Restoring log home

[Rob30]

I live in a 200 year old settlers home. We are currently restoring. The outside has been covered with siding but still has some rot and ugly logs. So we will be covering with styrofoam and board and batton. The inside however we want to leave exposed. So I need ideas for chinking, as well as stripping the old plaster and white wash. I am currently using a grinder and flap discs. It works but  makes a lot of dust. Tried palm Sanders, but they can't do it. Spent more time changing paper then sanding. Any input?

[chestnut]

  As far as cleaning. I used a Osborne brush on a right angle grinder. Dirty but really works nice.

[Don P]

I'll second the Osborne brush, I had a friend turn an adapter and used my right angle drill. Scrape everything you can and then brush. You don't know what has been used in the past in old houses, a respirator is a better choice than just dust masks and if in doubt put in charcoal cartridges and replace often.

[Rob30]

Ok, thanks I will look into an Osborne brush

[TW]

I don't know what the climate is like where you live but here in Finland a layer of styrofoam on the outside would reduce a sound log building into a heap of rotten low grade firewood in a matter of years. If the insulation on the outside has less moisture permeability than the loig wall the moisture gets trapped between insulation and te logs rot out.

[D L Bahler]

I Will second TW's observation. Do not use XPS foam outboard of a log home under any circumastances, not in your climate. EPS may be good. but you might be better off going with something like Rockwool's Comfortwall, which is a semi-rigid mineral wool treated for exterior application, and is vapor permeable, or something else that has suitable permeability. 

[cabindoc]

I restore log homes for a living and i'll second what they said.  You could use open cell, but my recomendation is wrap the house with Tyvek then add your insulation, then fir strips then your B&B.  This will allow airflow so as not to trap moisture and the tyvek will allow moisture to escape and not get trapped in.  I know in canada, the codes favor wrapping a building envelope in 6 mil plastic, but the us has a different approach.  good luck and send pictures