4 Steps to Refinishing Your Log Home:
- Inspect Your Home for Necessary Repairs
- Clean the Logs. You will want to clean the logs of dust and stains, but avoid using chlorine bleach. ...
- Stain and Finish the Logs. Finish your logs with a stain or clear finish to preserve them. ...
- Seal the Logs. Chinking is the broad white band you see between the logs; this can be as thin or as thick as you like.
Full Answer
How do you repair wood rot on a log home?
Now apply a wood preservative or to the affected area (preferably the whole home) and then refinish the home. You may also want to look into a wood repair epoxy product to touch up small areas of wood rot that dont require the replacement of the entire log.
How do you repair a log cabin with epoxy?
Log Cabin Wood Repair You cant top wood repair epoxy for permanent repairs to log cabins and rotted wood. You mix it like cookie dough, mold it like modeling clay and, when it hardens, you carve and sand it just like wood. It sticks like crazy and is formulated to flex and move with the wood, so it wont crack and fall out like some wood fillers.
Should I repair or replace my logs?
If you have logs which are rotting (generally the lower courses of logs), then you must repair or replace them and then be prepared to take care of the root cause of water saturating the logs. If the logs have some surface rot, you can chisel out the rotten part of the log down to good solid wood.
What is the best wood preservative to repair a broken log?
This wood preservative would be the water soluble type which is a borate compound. Then use wood epoxy to cover the area in need of repair. First obtain a suitable replacement from a supplier that handles the same log type as found in you home. ( www.WesternLogHomesuppy.com can manufacture replacement logs for your home.
How do you fix a rotted log in a log home?
How to Repair Log RotMake a vertical cut on either side of the soft spot to the depth of the soft wood.Then use a coal or vibrating chisel and hog out the rotted wood until you reach solid sound wood.Level out the area to a flat surface.Coat the area with Shellguard RTU (borate) to prevent further expansion of rot.More items...
How do you repair a log house?
0:001:02Log Home Repair | Replacing Rotten Logs - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt is very important to address the problems with rot before they get worse. And cause structuralMoreIt is very important to address the problems with rot before they get worse. And cause structural damage. Once the rotten wood has been replaced. And the cause of the rod has been addressed.
How do you restore an old log house?
Log home restoration involves processes of caulking, log home chinking, applying borate preservatives, and log home staining....There are four recommended techniques for finish removal:Corn cob blasting, Walnut blasting, soda blasting, and dry ice blasting.Chemical Stripping.Pressure Washing.Hand-Sanding.
How do you repair a log cabin wall?
Dry rot in log cabin walls is generally treated by three methods....Treatment of Dry Rot of Log Cabin Walls If only a few logs are affected, they may be replaced by cutting out the logs and inserting new ones. ... Another repair procedure is to treat the decayed logs with an epoxy or petrifying compound.More items...
Is a rotting log a living thing?
A rotting log is a prime example of how a once-living organism replenishes the soil with nutrients and is recycled back into nature. In nature, death does not mean uselessness.
What material is used between logs in a log cabin?
In short, chinking is the material which is placed between the logs of a log home. Chinking is to logs as mortar is to bricks. Chinking is a flexible material used to fill gaps where logs don't meet completely. Essentially, chinking a log home will ensure logs which don't fit together perfectly have a nice seal.
Do log homes require a lot of maintenance?
All homes require some exterior care and maintenance, but log homes require a bit more than most. Once a year, the home's exterior should be washed to remove pollen, insect debris, and dirt. At that time, the home should be checked for mildew and mold, which should be removed if present.
How can you tell the age of a log cabin?
The logs' coloration and wood anatomy indicates which ones are original to the structure and which ones were replaced because of damage. The closeness of the tree rings visible along the edge of the logs also is an indication of age.
How do you save a log cabin?
Read on for ways to keep your cabin in tip-top shape.Drainage counts. Walk around your retreat to inspect the ground around your foundation. ... Oversize your overhangs. ... Cover your gutters. ... Apply sunblock. ... Watch for mold or mildew. ... Keep an eye on the roof. ... Wood Preservation.
Do log cabins have load bearing walls?
In a log home, the logs are typically stacked horizontally and are the primary building material that comprises the load-bearing walls.
How much does it cost to seal a log cabin?
Sealing and Chinking Repair The cost of resealing and repairing log cabin chinking can cost anywhere from $2-$5. For a typical 1,500 square foot home, the price tag for this type of log cabin maintenance may run anywhere from $3,000 to $7,500.
Do all log homes need chinking?
Whether a home needs chinking depends on the log profile or building system you choose. It is required between log courses on homes that are designed with a horizontal gap between the logs. Chinking is clearly visible on the surface of the log walls and is both decorative and functional.
What kind of stain do you use on a log cabin?
Penetrating Log Home Stain The best exterior stain for log homes are oil or water-based products that saturate wood pores to prevent water penetration. They typically contain a drying oil or resin in a transparent or semitransparent stain.
How do you clean logs on a log home?
We recommend cleaning logs with a combination of water and a wood-friendly detergent, i.e. TSP (Trisodium Phosphate Cleaner). We want to stress that we DO NOT recommend power-washing logs to clean them. Applying water under high pressure can be detrimental to the “health” of a log building.
How do you clean the outside of a log cabin?
