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Log Home Care and Maintenance
Over the years, styles of homes exteriors have changed and have progressed to what we all live in now which ranges from brick, stucco and dryvit, wood siding, aluminum or vinyl siding, composite or butler stone facade. But nothing ever seems to compare with the look, feel and warmth of a log cabin or home. Commonly built with extravagant fireplaces, they have been the essence of many romantic stories, getaways, seclusion and inspiration.
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Like any home, log cabins and homes require care and maintenance for the exteriors appearance and integrity. Today Beautiful log home kits are built from many species such as cedar, pines, spruce, oak, cypress, and are moved on-site via truck for construction. The exteriors of these log homes require protection from the elements, especially rot and decay due to extended periods of exposure to moisture. Levels exceeding 20% WMC is where rot can begin to set in. Owners of log homes are faced with the challenges of maintaining and restoring the wood as needed. If neglected, this may mean having the home or cabin corn cob or glass bead blasted, or chemically stripped and pressure washed , depending on the logs. |
If routine maintenance and upkeep are performed on a regular schedule it is better for the logs. Maintenance includes lightly washing the logs, applying maintenance coats of the sealer or stain currently installed on the logs, and maintaining the caulking or chinking on the log home to prevent moisture and unwanted weather from entering the interior or becoming trapped in the logs. A borate treatment may also be advised, but may only be applied to bare wood. We service Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, West Virginia, North and South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, and Louisiana. Travel outside of these areas will be determined on a per project basis. We're also experienced Perma-Chink, Sashco, and Defy applicators.
Log home manufacturers recommend that the exterior and interior be inspected at least once a year. Areas around fireplaces, apexes on the roof and eves, corners, doors and windows including dormer style extension windows, sinks, tubs and plumbing, built on decks and stair ways can develop problems from use and settling. Exposure to the elements causes cracking and leaks that need to be sealed early to avoid the exposure to moisture which promotes rot and decay.
On areas with evidence of rot from high moisture content, a borate treatment helps to inhibit further rot and insect attack. If the rot has progressed far enough, it may need to have an epoxy curative and filler applied to the effected area before sealing. Oil based sealers with pigment (stain) complete the protection necessary for the wood to endure the climate they are exposed to which is usually cold and snowy with long winters and short summers.
The process involved in restoring a log home is very demanding of attention to detail. From the cob blasting or pressure washing phase to the masking and caulking/chinking phase, the borate/epoxy filler phase, or the log defelting, buffing and sealing phase, the end result and duration of the job will depend on how well all of these phases were conducted. The integrity of your logs must be maintained in order to avoid costly replacement.
If you are in need of specialized care for you log home, call See Dirt Run!™ Inc. We can help! To view more beautiful examples of our work as well as video testimonials from some of our clients, visit our photo and video gallery today!
Tinted sealers and stains offer the best UV protection for your wood. MHIC# 86481. Member Better Business Bureau. Free Estimates and Demonstrations. Visa and MasterCard Accepted. Certified by the Power Washers of North America,PWNA Wood Restoration & Preservation Certified Member since 1999. We offer an exterior maintenance program. Headquartered in Maryland, serving Maryland, DC, and Virginia, and traveling out of state for large projects.
