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How to Maintain a Log Cabin

How to Maintain a Log Cabin

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18 Thu 2023 Brent Orm Comments: 0

A log cabin is not only a significant investment, but it is also a multifunctional home that the entire family can enjoy. Log cabins are ideal for working, relaxing, and entertaining. A well-constructed and well-maintained log cabin house may survive for decades.

As we all know, log houses are stunning, and you want yours to shine. As a result, you are probably wondering how to maintain a log cabin in good condition. It is critical to have a maintenance plan in place whether you are seeking to acquire an existing log house, build a new one, or maintain your present one.

How to Maintain a Log Cabin

A lot goes into selecting and creating a log home; the same can be true for preserving one. A typical question we hear after installation is what the client needs to do for log cabin upkeep and care. Like any other construction, it requires periodic maintenance to stay in excellent condition. However, preserving log cabins differs significantly from other forms of dwelling.

Maintain the exterior of your log cabin, and it will appear even better than the day it was built. If you don’t safeguard it, you might wind up with a pricey repair or a shorter lifespan for your log cabin. Simply put, understanding how to maintain log cabin exteriors and interiors is a crucial aspect of having one.

Top Maintenance Difficulties and Their Solutions

Because a log cabin is entirely composed of wood, it may provide some unique issues when compared to metal or vinyl siding. The top three most frequent log cabin maintenance difficulties, as well as potential solutions, are listed below.

Sunlight Damage

Apart from discoloration, UV radiation from the sun can cause substantial harm to wood over time. The rays begin to break down wood fibers, which can cause the wood to split or warp. It is where competent log cabin care may make a notable difference in the longevity of your construction.

The Solution

If the stain on your exterior wood siding has faded, it’s time to replace it. The perfect stain will do more than simply renew the hue of your home. It will also protect the wood against mold, decay, mildew, and other contaminants. It is one area of log cabin maintenance where you want to avoid cutting corners, so select a dependable log cabin wood stain with adequate coverage.

Moisture Damage

Wood does not handle moisture well if it is exposed for an extended period of time. Wood absorbs moisture from its surroundings. If left untreated, it can grow mildew or mold and eventually decay.

You built your log home to withstand rain. However, if you fail to follow specific maintenance standards, you may unwittingly enable moisture to build on areas of your home’s exterior.

The Solution

If you have a garden around your house, make sure to keep your flowers and plants away from the cabin’s sides. Plants naturally absorb moisture, which is beneficial to them but detrimental if planted against the side of your wooden home.

You should also ensure that you pile up dirt around your foundation to assist in draining water away. The dirt will settle with time, even if you have done it previously. So, keep an eye on whether you have enough dirt surrounding your cabin’s foundation.

Finally, just like a typical house, you should always include sealant where necessary. Take the time to clear any debris from your rain gutters. If you ignore cracks or worn seals, you risk costly repairs in the future. When rain gutters fail, moisture accumulates adjacent to your home, causing havoc on your siding.

Animal and Insect Problems

You may enjoy having a wood home, but many insects and animals do as well. A few bugs seek dead or decaying wood to consume or nest in.

If you detect termites, beetles, carpenter bees, or carpenter ants, act swiftly to prevent them from weakening support beams and other structural components.

Additionally, woodpeckers may be drawn to the siding of your log cabin. While seeing a woodpecker in the wild pecking a hole into a tree might be fascinating, seeing one on the side of your cabin is not.

The Solution

Keep dead or decaying wood, as well as any falling debris, away from your property. In addition, use rubber or stone mulch for your garden. Invest in goods from your trusted local hardware shop if you detect increasing ant activity or carpenter bees. You may also employ a professional to ensure they are exterminated immediately.

There are several strategies for keeping woodpeckers away from your property. Installing reflective streamers or tape to drive birds away from your outside is one of the simplest and most effective options. In addition, if you have bird feeders, place them away from your home.

Cabin Restoration in Progress AZExterior Maintenance of Log Cabin

Log cabins are distinct enough from other constructions to have special exterior care measures.

Log Cabin Roof

Shingles or Metal Roofing

From the ground, examine the roof shingles or metal. Curling shingles indicate that your roof has reached the end of its usable life. If the metal roofing seems loose, you should screw it down. Special screws with neoprene washers under their heads are preferable by hardware for securing metal roofs.

Is there moss on your roof? Rooftop moss significantly reduces the life of asphalt shingles, but it is preventable, even if trees are nearby. Installing zinc strips under the shingles’ top course and every 15 feet down the roof prevents the growth of moss and lichen, although it does not necessarily destroy existing growths. If your log cabin roof shingles have moss, rinse them off with a moss-killing solution before applying zinc strips.

Fascia

Many log cabins include wood fascia. Fascia is the vertical border of a standard roof. It is an exceptionally hard climate since the roof run-off. Also, the sunshine makes finishing and maintaining timber fascia challenging.

Furthermore, consider using factory-finished aluminum to cover up high-maintenance hardwood fascia. It is simple to install over any existing wooden fascia. It is easier than refinishing, saves you at least 20 years of fascia maintenance headaches, and looks excellent.

Log Cabin Exterior Gutters

Clear the gutters of all leaves and twigs. Then look for fractures and evidence of leaking. Gutter cleaning gadgets that link to the garden hose allow you to clean most first-story gutters while standing securely on the ground. With the curved washing tool, reach up and blast away any dirt, tiny leaves, or pebbles that may have fallen off your shingles.

The ideal time to check for overflowing and leaking gutters is during wet weather with heavy rain. Inspect the gutter hardware and replace or tighten any that is loose. Consider installing a leaf guard over the gutter to make future cleaning easier.

