Log Home Tips
How To Manage Settling Problems In Log Homes
Settling from wood shrinkage is a natural characteristic that you should be prepared for in a log building. In fact, anticipating it and building for it during construction can help homeowners or builders tackle it well. Most wood shrinkage and settlement around doors, windows and vertical posts cause energy efficiency problems and take up time and expense in maintenance. There is cause for concern about construction quality rather than structural integrity with settling. What is Log Home Settling? The dynamics of a log home should allow for shrinkage of logs over time and it is not even unique to log homes, as this is common even among stick-built homes. The cylindrical shaped wood fibers often shrink in the radial direction as they dry out causing the logs to contract in radius, without any appreciable change in length. So you will find the height of log home walls reducing in height...
Questions You Should Ask Before A Log Home Restoration
- Who is the manufacturer of the log package?
- What species of log has been used?
- Have additions been made to the original structure?
- What materials have been used in maintenance applications so far?
- Who constructed the structure and how old is it?
- Are there any known problem areas? Any known coating or sealing failures?
- What should the structure look like when you’re done?
- What is your workable budget to restore my log home?
- Is there a priority list for the work?
- What methods are used to remove the existing finish?
- What is the estimated cost of a log home restoration?
- How long does it take to finish restoration work?
What Methods Are Used To Remove The Existing Finish?
- Ozzying (Sanding) uses an osborne brush or buffing pads at changing speeds of right angle grinder.
- Media Blasting is performed with corn cob granule, glass, walnut shells, or food grade baking soda.
- Chemical Strippers -This step of removing an existing finish from your log home requires the greatest amount of time in the restoration project. It is very important to get this right and strip off any existing finish completely so that you have a clean canvas to work on.
As a log home owner, do due diligence before selecting one of these methods. You will need to work out which method would suit your budget and needs best. When hiring a pro, do check out the contractors past work to get a clear picture of what the end result may look like.
Guide to Carpenter Bee Prevention and Treatment
Carpenter Bees are a common problem for owners of log homes and controlling them is an even bigger challenge. Most people know very little about carpenter bees and are even intimidated by these intruders. This is a guide for log home owners to deal with carpenter bee problems. Information about Carpenter Bees You must first know a little more about carpenter bees before trying to effectively deal with them. Carpenter bees live throughout the United States, though the western species of carpenter bees prefer to nest in oak, eucalyptus, and redwood. Eastern species will target pine, redwood, fir, and cedar. To a carpenter bee therefore, a log home is the ideal target, with unpainted and weathered soft woods like redwood, pine, and cedar. These are solitary bees that do not live in hives....
How to Repair Your Log Cabin Home for Rot Damage
Like any type of home, log cabins require regular maintenance and upkeep. This is essential for a safe and fully functional log home that can last many years. Due to the very nature of log homes (being exposed to the harsh elements), one has to be extra cautious and regular with maintenance and upkeep every few months. Cabin rot is a very typical issue that log homes face. This article will help you diagnose and fix rot issues in your cabin home. This DIY guide is for the more experience log home owner. If you are unsure and uncomfortably trying to fix a log home yourself, please consult a log cabin repair specialists as this will help avoid any further damage and cost to your log home. Image Courtesy Generally speaking, log cabin rot is a sign of moisture problem. This is a two-step...
