Posts Tagged ‘log home problems’

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

Tags: , ,
Posted in Common Problems, Log Home Repair, Log Homes and Rot |
Post a Comment»

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.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Common Problems, Log Homes and Rot, Questions and Answers |
Post a Comment»

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

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Common Problems, Log Home Repair, Log Homes and Rot |
Post a Comment»

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.

serious rot

This is some serious rot.

We have found that most times the problem begins after the second application of this type of “stain”. It may be that the buildup does not become problematic until that second coat is applied. Blackening of the areas in question is the first sign that there is a problem with moisture. Once the blackening starts (see photo), it becomes necessary for log home refinishing services: blasting and re-staining.

In conclusion, it is my professional opinion that there is no place for this type of finish when it comes to log home refinishing. We see too many log homes with these finishes on them and the problems are consistent. Stay away from “film-forming finishes”.

Here are some links to our site that have lots more information for you to check out:

Why Do Logs Rot?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Replacing logs

view video

Tags: , ,
Posted in Log Home Repair, Log Homes and Rot, Refinishing Log Homes |
Post a Comment»

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

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Log Home Maintenance, Log Home Restoration, Log Homes and Rot |
Post a Comment»

Log homes and wood boring insects

Here is a related question from our previous posting.

Question: I need to get wood-boring beetles and carpenter bees stopped. No serious structural damage yet but the insect problem needs to be addressed. I am the original owner of the home. It was built in 1985 out of southern yellow pine. It was a kit supplied by Real Log Homes out of North Carolina. It was last cob-blasted, borated and sealed in 2004. Borate applied at that time did not stop insects. Need help to get insect damage stopped and house resealed.

Notice the honey combing that the ants do as they "excavate the rot". Until you get rid of the rot, you can't control the population of boring insects.

Answer: What we know about carpenter bees and powder post beetles is that they feed on decaying wood. Therefore, they often are a sign that the logs are retaining moisture and that there is some rot. Borate treatment is not a guarantee against these insects. It isn’t a pesticide but more of a treatment for the logs to raise the PH level of the wood to the point where the rot organism is impeded, and subsequently the bugs are less able to attack it. Click here for more information about insects in log homes.

Sometimes it works to squirt some concentrated borate solution (Bora-Care) into the holes themselves. Other times, it is necessary to get an exterminator in to knock back the population of the pests so you can get ahead of them. Click here for more information about borate treatments.

In this example, the rot was in the middle of the log and you can clearly see where they were attacking.

My first concern is that you may have some rot issues. I would be curious to know what type of finish you have on at this time. Some finishes build up a “shell” over time that does not allow the logs to breath. Moisture gets trapped between the logs and the finish and rot can take hold.

Another situation we have seen with pine logs is that sometimes they were cut when they were standing dead trees. These tend to rot from the middle out and the rot is not readily evident from the outside of the log until it has advanced. Click  here for a link to our site that talks about lodge pole pine cabins. I am not sure if this is the same type of log you have but this information may be helpful.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Insects and Log Homes/Cabins, Questions and Answers |
Post a Comment»

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.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Common Problems, Log Home Repair, Questions and Answers |
Post a Comment»

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…)

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Common Problems, Log Homes and Rot |
Post a Comment»