Archive for the ‘Log Home Repair’ Category

Log home repair – how to check for rot

Log home repair starts with knowing when you actually NEED repair. Here are some tips for discovering if you have rot in your logs that needs attention.

finish buildup

Notice the grayed log compared to the surrounding logs. Rot!

Tapping on the logs is a simple and effective method of discovery. It is not 100% accurate but it is definitely worth doing. Use a hammer and tap on logs that you suspect may have some rot. Are they darker or grayed compared to surrounding logs? Are there lots of checks or cracks in the log that make it look suspicious? Are there small holes in the logs, which may be an indicator of boring insects (a sign of carpenter ants or powderpost beetles. Find out more…)

problems with insectsIf the sound you hear when tapping these suspect areas sounds different than when you tap on logs that look “healthy”, it may be an indicator that there is rot. To really do a thorough check by tapping, it will require a ladder to get to higher areas. If this is not possible for you to do yourself, it is worth getting someone who is comfortable with heights to get up there and do it for you. Rot can take hold underneath windows and underneath decks so be sure to inspect these areas regularly. (more…)

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Log home restoration

Log home restoration is all we do this time of year.   We are trying to take advantage of the warm days of summer to get all of our log home restoration projects done before the snow flies.

log home restoration

We restored this log cabin last week near Rhinelander, Wisconsin

There is still time to get your log home restoration done this year. Call us at 877-378-4403. We are happy to talk to you about your specific log home and what might be done to solve the problems with your logs.

We get to all parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota in the summer months so call us and see where we are this week.  Log home restoration is all we do.

Check out one of our most recent projects that we completed in St. Croix Falls, Minnesota. Click here.

Related links:

Log home restoration
Blasting to remove finish
Chinking and caulking
Contact us

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Log cabin repair… Summer is a busy time

Many log cabins in our area need repair.  This week we looked at log cabins in Wisconsin near Ladysmith and Hayward. We also did site visits to Eveleth and on Lake Vermillion up in Northern Minnesota.  It’s a busy time of year for us.

log cabin repair

We repaired this cabin near Spooner, Wisconsin

We will be doing log cabin repairs in the next two months in Wisconsin near Baldwin, Tomah, Hayward, Gordon, and Solon Springs. We will be also be working in  Duluth, Minnesota.

Our repair work brings us all over Minnesota and Wisconsin. Give us a call at 877-378-4403 and chances are, we are going to be in your area soon.

We do all kinds of log cabin repairs. Click here to see a map of where we work and some photos of jobs we have worked on.

Related links:

Replacing logs
Replacing crowns (log ends)
Chinking and caulking
Contact us

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Chinking log homes – An important part of maintenance

The chinking and caulking in log homes should not be overlooked. Routine maintenance of your log home includes keeping an eye on sealing up the gaps between the logs.  The design of some log buildings requires chinking or caulking but for others, it becomes necessary to do this for various reasons.

chinkingBasically what we are doing when we chink or caulk is filling the gaps between the logs or between logs and windows, doors, foundations, roof lines and other areas where we want to prevent air and water from making its way into the log building or cabin.

While prevention of rot is always our primary concern, energy savings can be another big reason why people chink their log buildings. We have had customers tell us they were able to take advantage of tax credits related to energy savings based on chinking their homes.

Chinking and caulking both rely on latex polymers for adhesion.  The basic difference between caulk and chink is that chinking has fine sand particles added to it. This sand makes the appearance of the chinking dull or “flat” and in the same way that aggregate adds strength to a concrete slab – the sand adds strength to the chinking material. (more…)

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Log Home Refinishing – Log rot resulting from film-forming finishes

Log home refinishing is more than just applying another coat of stain. Sometimes it’s necessary to remove the existing finish completely, getting back to the bare wood, and then apply new stain. When a log home is finished with a quality log home stain and that stain is maintained properly, rot can be avoided.

up-facing cracks can lead to rot

Darkening logs is indictitive of failing "film-forming finish". This one had up-facing checks that caused some of the rot issues, as well.

In our 30+ years in the log home restoration business, we have seen many disastrous problems with rot in log homes that were related to the finish on the logs. Some of the most tragic problems we have seen have been the result of having what I refer to as a “film-forming finish” on the logs.

It is a widely accepted rule in the log home industry that we expect finishes on log homes to breathe. Logs naturally have a large ability to soak up moisture and so any finish that is applied to them needs to be breathable to allow the logs to dry out when they get wet. Film forming finishes are defined by the fact that they sit on the surface of the log and after the initial application don’t generally soak into the wood at all. Instead, they form a film on the surface of the logs.

When the wood gets wet (and stays wet), it causes problems. The problem with these film-forming finishes is that they do not allow the wood to breathe enough and this in turn can lead to some serious rot problems. Film-forming finishes include the Sikkens Cetol system and at least one of the Behr “premium” stains. (more…)

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Log Home Maintenance – Proper uses for different types of Borates

Log home maintenance often includes the use of borates are a preservative for the logs. There are basically three forms of borates: liquids like PeneTreat, Bora-Care or Tim-bor; pure borate rods like Impel Rods; or mixed borate rods like Cobra Rods.