Log Cabin Exterior Walls

Hose down the whole cabin’s exterior wall, paying particular attention to places where dust, cobwebs, and filth accumulate. The dirtiest portions of any cabin are frequently on corners, under the eaves, and around doors and windows.

Use an exterior cleaning product that is non-toxic, then rinse off for the most outstanding results. Scrub the surface with a long-handled soft vehicle wash brush. After scrubbing and washing, thoroughly rinse the walls with clear water and then allow them to dry for two warm days before inspecting the surface.

Log Cabin Patio or Deck

If you constructed your deck out of wood, wash it down similarly to how you cleaned the cabin’s exterior. Then examine the deck structure and finish objectively.

Use an oxygen-based cleaning to remove any mildew or mold if the wood is sound. Allow the surface to dry. Pressure washing a hardwood deck and then sanding it after the wood has dried completely is the quickest approach to prepare the surface for refinishing adequately.

If you have a paver patio in your cabin, just wash it with clean water and scrub it with a long-handled brush.

Log Cabin Windows

Clean the glass both outside and inside, then examine the ease with which the windows close and open. Most windows benefit from a little lubrication spray on the sliding surfaces and hardware.

Is there any condensation between the panes of your windows? It indicates that your windows are no longer as energy efficient as they once were. The seal between the glass panes has deteriorated, enabling the insulating gas to escape. The moisture then will enter and condense in the cavity. Some firms fix broken window seals without removing the window. However, you cannot always restore broken windows; you must replace them.

Log Cabin Home InspectionChecklist for Log Cabin Maintenance

Caring for your log home is much easier if you get into a routine. Here’s a checklist to help you maintain your log cabin and ensure you don’t overlook any crucial maintenance activities.

Clean the gutters.

Examine your gutters for leaves, dirt, and other accumulation so they can continue to channel rainfall effectively away from your siding.

Every 3-4 years, stain your log cabin.

To protect the exterior from UV radiation, use a high-quality stain. Make sure that you get long-lasting, high-quality stains.

You should apply sealers as needed or every four years.

Examine the sealant in between the log joints and gaps, as well as around your doors and windows. If you notice any holes, repair them as needed.

Inspect your exterior for damage every spring and fall.

Examine for holes, moisture problems, insect damage, or fractured seals carefully. Then write a list of solutions to those problems.

Take care of any required additional repairs.

Take care of any further problems that arise during your examination. If you don’t feel confident performing things yourself, get an expert to help you with upkeep.

Wash the cabin to remove dirt (pay special attention to the bottom timbers).

Wash your house with a mixture of wood-friendly detergent and water. Professionals don’t recommend power cleaning the logs since it might harm the wood.

Some Log Cabin Maintenance Myths

Maintaining a log cabin is difficult.

Fact:

No, not always. The most crucial component is cleanliness.

Clean and dry the surface of the wood before and after staining, as well as keep dust, pollen, and mold off your logs each season. Pay specific care to your log cabin walls, which are more vulnerable to the weather. If this looks to be time demanding, you may want to consider hiring a professional.

It takes a lot of time to maintain a log cabin.

Fact:

You may save a lot of time and effort if you prepare ahead of time and design your cabin appropriately. Large overhangs, porches, adequate landscaping, and towering foundations will keep upkeep to a minimum. A log cabin is not a traditional home and will require non-traditional maintenance; however, as long as you are mindful of this beforehand, you can build and prepare for it.

Log cabins have pest infestations.

Fact:

Over the previous two decades, the sector has gone a long way. We no longer have termite issues, owing to the usage of borate. It is a natural mineral that deters pests from eating your wood. Carpenter bees are the most common concern nowadays, but they, too, may be avoided.

Mold grows in log cabins.

Fact:

Mold may grow on any surface. It grows in areas where there is a lot of moisture. Shady trees, dripping rooflines, and backsplash all have a role. Keep an eye on the north side of your house since it receives the least amount of sunshine and, as a result, stays soggy longer after a storm.

All log stains are virtually identical.

Fact:

Each stain firm has its technique and formulae. They are all working hard to accomplish the finest job possible for the longest time possible at the most reasonable price. Your best chance is to educate yourself on all of the various products and attempt to establish what would work best for your scenario. The type of wood, climatic circumstances, and age of the home all factor into the selection, as do time and money.

Stains on log cabins are bad for the environment.

Fact:

The stains of the past, which had high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that were detrimental to the environment, have been reformulated to contain fewer pollutants. Oil-based stains have received unfair criticism. Water-diluted petrochemical stains are no less “green” than wood stains that use contemporary vegetable oil-based methods. While producing complying oil-based stains involves more formulation knowledge and sophistication than designing compliant water-based stains, oil-based stains will continue to have a strong, viable, and eco-friendly presence.

You can get away with less discoloration if you reside in a dry environment.

Fact:

The primary function of a log cabin stain is to resist moisture from being absorbed by the wood while also protecting the surface from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Dry locations typically receive a lot of sunlight, and you want to avoid wood deterioration. Large porches and overhangs can also assist, although staining is still necessary to maintain the log cabin in good condition.

Log cabin cracks are an issue.

Fact:

Cracks, commonly known as “checks,” are a natural feature of logs and should be ignored unless they are on the top side of an outside log where rain, snow, and dirt can gather. Cleaning thoroughly, adding borate rods to minimize moisture retention, filling with backer rods, and caulking are the most excellent preventative methods. Ensure that all new cracks are borate-treated, dyed, and caulked.

Log Cabin Upkeep and Maintenance AZKeep Your Log Cabin in Tip-Top Shape

With the proper maintenance, log cabins may survive for generations. Appropriate care can keep your log cabin in excellent shape and looking nice.

We can perform some maintenance and cabin restoration if you’d like to rely on us. Contact us today for a consultation and get a quote!

18 Thu 2023 Brent Orm