Posts Tagged ‘maintaining log homes/cabins’

Log home problems in “middle-aged” log homes

The following is an article written by Matt Edmunds. It first appeared in the magazine “Log Home Living” in their June 2012 issue.

Seal of excellence

We have restored log homes in the upper Midwest for over thirty years.  Our business started out of necessity back in 1978 when my father (former owner of Edmunds & Company) was looking to restore our family cabin in Northwestern Wisconsin.  Upon not finding anyone to do the work locally – he did the work himself.

After a decade or so of working on older places built between the 1880’s and 1950’s we started to see more “newer” homes that needed restoration. In the last 20 years, our work on log homes has shifted from almost exclusively working on homes built before 1950 to almost 60% of the homes we work on being built after 1950.

log home in WisconsinWhile the antique log home has its charm and many hold family memories and histories, this generation of log homes is not the focus of this article. Homes built since 1975 have their unique problems and I will go over some of these problems in detail to give the reader a road map for keeping them sound and livable for the next 40 years.  Many of these homes are used as year-round residences. This means that we want to be especially mindful about the necessity of maintaining them so that their owners may enjoy these beautiful structures for generations to come.

log ends are too long

This is a design flaw. The crowns stick out beyond the drip line, susceptible to rot.

Let me say that our fast-paced world has certainly affected the way log homes get built.  The statement that they “don’t build them like they used to” certainly holds true for many of these homes. Many were built with quickness in mind and constructed with cheap materials. If I could give one piece of advice going forward it is “do it right the first time”… it’s much easier than going back and fixing it later.  Investments in gutters and proper flashing, for example, can save thousands of dollars in repairs down the road.

Click here to view a PDF of  15 of the most common problems we see with middle-aged log homes and what can be done to remedy these issues.

If  you prefer to scroll down, here is the rest of the article.  (more…)

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Posted in Common Problems, Log Home Restoration |
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Log Home Restoration on the Family Summer Lodge by Blaise Sopiwnik

Starting a new log home restoration project can be an exploration of the past. As an interesting aside to all the hard work, dust and noise associated with the first week of a log project, I am looking for clues. Many times there are clues and evidence on the logs about what has been unfolding for years. How did this log building come to be in the condition where it needs restoration work? Most often I am drawn to the conclusion that diligent maintenance could have solved all the problems we uncover.

rotten base logs

Notice all the debris that has held moisture up against the logs causing them to rot.

While starting our first project of the year this past week, we had to make decisive assessments in order to extract the first rotten logs. While the first hints of spring rain clouds rolled in over the top of the old growth white pines, we needed to make sure the logs that were being extracted were kept out of the mud and rocks. Years of leaves and landscaping debris had filled in and completely engulfed the bottom logs on three sides of this building. Annual cleaning and raking could have prevented this from being an issue, but other factors were involved in this situation as well. (more…)

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Posted in Historic log buildings, Log Home Maintenance, Log Home Repair |
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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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Posted in Common Problems, Log Home Maintenance, Log Homes and Rot |
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Classic Log Buildings – WPA and CCC buildings of the 1930′s

Here in Minnesota and Wisconsin, the discussion of restoration and repair of log structures would not be complete without talking about the log homes and buildings built during the era of the great depression. The WPA (Works Progress Administration) and the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) had many far-reaching effects on our landscape that we can still see today.

Bemidji State Park log building

An example of this style of construction -- a picnic shelter at the Bemidji State Park, MN

Roosevelt’s New Deal is responsible for producing some of the most interesting and well-crafted log structures in this country. Many state parks in Minnesota and Wisconsin had their beginnings because of the public investments of the 1930′s.

When these parks were created, the states hired the unemployed to build mostly log structures with the idea of making buildings that could stand the test of time. The St. Croix State Park  in Hinckley, MN was one of the first state parks and the buildings there were later used as models to build parks in other states.

ely boy scouts log building

Good example of log work with stone foundation.

These log buildings were meant to last, unlike many of the settlers’ cabins or logging camp structures of earlier times. The state hired lead builders (many coming from Scandinavia and Germany), who had skilled crews of laborers to build the log buildings in the new parks. Most were built in what we today call a “round log scribe A/V” style of log construction. Many also incorporated stone quarried locally into the structures, creating some quite impressive stonework that is still around today. (more…)

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Posted in General, Historic log buildings, Log Home Repair, Log Home Restoration |
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Log home refinishing – Best practices for removing old finish

In the log home refinishing business, we get asked many times each year about the advantages of blasting logs with a “dry” vs. “wet” process to remove old finish.

blasting off finishWe have found that in most cases, the blasting process or “dry” process (be it corn cob, crushed glass or sand) is the right process for the logs. Blasting uses compressed air to shoot a “media” at the building.  We use recycled glass now for most applications on the log homes we refinish because we are so impressed with the results we get.

Water blasting with a power washer is not our method of choice for several reasons:

  • Water is the enemy of logs. It is what causes rot and we don’t want to, in any way, contribute to this problem.
  • Power washers can damage the logs by destroying the grain or “fuzzing” the logs and creating long stringy rough surfaces.
    • damage from power washing

    Damage to log from power washing

  • Log homes are not completely air tight so water will make its way inside and this can cause staining on the interior logs, as well as create the potential for the development of dangerous indoor molds.

Blasting does little damage to the logs and keeps the log dry.  Power washing can cause ugly, stringy fuzz to be created.  I really don’t want to badmouth the folks that power wash but at a certain point one must look closely at the best practices here.

Here is another point to consider. If a power washer can be obtained for less than $500 and industrial-grade blasting equipment costs over $15,000, why would contractors choose blasting? The answer is that blasting simply works better and is less damaging to the logs in a number of ways.

We have been in the log home refinishing and restoration business for over 25 years.  We have removed every type of finish from log homes from the lightest semi-transparent stains to the thickest oil-based paints.

Here is a video of us blasting off finish:

 

RELATED LINKS AND TIPS ON LOG HOME REFINISHING:

Blasting vs. power washing
Here is a project we recently did
Why do logs rot?

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Posted in Blasting Log Homes, Log Home Maintenance, Refinishing Log Homes |
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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 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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Posted in Log Home Repair, Log Homes and Rot |
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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 Maintenance – Proper uses for different types of Borates

Log home maintenance often includes the use of borates are a preservative for the logs. There are basically three forms of borates: liquids like PeneTreat, Bora-Care or Tim-bor; pure borate rods like Impel Rods; or mixed borate rods like Cobra Rods.

PeneTreat is a powered borate. The powder is mixed with water and applied to bare wood. It treats the wood in general for rot and also prevents infestations of wood boring insects.  Bora-Care is a highly concentrated borate where the borate is mixed with glycol to promote penetration into the wood.

We use and recommend PeneTreat where we want general protection for the wood.  It comes in the form of a powder and is typically mixed at one pound per gallon.  Bora-Care is a gel, which is also mixed with water, usually 1:1. This mixture is then applied to low, up-facing checks, lower logs that are getting wet all the time, window sills that need extra protection and crown or log ends. These borates offer good protection from rot when used in conjunction with a quality log home stain.

Borate rods or Crystalline Solid Borate Rods are either pure borates in rod form or borates mixed with copper hydroxide.

• Impel Rods are a pure borate rod in a solid form
• Cobra Rods are a mixture of borate and copper hydroxide (more…)

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