Old Barn

[Saltwaterspirit]

Hey everyone I’m new to the forum, I have been working on an old out building/barn.  I am on the fence about cleaning the wood inside, or sanding/using a restorer type tool.  I would like to get some of the dingyness out of the building without sacrificing the character. Still trying to figure out how to post pictures to see.

[Brad_bb]

Are the timbers softwood or hardwood?  Is this being converted to living space or?

I'm assuming you're talking about the Porter Cable Restorer tool.  I have a couple of the Makita wheel brush sander tools, which appear to be similar.  I use an abrasive nylon bristle wheel on mine and on hardwood they work great!  They remove dirt but do not remove wood and leave a great looking old look just without the dirt and dinginess.

How it would work on softwood I do not know, never tried it.  I know that you DO NOT want to use a wire wheel or scotchbrite type wheel for this or a flap sanding wheel.  If you try anything it should be the nylon abrasive bristle.  To test this, you can buy a drill attachment of the same nylon abrasive bristle.  Although it would be painfully slow for timbers, I keep them on hand for detail work.  Buy a 
Nyalox Wheel Brush 4-Inch Orange
 
Amazon has them.  Once in awhile a hardware store will have them, but you could waste a lot of time running around.  If this wheel does what you want, then the Porter Cable Restorer with this wheel should work.


 

[Don P]

Along the same lines I've used an Osborne brush, a 4" cup type brush with abrasive coated nylon bristles that works well. Some of the log home supply companies carry it. I had a machinist friend make an adapter so I could use it with a 1/2" right angle drill.

[Walnut Beast]

Pressure soda blast it. Or walnut shells 

[low_48]

By dinginess, are we talking manure? I'd probably start with a wide nozzle electric pressure washer. Not the super power like a gas powered pressure washer, so better on wood. It would help a lot if you mentioned the square footage needed to be cleaned. 

[Chuck White]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Saltwaterspirit!

[moodnacreek]

Somewhere between pressure washing and sand blasting will really clean wood.  Anyone here ever put a wire wheel on a weed wacker?

[mike_belben]

Not yet but the cup wheels intrigue me. 

[Thomasjw4]

For old barnwood, i used a handheld wire brush and a quick swipe with a belt sander.  that would take a LONG time with a large beam though 

[Bandmill Bandit]

You'll want to do this on a scrap to get the hang of it. I use a industrial angle/side grinder with a very course wire cup brush. Its quick and effective BUT you can ruin a piece real quick too.

I've tried about every other method mentioned above and a few others but this is the cheapest, quickest and give you the most control over the result.

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[Walnut Beast]

I’ve got one of those cup wheels and I definitely wouldn’t use on barn wood 

[Walnut Beast]

For old barnwood, i used a handheld wire brush and a quick swipe with a belt sander.  that would take a LONG time with a large beam though

That’s the next best thing besides power washing with various tips and sandblasting with various media. A heavy duty extension pole with a steel brush head works good 

[Tom King]

I have a pressure washer that's 2500 psi at 4.4 gpm.  If you're careful which nozzle you use, it won't erode wood.  I use it every year on painted 18th, and 19th Century museum houses. It also gets used on the bare wood in our barn, to clean the stall walls.  More than 2500 is too much.

If that's too much, which shouldn't be for a barn, CO2 blasting.

A Foam Cannon, used on a pressure washer for washing cars, will shoot a thick layer of soap foam on old, dirty wood, which lets it work on the dirt much longer before it dries out, and then rinse with the pressure washer.  The special soap they sell with those works on this type of dirt too.  The soap helps break down the dirt, so it doesn't take so much pressure to wash it off.



edited to add:  You may have to scrub the dirt with a stiff Tampico bristle, long handled brush like an acid washing brush for bricks, before rinsing it off.  You can find them with the masonry tools in box stores.

[Walnut Beast]

They make various wire wheels for a drill that give more. Like a steel brush pipe cleaner type for example. Depends how much time you want to spend doing it😂

[Walnut Beast]

I have a pressure washer that's 2500 psi at 4.4 gpm.  If you're careful which nozzle you use, it won't erode wood.  I use it every year on painted 18th, and 19th Century museum houses. It also gets used on the bare wood in our barn, to clean the stall walls.  More than 2500 is too much.

If that's too much, which shouldn't be for a barn, CO2 blasting.

A Foam Cannon, used on a pressure washer for washing cars, will shoot a thick layer of soap foam on old, dirty wood, which lets it work on the dirt much longer before it dries out, and then rinse with the pressure washer.  The special soap they sell with those works on this type of dirt too.  The soap helps break down the dirt, so it doesn't take so much pressure to wash it off.

Yes sir. If you have painted several houses you figure the best way to do it. I cleaned many houses with a hotsy pressure washer. As Tom said be careful with the tip. I used the roto tip because I was getting off many coats of paint that was coming off. That tip was loud and aggressive and effective on a 8’ extension but it could tear up wood if you didn’t know what you were doing 

[Don P]

Not yet but the cup wheels intrigue me.

Here it is Mike. I saw wallyworld had them as well so clicked the link, double the price  .
Osborn 4" Round Abrasive Cup Brush | Twin Creeks (twincreeksloghomes.com)

[Old Greenhorn]

Personally as far as speed and cleanliness goes, I would pick the pressure washer if it fits your situation. My son has one client with a fairly large estate, a large log cabin main binding from the 40's and many decks and stairs all around. Every spring he has to pressure wash all the wood because of the pollen issues in a EWP grove. There is enough wood to keep 1 man busy for 3 days just on the pressure washing, plus all the bluestone paths around the house and pool, then is is the grounds cleanup, tree trimming, flower boxes to fill (about 40) and a million other things. It's all hands on deck for his little company for that one. Anyway, sometimes I help.
 They use a low pressure nozzle to mix and spray on a soap solution, then higher pressure for cleaning and you do have to get a feel for it especially if you are not stripping, but man it does a great job. We did my deck this year (not done in 34 years) and stripped it to bare wood then treated. Worked like a charm. 

[Mooseherder]

I'd be trying some good ole American bleach in a sprayer first.  Then an electric pressure washer with soap already mentioned.   Beam planer or sander option in other spots if necessary.  I wish we had a barn like that.  Good for you.

[Bandmill Bandit]

You'll want to do this on a scrap to get the hang of it. I use a industrial angle/side grinder with a very course wire cup brush. Its quick and effective BUT you can ruin a piece real quick too.

I've tried about every other method mentioned above and a few others but this is the cheapest, quickest and give you the most control over the result.

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Hey Jeff sorry about that image, I tryed to up load it but it wouldnt work. I'll try to find a link as " don't have a pic.

[firefighter ontheside]

This is what I use in an angle grinder.  Make sure you have adjustable speed though.  This needs to go a lot slower than a single speed grinder runs.  I used it inside and out of my log home before applying any finish.  It smooths and cleans without changing the patina.
Osborn Buffing Brushes for Cleaning and Polishing your Logs