Archive for the ‘Log Home Restoration’ Category

Log Home Restoration – Info on insects

carpenter ants

Carpenter ants

The log home restoration business in Wisconsin and Minnesota puts us in contact with many different kinds of log homes and consequently, many different insects.

Recently through Wisconsin Public Radio and the University of Wisconsin, I came across this link to Insect ID. Click here.

I found that this page and site had allot of good information for the log home owner, whether it had to do with wood boring insects or pest-type insects that are typically found in log cabins. The presence of these insects is sometimes an indicator that you may be in need of log home restorations services.

Below are some resources from our site that might also help with info specifically related to log structures.

RELATED LINKS AND MORE TIPS ON LOG HOME RESTORATION:

Can Borates help prevent infestations

Why do insects infest our log homes?

My logs are infested with bugs. What can I do?

Refinishing Log Home — Full service or à la carte… you choose.

We are refinishing a log home near Danbury, Wisconsin this week. Blasting is one of the steps to refinishing and we blast about 40 homes a year.

Sometimes we come in and do everything, which includes blasting, treating the logs with a borate solution, chinking, filling checks, doing log replacement and staining. This is what we call “whole house” jobs or full service.

refinishing log home

You can see a bit of the before and after blasting.

On this home, after we did the blasting, we applied a borate treatment, chinked around the windows and doors and finally, we re-stained the logs and trim. Basically a full service job.

On other jobs, we may come in and do only rotten log replacement or only do the blasting and borate treatment.

For customers who are more inclined to do some of there own maintenance themselves, this can be a good option. In these cases, we work with the owner to help him/her choose the right stain.  We can even connect them with suppliers of the stains who can drop ship right to their door. Click here to learn more about choosing the right stain.

Whether it is a full service/whole house project or an à la carte project, we can help with log home refinishing.  We work with our clients to determine how they are most comfortable getting the job done and then… we get it done right.

Check out our blasting video to get an idea of how it is done.

Related links:

Click here if you are interested in getting a estimate for blasting.

Blasting vs. power washing

Matching the color of new stain  to old stain

Contact us

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

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…)

Log home cob blasting: It’s important to pick the right blasting media for the job

Log home cob blasting is a process that requires some expertise if it is going to be done correctly. We are hard at work this time of year blasting log homes. We select from a variety of blasting media when removing the old finish off of a log building. We choose from corncob, crushed glass or sand.

before blasting

Dark logs are before blasting was done.

Log homes need to be blasted when the finish becomes faded darkened or is simply pealing off. We have blasted homes that have just about every kind different finish on them: from light semi-transparent finishes all the way to multiple layers of think paint.

When we look at a log home or cabin, we assess the type of finish that is currently on the building and then come up with a recommendation for which media to use. We use corncob on the lightest finishes and areas around metal trim. (Cob is the woody part of the corn stalk, which is ground up and bagged.) We use compressed air to “shoot” it at the building.

after blasting and refinishing

After blasting and refinishing.

Most of the time we use a recycled glass material as the blasting media. This glass has a wide range of removal capabilities and leaves the logs very smooth compared to power washing or even cob. The recycled glass material is basically like white beach sand. It is not shards of glass like you might think of as “crushed glass”.

Blasting off the heaviest paints still requires sandblasting. In these cases, cob blasting or glass blasting is not suited to the task. The analogy I use when speaking of the different medias we use is likened to sanding wood. If you were starting out sanding a rough-sawn board, you would not start with 220 grit sand paper (corncob) and if you are working on refinishing an oak table you would not use 80 grit paper (sand).

Bottom line — one needs to pick the right media for the condition of the logs. We have the expertise to determine this choice and have blasted over 700 buildings in our 35+ years in business.

Whether it is log home cob blasting, sand blasting or glass blasting, make sure you are dealing with an experienced company to insure you get the best results.

view video

Cob blasting, sand blasting, glass blasting
Refinishing log homes
Contact us

Log home repairs – Cedar logs are the right choice

Log home repairs often includes replacing rotten logs. Many of the homes we work on have defects in their original design such as short overhangs, decks up against the home, or not much “freeboard” or exposed foundation.  Rot resistant cedar logs offer the best value as replacement logs, especially when the design of the home is not protecting the logs from exposure to excessive moisture.

cedar branchIn places on a log home where logs have rotted before, it is important to make sure it does not happen again. This is why we use dried Western Cedar logs and also why we can offer a warranty on our work.

When doing log home repairs the cost of the logs represents a relatively small portion of the cost of the job so it really does not even add that much to the job to replace the logs with Cedar.  Your log home is a major investment so it is important not to cut corners because you may just end up back where you started from if the replacement logs rot again. Cedar has a natural rot resistance and is the best choice.

Related links:

Our cedar logs
Why logs rot
What our customers say about us
Contact us about your log rot issue

Log Cabin Restoration – Water management is very important

Log cabin restoration is our specialty. While in the process of working on a log home near Hayward, WI this spring, we saw a number of things that are important for log home owners to remember when looking at the up keep of their log cabins.

rot from water splashing back onto logsTwo issues related to water management came up on this job. First off -gutters are needed on many log homes. If the logs get significant splash back from water dripping off the roof edge, then one needs to consider getting gutters.

If you find yourself in this situation, we recommend that you check into seamless gutters (see link below) as we find  that they offer the best functionality and overall cost effectiveness.

Another issue that came up on this job was the fact that the land up hill from the lake pitched groundwater back on the house. This allowed water to go up against the logs and was part of the reason why there was rot. Instead of needing routine maintenance, this homeowner’s log cabin was in need of restoration.

Keeping water issues at bay is paramount to preventing rot. Click here to see this project we are referring to near Hayward, WI.

A number of our customers near Hayward, Spooner, and Minong have used Northland Seamless Gutters and we have found that they do good work. Check them out at:  www.northlandseamless.com

Log cabin restoration services are all we do. Contact us or call 877-378-4403

Related links:

Common problems
Borate treatment
Where we work

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

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?

Log Home Refinishing – Keeping your log home looking great!

darkened logsLog home refinishing, on a regular basis, is the most important ongoing maintenance that a log home owner does. Whether you do it yourself or have a professional do the work, keeping up with the refinishing of your log home is the key factor in keeping your logs in good condition.  Most semi-transparent stains need to be recoated about every 3-5 years, depending on the specifics of your site and the design of your home.
Here are some common questions asked about refinishing log homes:

Pealing finishHow do I know when it is time for routine log home refinishing?  If the stain is looking chalky, the logs are looking dry or the stain is beginning to peal, you need to investigate having your logs refinished. You can also spray an area using a household spray bottle and see if the water beads up. If it does not bead water  – you need to refinish your logs.  The upward facing parts of the logs are most apt to breakdown, largely due to the UV from the sun breaking down the finish. (more…)