The Importance of Blasting in Log Home Restoration and New Construction

Blasting is one of the most important steps in both log home restoration and new log home finishing. Whether you’re dealing with sun-faded stain, peeling coatings, or a fresh build with mill glaze, proper log home blasting (also called media blasting) prepares the surface so stains and clearcoats bond correctly. When done by experienced crews, blasting removes failed finishes, opens the wood grain, and creates a clean, uniform substrate for long-lasting protection.

Why Blasting Matters

Without thorough surface prep, even the best log home stain and sealer won’t perform as intended. Old coatings trap moisture; new logs can carry mill glaze that resists stain penetration. Professional log and wood blasting solves both issues. It helps stabilize maintenance cycles, reduces risk of uneven color, and protects against early finish failure—key in coastal, mountain, and prairie climates across North America. Blasting a log home will allow it to absorb three times as much stain as a sanded log home. This is because the surface is slightly textured and the pores are open to allow maximum absorption for superior protection. The more stain you have the more protection your log home has.

Blasting vs. Sanding

Log cabin sanding has its place for detail work and feathering, but it’s easy to create swirl marks and low spots. Blasting reaches checks, corners, notches, and saddle joints uniformly. Many “how to sand a log home” guides skip the reality that large surfaces, eaves, and log ends require a method that’s both thorough and consistent; blasting delivers that, then sanding refines where needed. Sanding for flat boards such as siding is insufficient for accessing the corners, tongue-and-groove, etc., making blasting a much better solution for these use cases in particular.

Cost and Planning

Homeowners commonly ask about the cost to media blast a log home and the cost to strip and stain a log home. Pricing varies for each unique location, considering aspects such as access, laddering/scaffolding needs, type of soffits, type of windows, how much hardscape and landscape is there on the property, whether the building is on level grade or a steep grade, and—above all else—what the existing coating is that requires removal. Combining services—blasting and stain—typically reduces total time on site and helps control the log home maintenance cost over the life of the building.

What Happens After Blasting

Once the surface is clean, crews will clear dust and debris from the site, address minor repairs, and spot-sand to refine high-visibility areas. Quite often an insecticide and fungicide will be applied after clean up. Then comes the finishing system: in log structure restorations, strip-and-stain cycles are replaced with fresh, penetrating coats; in new homes, log home finishing begins with protective coats designed for aesthetics, UV, moisture, and regional conditions.

When Blasting Is the Right Call

• Exterior stain is peeling, faded, or blotchy (restaining a log home won’t last without removal).
• Logs show heavy gray weathering and fiber oxidation.
• A new log house needs mill-glaze removal for deep stain penetration.
• Intricate corners, notches, and log ends require uniform prep.

Ready to get started with the best log home blasting team in North America? Contact us for a free estimate today!