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Steps to a Quality Finish
In order to ensure that your log home is well protected from the elements and maintains its natural beauty, we recommend keeping a quality finish on your home. Every log cabin or building is different, so we recommend different regimens according to the needs of your particular building and how you wish your building to appear. There are a variety of finishes to choose from such as solid body stain or semitransparent stain
Preparing the Wood
In order to prepare the building for preservation and finish, we remove old, deteriorating finishes or weathered wood on the building using a variety of methods. If the building has multiple layers of paint, we generally recommend removing it with blasting, either with sand or corn cob, depending on the toughness and amount of finish that needs to be removed. If necessary, we scrub or sand by hand any difficult areas to ensure that the entire exterior is clean and ready for the finish. If the building is gray from lack of finish and exposure to the sun, we have had very good success reducing stains with oxygen bleach, which is nontoxic. Many times this is less invasive than blasting and produces excellent results. In some cases, a log cabin just needs a good thorough cleaning to accept finish.
Treating with Borates
After old, deteriorated finishes are removed and the building is clean, we generally recommend treatment with borates. While the wood pores are open after cleaning, the borate preservative is able to penetrate the wood surface. In contrast to some preservatives used in the past, boron is not harmful to humans or to the environment, while providing important and effective protection for your logs. Boron is also compatible with almost every modern oil and latex-based stain. Borates work by raising the PH level of the wood to the point where the rot microorganism cannot live in the treated wood. They also protect your wood from insects such as powderpost beetles and carpenter ants, even though it is not actually an insecticide.
Selecting the Finish
There are several modern finishing products that are suitable for log homes. All of them penetrate the surface of the log and also provide a protective film on the surface. A good finish should contain a maximum amount of solids, some mildew inhibitor, and Ultraviolet blockers.
There are basically two types of finishes we recommend - semitransparent and solid body stains. The type of finish chosen depends upon the log home’s specific wood, the appearance the homeowner desires, and the level of maintenance that is acceptable to the homeowner.
Semitransparent stains allow some of the natural wood to show through, while also adding a hue to the wood. A semitransparent stain will soak into the wood and color it with pigment. It also forms a water and UV barrier to protect the wood. Semitransparent stains are generally applied in two coats in a “wet-on-wet process” where the second coat is applied before the first coat is completely dried. There are several water-based semitransparent stains made especially for log cabins, all of which contain sunscreens to block damaging UV rays. This type of stain will need to be recoated every 2-5 years, depending on conditions at your site.
The second type of finish that we recommend is latex based, solid body stain. Solid body stain looks flat and opaque, much like paint. It also soaks into the pores of the wood and protects the logs from UV and water damage. It protects better than a semitransparent stain because there is more pigment in it and it can extend the time between recoating. Generally, solid body stains last 4-8 years between recoats.
We do not recommend oil solid body stains because of their tendency to ‘flash’ or become glossy. Many times with older or neglected buildings, we recommend solid body stain because it can be extremely labor-intensive to return older wood to a condition than would successfully accept a semitransparent stain. No matter which finish you choose, the building should be inspected every year to ensure that the finish is continuing to work well.
Applying the Finish
We use the following procedure for the application of finish. First, we carefully cover all the windows and doors of the building and then clean the logs as needed. Next, we apply two coats of the finish you have chosen using a paint sprayer and then back brush it by hand to ensure penetration and to smooth out any drips.
Maintaining the Finish
No matter what type of stain you choose, it is very important to keep up with reapplying the finish. If too much time lapses between coats, the finish will become unstable and may need to be mechanically removed. To avoid the expense of having to remove the finish or replace logs, it is best to maintain your finish in top condition. Reapplying stain sooner is better than later. |
