applied and your home is cleaned and maintenance coats are applied as per manufacturer recommendations, blasting should not be necessary for many, many years.