Archive for the ‘Log Homes and Rot’ Category

Rot in log homes – What can I do to prevent log rot in my home?

While log rot is a common problem in log homes, it does not have to be. Unfortunately, many log home owners are unaware of the log rot in their structure until the damage is already done.

rotten logs are not aways obvious

At first glance, these look like solid logs.

The reality is that by the time you can see the decay in the wood – it is many times too late to do anything but replace a given log. For this reason, it is important to spend a little time getting to know your log home or cabin.

By this I mean looking for places on the home that could potentially be getting wet. It is really very simple. If an area (for example: log end, sill log, or perlin end) is getting significantly wet during a rainstorm… it is on its way to rotting.

rot is not always obvious

Upon closer inspection, there is rot. Click on photo to see how deep the knife sinks.

I want people to understand that rot is like a tide moving in slowly not an earthquake. Rot happens over a period of at least a few years and most times a decade or more.

So… grab an umbrella next time the clouds well up and take a walk around your log home looking for areas of concern. Make note of them so you know which ones to pay attention to when you do your routine checks. Click here for more information on how to tell if a log is rotten.

Related links:

Lower logs getting wet near a deck?
Maybe I need gutters?
Log extending out to long?

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Log Home Maintenance in Wisconsin and Minnesota — Mold on logs? What to do…

Question: I have mold on some of my logs where there used to be a stack of wood up against the house. Last year, I removed the stacked wood and tried bleaching the mold off of the logs and then stained them. I noticed this spring that the mold returned.

I want to know what type of product you recommend that I use to eliminate the mold. I was thinking about Oxi-Clean and Bora-Care but I wasn’t sure if there is a better solution. Please advise

Answer: Mold is the beginnings of decay or rot. When blackening or discoloration forms in this way, it is important to take action right away.

mold growing on logs

This is an extreme example of what can happen when logs have been exposed too long to moisture.

There are certainly a number of specific causes for mold growing on wood.  The one thing they all have in common is MOISTURE! If the log has mold — it is too wet or was too wet. What to do?

Sanding down the area in question is the first step.  When sanding, pay attention to whether or not the wood seems wet or dry. If it is wet and soft, you probably have a problem with rot. Click here for how to replace rotten logs.

After sanding, apply Bora-Care (a highly concentrated form of borates) at least three times in the space of a day or so.  Make sure the area dries out completely, keeping rain off it for at least a week. (more…)

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Log home repair – What can you put off until next year?

Now that the warm weather is behind us, we are busy finishing up the jobs we have lined up for the rest of our season. Once the snow flies, we take a break from log work and refinishing until next spring.

We are getting calls from people who are looking critically at their log homes and realizing that they are in need of some log home repair services.  They also realize that it is getting late in the season and they are wondering if it is detrimental for their logs if they wait until next year to have the repairs done.

blasting

Don't do the blasting if you can't get the stain on it soon after.

Here is some general advice: If you are thinking that the finish on your log home needs to be removed, but you are not sure you will be able to get it re-stained before the cold weather sets in, it is better to wait until spring to have the finish blasted off so that the new stain can be applied shortly following the blasting process. Letting logs go through a winter with no stain or protection on them is not advised.

What about logs that you know are rotten? Will they continue to rot over the winter and be even more deteriorated come spring? This is where cold weather is a benefit to logs with rot. The microorganisms that cause rot need to have temperatures in the 60-90 degree range. Once the temp drops below that range, the rotting process is halted temporarily until it warms up. Having said that, it is important to make sure that in the spring, the snow piles are not left to melt up against the logs. Moisture up against the logs is a problem waiting to happen.

cracks

A good example of checks that should be filled before winter.

The one thing that is advisable to do yet this fall is to check for cracks that are wider that ¼” and are on the up-facing side of the logs or in vulnerable places. Filling these checks with a quality caulk will keep the moisture from snow and rain from migrating into the logs and causing problems with rot. Click here for more information about filling checks and cracks in logs.

We are still doing estimates for people who are interested in having log home repair services done yet this year and we are also lining up projects for next spring. Give us a call at 877-378-4403 if you are interested in getting an estimate OR contact us via email.

