Posts Tagged ‘log rot repair’

Log home repair – Rotting log ends are a real problem.

rotten log end

A crown extending out too far is susceptible to rotting.

Many times in the course of doing our log home repairs around Minnesota and Wisconsin, we run into logs ends (a.k.a. crowns) that are left too long. By this I mean they are so long that they stick out into the elements more than is necessary. Spring is a good time to think about keeping these logs dry and thus keeping them from rotting.

new crowns

Crowns are replaced and kept within the drip line of the roof.

Here is a link to a featured project we recently finished that shows what happens when logs are left too long:

http://www.restorelogs.com/log-home-replacing-crowns-rhinelander-wisconsin.htm

If you have logs that extend outside the drip line of the roof (getting rain on them when the wind is not blowing) they need to be trimmed off to get them within the drip edge.  This simple step – along with proper treatment – can save thousands of dollars in log home repair down the road.

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Posted in Log Home Maintenance, Log Home Repair |
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Log restoration – Replacing crowns

rotten crown

Someone else had previously repaired this corner. Notice there the exposed remaining rot and the lack of a scribed fit.

Log restoration and replacing rotten logs is what we specialize in.

Sometimes we get calls from people who have hired other contractors do work on their log homes. We inspected this home this summer, where another contractor had replaced a crown a few years previously. As you can see, there are a few problems with this installation.

First of all – the log was not properly fit into the space. Sections of rot were not removed and the log chosen for the replacement was not as big as its predecessor.  Also pine was used as the replacement log.

rotten crown

Notice carpenter ants already working on this pine log. A dried cedar log is best used here.

In the short time since the log was installed, the wood boring insects have taken up residence. The rot has begun here and the efforts made to remove and install the new log were in vane.

The work needed to be done right the first time. Replacing rotten crowns is a time consuming process and the right size and species of replacement log needs to be used.

crowns replaced

Here is an example of a stack of crowns we replaced.

We use cedar kiln-dried logs because they will not rot or shrink.  We can also match the stain on our replacement logs to the surrounding logs, unlike this example.

RELATED LINKS AND TIPS FOR LOG RESTORATION SERVICES:

Replacing vertical logs

Replacing crowns

Why do logs rot?

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Posted in Insects and Log Homes/Cabins, Log Home Repair, Log Home Restoration |
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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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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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Posted in Log Home Repair, Log Homes and Rot |
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