PeneTreat is a powered borate. The powder is mixed with water and applied to bare wood. It treats the wood in general for rot and also prevents infestations of wood boring insects.  Bora-Care is a highly concentrated borate where the borate is mixed with glycol to promote penetration into the wood.

We use and recommend PeneTreat where we want general protection for the wood.  It comes in the form of a powder and is typically mixed at one pound per gallon.  Bora-Care is a gel, which is also mixed with water, usually 1:1. This mixture is then applied to low, up-facing checks, lower logs that are getting wet all the time, window sills that need extra protection and crown or log ends. These borates offer good protection from rot when used in conjunction with a quality log home stain.

Borate rods or Crystalline Solid Borate Rods are either pure borates in rod form or borates mixed with copper hydroxide.

• Impel Rods are a pure borate rod in a solid form
• Cobra Rods are a mixture of borate and copper hydroxide (more…)

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Log home dry rot can be avoided if…

Log home dry rot, and the associated repairs, can be avoided if you pay attention to these details.  There are design features that can protect a log home from exposure to the elements such as large overhangs and plenty of “free board” between the ground and the first course of logs. There are also many things a log home owner can do to protect their logs and avoid problems with dry rot.

chairs against the logsOne of the main causes for dry rot is water splashing back onto the logs. In the photo here, the chairs are stacked so that water drips off the roof onto the chairs and then back onto the logs. A good rule of thumb is not to have objects under the drip edge of a roof.

gas tanks near the logsHere is another example of dry rot caused by splash back. In this situation, the gas tanks acted as a springboard for the water to land on the logs and over time, the exposure to moisture got the better of these logs.

The term “dry rot” is somewhat of a misnomer because the rot is actually caused by moisture. Here is a link to our website on “Why do Logs Rot”. Click here to see how we fixed the logs on this home near Madison, WI.

Another common problem with log homes that can lead to dry rot is when there isn’t sufficient “free board” to keep water from splashing off the ground and on to the lower logs.

splash back onto the lower logsThis photo shows the rot that can occur. Sometime this problem can be resolved by putting up gutters along the roof edge to redirect the water away from the log walls. For more information on how we replace rotten logs, click here.

In summary, keep objects away from your log walls. Don’t do these things and you hopefully won’t be faced with log home dry rot.

grill up against the logswood pile against the logs

Related links:

Log rot
Cracks and checks in logs
Give your log home a checkup

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Log cabin repair needs to be done right

leaking around chimneyLog cabin repair work takes us all around Wisconsin and Minnesota. We have two crews so we can cover more territory. Since log cabins are so prevalent in these two states, quality log cabin repair services are in great demand.

logs replaced around chimneyThis is a photo of a log cabin we worked on last month. In this case, an upper roof line on the cabin had contributed to rot around this window.  We replaced the logs and the window.  The lack of an adequate overhang, combined with lack of proper flashing, caused this rot on the cabin. Click here to see a PDF on “How to flash a brick or stone chimney”.

We have replaced many logs in many cabins over the years.  It is important to remember that having an expert do your log cabin repairs is better insurance that the job will be done right – the first time!

Related links:

Log home repair
Rot on the bottom of posts
Improperly flashed roof often causes rot

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Log home repair can be a major undertaking… so keep up with doing the routine maintenance and avoid costly repairs.

Log home repair in even newer log homes is more and more common. It is very important to keep up with the maintenance of your log home so that you do not need to do expensive repairs down the road.

rotten crowns before repairIn this situation, there were large checks (cracks) in the ends of the logs. Water got in and rot followed. Checks on the up-facing side of a log can be particularly problematic. Had the checks been caulked when they first got big enough (wider than ¼”), this customer may have been able to avoid needing log home repair vs. maintenance.

rotten crowns after repairOne thing we do quite a bit of in these situations is replacing the crowns. Click here to learn more about replacing crowns.

Below are more links about ways you can avoid repairs on your log home by staying up to date on the routine maintenance.

Give your log home a checkup
Chinking and caulking
Why do logs rot?

If you are in need of log repairs check out these links:

Finishing log homes
Sand, cob, or glass blasting
Cleaning the exterior logs

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Log Home Restoration: Do it right the first time and you won’t regret it.

replacing half logsLog home restoration means many things but one thing it can often mean is replacing rotten logs. Does that mean replacing the entire log? No. Generally, we replace a log with a “re-facing” or half log if there is at least 50% solid wood left in the section of the log needing repair. Our replacement logs are dried Cedar because this type of wood has natural rot-resistant properties.

half logs replacedReplacing half of the log is a cost savings over replacing an entire log in terms of materials. If the log is more than 50% rotted, we recommend replacing the whole log. When replacing a half log, new replacement logs are attached to the existing building with galvanized screws.

half logs replaced and stainedAny spaces between the new and the old logs are filled with expanding foam and/or backer rod and chinked or caulked. The heads of the screws are sunk to a depth of an inch below the log surface and the hole is filled with caulk matching the color of the log.

Check back again as we will continue to post information related to log home restoration.

Here are some relevant links you may find useful:

Our replacement logs are dried Cedar
Replacing whole logs
Replacing vertical logs
Why do logs rot?

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