Consider This When Sealing a Newly Constructed Log Home 

 Newly constructed log homes are usually stained and sealed as soon as the “dry in” is completed or shortly thereafter. Nothing wrong with that right? Well here are a few things that should be considered before applying a beautiful natural wood finish to your brand new log home.  Read More…

Log Home Restoration often requires repairing failing caulk. As seen in this picture, the caulking has separated. Usually this is caused by not using “backer rod” in the joint before applying the caulk. Backer rod acts as a filler to keep from filling the entire check (or crack) with caulking. But it’s main purpose is to keep the caulking from adhering to the back of the check.

The caulking needs only to adhere to the top and bottom of the check. In this way it has the ability to streach in two directions, up and down. If the caulk is adhered to the top, bottom and the back of the check, the elongation is greatly demished causing the caulk to tear loose and fail.                                                                                                  

In this picture, the backer rod has been installed, the caulking applied and properly tooled into the check joint. Neat and clean joints make it easy to stain and blend the caulk into the wood. This properly applied caulking will last for several years to come. But…log homes require constant inspections to keep up with new checks as well as older checks that may need to be recaulked. If inspections are preformed bi-anually and caulking issuses addressed early on, the maintenance can be kept at a manageable level. If you wait too long, maintenance issuses can become overwhelming making your log home a burden rather than an exciting log home experence.     

 Make a maintenance “checklist” and and use it. Make notes of anything unusual and keep an eye on it. The next time you do your inspection go back and check to see if anything has changed or gotten worse. Make repairs as needed and don’t put it off. It don’t take long for insects or wood rot to do major damage. It is much eaiser to make repairs early on than to wait until a log has to be replaced.

On our You Tube channel are two new media blasting videos of  the interior of a newly constructed log home. The logs were left unprotected  for two years before they were finally erected. Weathered wood, clay and mildew had to be removed so we did a light media blast to remove a minute layer of wood from the logs. We then sanded with #40 grit sand paper to smooth the profile. Finally, two interior finish coats were applied by brush. Check them out at: www.youtube.com/taskmasters3

Spring is almost here and so are the borring bees. Carpenter Bees can cause alot of damage in a relatively short period of time. Don’t let them get out of control. If you find a hole, new or old, make sure to spray WD-40 in it using the small red applicator tube. Then, I like to plug the hole with a ball of alumnium foil followed by installing a 1/2 wooden dowell. It can be glued but generally it fits plenty tight without it. Once hammered in place, you can tap around the edges of the dowell to flatten it out making it blend really well into the wood.

A new log home restoration video is available for viewing @ www.youtube.com/taskmasters3

You can see that we apply an oil stain to logs by spraying with a corse low pressure spray. We then back brush to assure the oil is worked deep into the logs. It is worth mentioning that a low moisture content of the logs is important when apply any stain but critical  when applying an oil based finish.

Spring is almost here. So what does that mean to log home owners? Well, just like interior “spring cleaning” the exterior of the log home needs cleaning as well.

After a long harsh winter battling the elements, the finish can really take a beating. UV rays from the sun can do just as much danage in the winter as in the summer months and maybe more. At least in the summer, most log homes have some amount of shade from trees around the house. In the winter when all the leaves have fallen, the sun has more direct contact on the logs.  The sun can actually cause more damage to the finish as well as other wood than water by drying out the wood causing it to crack and split. The sun takes its toll on the finish as well.  

Pollen, dust and dirt builds up over time. This build up is perfect food for mold and mildew which can erode the finish in a realative short period of time. Moreover, mildew will keep growing having the potential to cause some major log rot problems.

To keep your log home looking its best and protected, it is a good idea to wash the home with a mild detergent at least once a year.  Be careful what you use as some cleaners can cause major damage to the finish. Clean wood not only looks nicer, but will help the finish last longer. And that  extends re-coating intervals and more importantly, major Log Home Restoration. 

Before any sealer is applied, plastic is laid out where needed to protect anything not recieving a finish. In this log home restoration, plastic is laid down on the roof below the shed dormer.  After that, canvas tarps are put on top. This helps absorb any overspray or drips and adds extra protection to the shingles.

When using a parrifin oil based sealer, it is imperative to not allow any to get on the asphalt shingles. It will soak  in so fast that it can not be removed. If this happens, it will actually desingrate the shingle causing the shingle to have to be replaced.

If using a “film-formimg” sealer (linseed oil), it is not as important as these finishes will not distroy the shingle like parriffin sealers. It will however soak in discoloring the shingle leaving a  permanent stain.

Taking a little extra time to protect surfaces from unwanted  overspray or drips can save time  by eliminating extra work having to clean these up or replacing damaged shingles.

Over the years since pressure treated lumber come onto the market, most every home constructed including log homes has a deck of some type. Large or small, exotic woods or just the typical Southern Yellow Pine, decks have become very popular. From using them for family cook-outs, lounging or using them as a screened enclosure to keep out insects, decks are an asset that adds value to the home. That is if they are maintained.

We have all seen decks that have turned gray, mildewed and have warped, split and splintering handrails and decking boards. Sometimes they have been neglected to the point that wood replacement is the only option. Oftentimes however, many of these decks can be saved through  Deck Restoration and used for many years to come.

Deck construction, repair or replacement is costly and as an extension of your home, it only makes sense to maintain it. However, because most decks in the southeastern United States are pressure treated lumber, many people consider them to be almost indestructible. They do hold up well in inclement weather especially in damp locations.  Pressure treated lumber is very resistant to water. That is why it is used almost exclusively in dock construction. But the drying effect of the sun is what really does the damage. UV rays dry the natural oils in the wood allowing it to split cup and warp prematurely. This is the main reason for keeping a quality sealer applied.

A good analogy is to compare it to dry skin. When your skin gets dry, it can crack and split so you apply a moisturizer. This rejuvenates the skin by adding essential oils. It is the same with wood. The sun’s UV rays dries out the wood and a good oil based sealer replenishes it.

Keeping the wood coated or conditioned with a quality sealer is imperative to the longevity of the deck.  If maintained properly it can add value to the home and can be enjoyed for many years to come.

This Virginia Log Home Restoration was a bit of a challenge to strip. Low 30’s during the day and in the teens at night. Got the deck stripped and while we were waiting for it to dry……….18 inches of the white stuff fell. After this picture was taken, we started stripping the house. Being verticle surfaces, it went much better although we did use antifreeze in the stripper.  Takes a bit longer but…the job must go on……

Inside Looking Out

This picture was taken from the inside during this log home restoration. This is what the homeowner can expect to see during the stripping process.

The brown run-off is stain residue that has been dislodged. The little chuncks are actual pices of the “film” from the “film-forming” stain that did not completly dissolve from the stripper. 

 This residue run-off is caustic and care must be taken so as not to damage plants, lawns, sidewalks, driveways or decrorative foundation and stonework as well as certian metal objects such as galvanized flashing, door hardware, electrical outlets, ect…Also, if the log home leaks ( and they ALL leak to some degree) care must be taken to control any residue that may enter the interior. Stripper residue can streak a log wall very fast if not addressed immediately.

As can be seen, chemical stripping is a harsh prodedure and must be monitored closely. Make sure you hire someone that knows proper stripping techniques. Once the damage is done, it is very hard to reverse any streaking or staining of interior walls.