Archive for the ‘Log Homes and Rot’ Category

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

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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

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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 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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Log railings and posts – revisited

Earlier this summer, we posted something about the down side of using logs for posts and railings on decks. Click here to read more. In that posting, we talked about the reasons why log posts and railings are so vulnerable to rot. We also gave some suggestions about what you can do to prevent or slow down the decaying process.

This wasn't part of the plan when this deck was first built.

We were on a job where the rot in the railings had become a problem because of what it was going to cost to replace them. Even more important than cost, the rotten railings were a real safety problem, as this photo demonstrates. No one imagines that the beauty of the deck on their log home can become a hazard to children playing on the deck, as well as to anyone who may lean up against the railings. Not a pleasant thought, to say the least.

The end of the road for these railings. Next stop - the fire pit.

The fact is, many log railing systems end up in a pile like this photo shows. Here is a recap of what was on the earlier posting as a reminder of what you can do to prevent this. There are three things that I recommend log home owners 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.

(more…)

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Log rot – Replace log or cover it with siding?

Here’s a question we receive periodically: “My log home has some rot in several logs on a couple of the walls. We don’t really want to deal with the rot so we are considering putting some sort of log siding over them to cover them up. Is that an adequate solution?”

Another common situation we come across is when someone purchases a log home or cabin and they are aware that the previous owner has put some siding up on one or more of the log walls. They call us wondering what they should do. After seeing this so called “solution” used on numerous log buildings over the past 30 years, we have some thoughts on the subject.

This is an example of log siding.

One good reason NOT to use siding or other methods of covering the rotten logs rather than replacing them with true whole or half logs is that the look will not be the same. It can really diminish the overall aesthetics and value of a log building. Using log siding can look like you tried to match the logs, but really it is only a “sort-of-tried”! It just doesn’t look the same.

Most log siding is usually 1.5 – 2″ thick. So if the plan is to remove some of the rot and fit the log siding over that area, you typically cannot remove all of the rotted wood because all that you have to put back in its place is siding that is only 1.5 – 2″ thick. Often there is considerably more than an inch or two of rot somewhere in the log so you are not actually removing all of the deteriorated wood, which means there is still a source of food for certain insects such as carpenter ants or powder post beetles to feed on. (more…)

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Log home repair and WATER – what’s the connection?

In the simplest of terms – logs rot because of WATER! It seems like a simple concept but the solution to keep logs from getting too much moisture in them is anything but simple.

We spend a good deal of our time helping customers remedy problems they are having with rot that is directly caused by the fact that some of their logs have been allowed to stay too wet over time.

So what’s the big deal with too much moisture in the logs? In a word – ROT! The rot organism needs four ingredients to begin degrading wood.

It needs:

  1. Moisture content between 20% and 30% in the wood’s fiber. While this percentage varies from species to species, most wood will start to deteriorate at around 20% moisture.
  2. Temperatures between 60º and 90º. This is why most of the active rotting occurs during our hot, humid summers.
  3. Oxygen – rot needs it to get going. This is why wood that is underwater does not rot. There is not enough ‘free oxygen’ for the process to take place.
  4. A food source. This is what the rot organism eats – in this case the wood in your house.

Rot needs all these things to get established. If we can eliminate one of these ‘ingredients’ we can stop the rot process, which is easier said than done.

It is impossible to change the temperatures away from being 60-90° in the summer. As living organisms ourselves, we need oxygen too, just like rot. Rot eating wood is one of the laws of nature, so the only factor that we can control is the moisture content, i.e. WATER! (more…)

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Buying a Log Home — what to look for

We often get calls from people who are looking at purchasing a log home for the first time. A common statement is, “I am considering purchasing a log home but I really don’t know much about them. What should I be aware of?” It is standard practice when home shopping to have a home inspection done before putting an offer in.  Home inspectors have varying degrees of knowledge about log homes and sometimes, a home buyer thinks the inspector has given the home a “clean bill of health’ when in fact, the logs may have hidden problems with rot or the basic design of the house is such that it can contribute to the common problems that log homes can have.

Log homes and cabins tend to have unique problems and often it takes someone who has specific expertise in log homes to be able to recognize these problems.  When we have done pre-purchase inspections on log buildings, sometimes we discover major problems that need to be addressed such as:

log rot under deck

Rot caused by improper flashing between attached deck and log wall

- Rotted logs
- Failing finish or stain
- Signs of leaking on the interior walls of the home
- Improperly flashed decks, windows, roofs

Other times during a pre-purchase inspection, we find problems that may not necessarily require immediate repair but could become problems in the future. Many times the new owner, in conjunction with the seller, can negotiate to have these issues fixed. When considering buying an existing log home, it is important to go into the venture with your “eyes wide open”.  You want to know exactly what you are buying and what it takes to be in the position of maintaining your investment versus repairing it. (more…)

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Log rot repair – Epoxy fillers are not a good solution.

There are many different companies on the Internet selling “stuff” to fix problems with rot in log homes. These include borate rods, liquid treatments and epoxy fillers.  If you’ve found this blog post, you have likely seen a few of these sites.  One of the most common log rot repair products out there is generically called “epoxy fillers”.  Basically this type of product is advertised as something one would use to fill holes where rot has happened.

Over the years, we at Edmunds & Company have worked on a number of buildings that have had epoxy “repairs” done on the logs in the past. We have seen that this type of repair does not last and at worst, it can cause further rot.

This is what is wrong with epoxy: Let’s start with the basic fact that epoxy is not wood.  Epoxy expands and contracts at a different rate than wood does. Here in lies the problem.  A few years after the epoxy patch is done, the wood surrounding the patch loosens and cracks appear around the epoxy.  When this happens, water is allowed to make its way into these cracks. Once the water finds its way in, the rot continues.  (See Why Do Logs Rot) (more…)

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