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.  (Learn More)

Mid summer and “the heat is on.”   The warmer months are the better months to apply sealers. However, on hot sunny days, the side of a log home, or deck for that matter, can get very hot. Too hot to apply a finish. If the wood gets too hot the stain can ” flash” making the carrier of the stain evaporate to quickly. This will keep the finish from absorbing properly and therefore preform poorly. In these conditions, it is best to always work on the shady side of the log home.

The best way to know what a color is going to look like on your log home or in this case cedar siding,  is to brush on some wet samples. During this cedar siding home restoration, a section of the cedar siding was cleaned and allowed to dry. Then several stain samples were applied. This is the only good way to determine what a color is going to look like on your home. Pictures and paint chips are not a very accurate way to determine  colors. Each house is going to be different. The type and age of the wood will dictate the shade of a stain so to really know and be sure about the color, wet samples are the best way to determine what your house will look when a new finish is applied.

When this wall is stripped, the samples will be removed and a clean bare surface will be left perfect for applying a new finish. And you will know exactly how the new finish will look.

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.

Your log home is a large investment. Spending the time and the money to maintain it is also an investment. Most people would not go to a “big box” store and buy a can of spray paint to re-paint their car. Yet all too often, the “off the shelf” retail stains are bought and used to re-stain their log homes. This is one instance in which “you get what you pay for!” Make an investment!

This Photo Show of our latest log home restoration show a few before and after pictures of a cabin in Boone, NC. that we did as typical “strip & seal. Heading to Fredericksburg, VA. to a 4200 sf. home to be cob blasted.

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This log home restoration required stripping this pine dove tail log and pressure treated deck.

There was no finish on the logs or deck but we stripped using a mild stripping solution as if there were a f

During this log home restoration, We bleached the logs to remove sap staining,  mildew, mold and degraded wood. As you can tell, the logs are left looking really “washed out.” The bright clean logs (left) were defelted and neturalized using a very mild solution. It also was rinsed very well. It is imperative to remove all chemical solutions from the wood before sealing.

 Also, it is best to do it all (cleaning, stripping, neutralizing) at one time while the logs are still wet. Once the logs have dried, it is much harder to activate whatever chemical solution  was used and then rinse it completly out.