Log Cabin Exterior Walls Scrub the surface with a soft car wash brush with a long handle. Rinse thoroughly with clear water after washing and scrubbing, then let the walls dry for two warm days before examining the surface.
Can I use bleach to clean my log home?
Bleach shouldn't take the place of a log-wash (which cleans but does not brighten) to remove stains or dirt, but when combined with 1-part bleach and 4-parts water, it will work well to brighten your logs and kill any harbored mold or mildew.
What is unusual about a log house?
What is even more unusual about the house is that there is no evidence of chinking or daubing in the spaces between logs. Typically, the timbers for a log house were cut, shaped, and erected while the logs were green, and the spaces between them filled with chinking of wood, stones, or mortar.
Why do Doug and his crew use this step to slow down the drying of the timber?
Doug and his crew use this step to slow down the drying of the timber so that it cures with a minimum of checks and splits. Contrary to popular belief, large timbers for barns, sills, and log houses were always hewn green, then allowed to dry out once assembled.
Why did the builders put plaster on the Rohrbach house?
Since the Rohrbach House never had chinking , the logical conclusion is that builders applied the plaster and siding as soon as the frame was complete because the frame was already stable.
What material was used to repair the foundation sills on the southeast corner of the building?
Modern pressure-treated lumber was also the material of choice for repairing the foundation sills on the southeast corner of the building. As is a common scenario with old houses, sections of original solid-timber sills supporting the Rohrbach House had to be completely replaced.
What is the purpose of bolting up a sill?
Bolting up a sill from lengths of pressure-treated lumber allowed th crew to remove and replace the old sill a section at a time without jacking the house. The vertical battens nailed to the logs carry the siding.
What were the challenges of the Rohrbach house?
Given the log construction of the Rohrbach House and its unique history, one of the challenges the project presented was how to repair parts of the timber frame without removing large sections of the basically sound exterior cladding. And repairs were indeed required. Though the house had been occupied up to the 1970s, since then termites had established major colonies in four areas of the house leading to severe damage to two vertical corner posts and two sets of foundation sills. To correct these conditions, the crew turned to modern materials and techniques.
Why are Noah Rohrbach houses not handmade?
Because they are neither totally handmade, nor completely the products of steam-powered sawmills and millworks, they require a mixed bag of techniques and approaches , especially for addressing the realities of time, money, and modern lifestyles. This is certainly the case for the Noah Rohrbach House.
What to do when a log home rots?
No matter how well a log home is maintained, sometimes rot takes hold on some of the logs. This can cause great concern and the temptation is to fix it quickly to “keep it from getting worse”. This quick fix often includes using an epoxy filler.
What to use to fix rot in log cabin?
These fixes include borate rods, liquid treatments and epoxy fillers. If you’ve conducted research on fixing rot in your log home or cabin, you have likely seen a few of these sites.
What happens to wood after epoxy patch?
A few years after the epoxy patch is done, the wood surrounding the patch loosens, and cracks appear around the epoxy. When this happens, water is allowed to make its way into these cracks. Once the water finds its way in, the rot continues. (See Why Do Logs Rot)
How to deal with rotten logs?
When possible, the best way to deal with rot is to cut out the section of the log that is rotten and replace it with another section of log. Here are links to how Edmunds & Company replaces rotten logs:
Can you use epoxy on rotten logs?
When repairing rotten logs, epoxy is not the answer. Here’s why using epoxy on log homes and cabins isn’t a good idea.
Does epoxy rot wood?
We have seen that this type of repair does not last and at worst, it can cause further rot. This is what is wrong with epoxy: epoxy is not wood. Epoxy expands and contracts at a different rate than wood does. A few years after the epoxy patch is done, the wood surrounding the patch loosens, and cracks appear around the epoxy.
How to repair rotten logs?
Repairing Rotten Logs: If you have logs which are rotting (generally the lower courses of logs), then you must repair or replace them and then be prepared to take care of the root cause of water saturating the logs. If the logs have some surface rot, you can chisel out the rotten part of the log down to good solid wood.
Why is my log rotting?
Wood only rots between a moisture content of 30 to 60%. Thus if you find a log that is rotten, it is due to the wood/log getting too wet. Generally this results from a few basic causes of water reaching the logs in fairly large amounts.
Can you attach a tongue and groove log to a solid log?
If the logs are tongue and groove type then the new logs will have to have the tongue removed on top of the new log so that it can slipped into the space left by the old log. It can be attached to the solid logs of the home with the use of plated deck screws.
Can you use wood preservative to repair rot?
Now apply a wood preservative or to the affected area (preferably the whole home) and then refinish the home. You may also want to look into a wood repair epoxy product to touch up small areas of wood rot that dont require the replacement of the entire log.
Can you chisel out rotten logs?
If the logs have some surface rot, you can chisel out the rotten part of the log down to good solid wood.
What to expect when selecting a contractor?
When selecting your contractor (s) through the search tool, you'll enter some basic information about the project which will be sent to the contractor. The contractor will have the information to contact you and can discuss your project.
Do contractors have a long term relationship with log homes?
Not to mention the long-term relationship the contractors have with the product manufacturer. When it comes to caring for your log home, it's reassuring to know that you can choose a contractor on whom you can rely on for good advice as well trust that they’re dedicated to providing you with the best results possible.
