Posts Tagged ‘cracks in log homes and cabins’

Log Homes Using Turned or Manufactured Logs

Every season starts with expectations of what style of log home will come first. The first home this year that needed our restoration experience happened to be a 1980’s turned log style resort lodge. The charm was evident, as it was located on Rice Lake in Northern Wisconsin. Every place that Edmunds and Company sets out to restore has a story worth telling but let’s focus on the actual construction of this building and why we were hired.

turned logs

Turned logs are uniform in size.

Turned log style (where every log is exactly the same in diameter) is a style of construction that took off in the United States about 30 years ago. Over the years, different companies have manufactured kits and marketed package deals. Typically there is a raw processing plant that can manufacture uniform logs – one after the other – in an assembly style. These logs can be made into several sizes specific to a customer’s specifications. The notching can vary widely depending on preference and budget. For manufacturers – the style has proven to be a good use of non-uniform wood sources and this has reduced the cost of these log homes as well. (more…)

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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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Posted in Log Home Maintenance, Log Home Repair, Log Home Restoration |
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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 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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Leaking around windows – what’s the solution?

We regularly get inquiries about problems people have with their log home or cabin. We’ll post some of those questions on our blog in order to reach more people with solutions to problems.

Window where it has been leaking

Often these leaks cause discoloration of the wood on the interior.

Question: I have a problem with leaking around one of my windows. I have caulked all around it to prevent leading but nothing I have done has solved the problem. What am I missing?

Answer: Sometimes chinking or caulking just around the window is not enough to keep moisture out.  The leak could be coming from above the window and getting behind the trim or into the space between the outer caulking and the inside of the logs.

One solution we have found is to take off the exterior trim and in these cases, we caulk directly against the window jambs. If the leaking seems to be coming in at the top of the window, it is likely that the leak is originating in the logs above the unit.

With extreme situations, all the trim needs to be removed and the entire wall chinked or caulked in combination with flashing above the header trim of the window. Click here for more information about chinking and caulking.

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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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Stories from on the road

"Quality is an understatement with the Edmunds group and their high-quality restoration work. We had a plaque made stating 'This home restored with superior craftsmanship by Barb, Blaise, Daniel, Jared, Jed, Jesse and Matt'. (Notice it on the wall behind them.) We would also like to add that those named above are the most wonderful people personally. Our very highest compliments to Edmunds & Company." Ken and Kay Uecker, Janesville, WI

Log Home Restoration – Stories from our work on the road

Jesse Sopiwnik, one of our site supervisors, wrote this account about an incident that happened last year when he and his crew were on a job in Janesville, Wisconsin.

In our business, there can be basis for some unlikely situations. We rarely have problems with our customers, at least problems that we cannot solve. Because many of our projects are on log structures that are second homes, the customer is not there to witness our work.

On the other hand, sometimes we work on primary residences. The customers are there having to tolerate the roar of chainsaws, tools and equipment scattered everywhere, and the dust and devastation of removing rotten logs. It often gets uglier before it gets better. This is sometimes hard to explain to customers who have never seen this kind of work being done before. (more…)

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