What
happened to my logs?
If you ever visit a log home restoration company
website and read their frequently-asked-questions,
you will quickly see that there are many log home
owners asking the same question, "What happened
to my logs?"
These
owners are often concerned with blackened logs,
failed finish, bug damage, UV damage and the list
goes on. Many log home owners are concerned with
how to restore and maintain their log home. With
so many log home owners searching for answers,
they wonder “Is log home maintenance really
this confusing?”
It can be confusing
The answer is yes, it can be very confusing, due
to conflicting information and advertising claims.
There are manufacturers claiming that their logs
are chinkless, and coatings companies stating
that no logs are chinkless. One coatings company
believes an oil-based deep-penetrating stain is
best and another claims a water-based film-forming
stain is best. Some professionals prefer to caulk
upward facing checks (cracks) and others say never
caulk checks. To remove your existing finish some
restoration companies only corn cob blast and
say you should never power wash a log home. Other
companies believe corn cob blasting is messy and
leaves the wood pitted and prefer to power wash
after using a chemical stripper. Why can’t
anyone agree on what is best for my logs?
Understanding why
There are two answers to this question. One is
that the industry is competing for your business
and promoting their products. Even the most inferior
product on the market will sound great after reading
their marketing materials. The second reason is
that there are several ways to achieve the same
result. For example, there are several ways to
remove an existing finish. Corn cob blasting,
power washing or chemical stripping. So what do
you do?
What to do
You should contact an experienced, reputable log
restoration company that has many years of experience
working with products specifically designed for
log homes. These companies see the results of
a poorly designed log home or an inferior coating.
Restoration companies may differ on corn cob blasting
versus power washing and other issues, but the
end result will be clean logs ready to effectively
accept a stain. Even though there may be differences
of opinion between companies, there are some industry-wide
standards that most will agree on.
•
For best log stain performance, proper log surface
cleaning and preparation are the most important
factors.
• Apply Borate to logs after they are
cleaned, to prevent mold, mildew and insects.
• Having wide overhangs, good drainage
systems, adequate ground clearance, and keeping
shrubs away from logs are very important for
protecting logs from water damage.
• Use high quality products for best results.
• Use only coatings that are specifically
designed for log homes -- coatings that repel
water, protect wood from sunlight, and allow
logs to breathe.
Simple steps
So, if you are wondering how to take care of your
older log home or want to know how to maintain
your new log home, there is a way. The coatings
industry, log home manufacturers, and log restoration
companies are beginning to work together on what
is best for you and your log home.
They
understand that a 20 year old log home that looks
like a 50 year old log home is not good for the
log home industry. It starts with a log home manufacturer's
design that includes proven log protection features
such as wide overhangs. Then, with proper preparation
of the log surface, a high quality log stain must
be applied. This should be followed up with maintenance
inspections on a regular basis (once or twice
a year) to address any potential problems. If
these simple steps are followed, you and your
family will enjoy many years of problem-free log
home living.
+++
This article was written by Tom Tydeman,
owner of Log
Options, LLC. Log Options
is a log home maintenance consulting company for
the New England area that provides an unbiased
opinion on the care and maintenance of your log
home.