RELATED LINKS AND TIPS ON LOG HOME REPAIR

Top ten ways to protect your logs and your investment
Frequently asked questions
Common Problems

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Log home dry rot and what can be done to resolve it

dry rotWe frequently get calls from log home owners saying, “My home has some dry rot.” When you look at the logs affected with rot, they DO look dry.

Whether the rot is dry or wet, rot equals decay and that is a serious problem in log buildings. Rot can lead to the need for replacing part or the entire log. There are several factors that can contribute to a log getting rot, but they all have to do with moisture getting into the wood. When wood fibers have a constant moisture level between 14-20%, wood will start to rot.

For more information on how we replace rotten logs, click here.

RELATED LINKS AND TIPS ON PREVENTING LOG HOME DRY ROT

Why do logs rot?
What to look for when buying a log home
Proper way to flash a deck to a log wall

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Log home problems – rotting log railings

rotten pine postLog home problems sometimes include rotting railings around a porch or deck. The look of log railings is often desirable but railings are prone to rot for a number of reasons.

To get the most longevity out of your log railings, here are three things that we recommend homeowners do to extend the life of their log railings:

  1. Use caps on the top of the posts. These are available from a number of different outlets on the web. The nicest ones I have seen are made of copper and fit snugly around the top of the post. It is important to glue them on rather than using screws. This helps insure that moisture can’t penetrate into the end grain around the screws.
  2. At the bottom rail, we recommend drilling a ¼” hole up from the bottom into each larger hole coming from the top. What we are doing here is giving the water that will inevitably make its way into this hole a place to go and drain out the bottom.
  3. post sitting on spacerWe recommend “stand-off” post bases. These create an air space between the end grain of the post and the ground or footing.  By placing these post bases between the bottom of the post and the ground, air is allowed to move through this area and dry out the post.

Doing all these three of these things will add life to log rails.

The last important thing to do is to keep a good finish on the railings.  The fact that they are typically out in the sun and rain makes it very important to keep good finish on the railings.

Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. Railings have so many surfaces and contours that they are a real pain to apply and keep stain on. None-the-less, it is important to keep a quality stain on them, which is part of the solution to maintaining and extending the life of the railings and keeping them from becoming a log home problem that you have to solve.

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Log home dry rot is a bit of a misnomer

A log with dry rot.Log home dry rot is not uncommon in log buildings. One of the most common complaints from log homeowners is that their logs have “dry rot”. Whether the rot is dry or wet, rot equals decay and that is a serious problem in log buildings.

Rot can lead to the need for replacing part or all of the log. There are several factors that can contribute to a log getting rot, but they all have to do with moisture getting into the wood. When wood fibers have a constant moisture level between 14-20%, wood will start to rot.

Simply put - rot is caused by moisture, even though it may appear to be dry. There are several factors that contribute to log home dry rot. Learn more about why logs rot.

Related links:

Rot at the bottom of vertical logs
Rot at the bottom of posts
Repairing rot on lodge pole pine cabin

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Log home maintenance you can do yourself – caulking cracks in your logs

Log home maintenance issues sometimes need to be resolved by experts. That is where we come in. But there are also things that the homeowners can do to insure that their logs stay “healthy”.

Up-facing check in log

Classic example of up-facing checks needing caulking.

Logs naturally do develop some cracks or checks. As wood dries, the difference in surface tension and moisture gradients between the inner and the outer parts of the logs cause checks. This is  part of the charm of the log home.

These cracks can face up or down, depending on where they are on a log. Logs with cracks that face upward can be susceptible to rot because they allow the water to travel deep into the logs, where rot starts. The more exterior areas of logs can usually dry out after a rain because of the wind and sun, but the more interior areas can remain wet longer. When this happens, they can reach the right moisture point that allows rot fungi to grow.

Here are the three criteria we generally use when determining if it is necessary to caulk checks on log homes:

  • Face upward
  • Are more than a ¼” in width at the surface of the log
  • Are in a vulnerable place in the wall  (i.e. the bottom courses of a log wall near the ground, an area that gets a significant amount of water splashing up from the ground

If all these criteria are met then the check needs to be filled.

Proper log home maintenance is your best insurance against needing more costly repairs down the road.

Related links:

Log home maintenance
Chinking and caulking
Log rot

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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 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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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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