MAINTENANCE ON YOUR LOG HOME

Article by: Mercedes Hayes

Like every other house , TO REMODEL, OR NOT TO REMODEL? THAT IS THE QUESTION. exposed to the elements, Log Homes , Aquatic Bath Tubs:- More Than Just a Dip are neither maintenance free, nor are they absolute killers to take care of. I don't think it would be an exaggeration to state that the first couple of years demand significantly more work than your standard-issue house , Nothing says more about quality than great flooring. - unless, of course, you can afford to pay someone to do the work for you! Log preparation and the base coat of stain are critical to the long-term success of your wall , Task Lighting- Illuminating your subject protection. But once the initial work is done, the maintenance becomes routine, and I would venture to guess log homes , Christmas Vacation for Your Business - A Survival Guide are a little easier to care for than other wood , Concrete Cutting: Don't Let a Little Bit of Concrete Stop You houses. After all, you don't have to strip the stain off between coats. LOG PREPARATION: Most construction sites become a sea of mud in a short period of time. The soil , "Wow, You Have Amazing Woodwork!" has been disturbed and there's no grass , Nothing says more about quality than great flooring. to hold the dirt together (or absorb the rain). You'll discover that the first few log courses are absolutely pristine, but the higher the walls , 3 Budget Projects To Add Value To Your Home become, the more the logs get dropped, smudged, or even used as stepping stones , The 10 Most Important Rules of Choosing and Dealing With a Contractor to dryer places , 3 Budget Projects To Add Value To Your Home (like the port-a-potty). Once the house , So You've Decided to Finish Your Basement! is up, the logs will have to be washed before applying a stain... both inside , Christmas Vacation for Your Home Business - A Survival Guide and out. Doing the interior , Laminate Flooring cleaning in the right order didn't occur to us - especially since the logs were erected in the winter. , Solving Kitchen Sink Problems In our case, the timing was all wrong; you really want to wash the interior , Task Lighting- Illuminating your subject walls , Professional Decorating Tips for Fireplace Mantels before the finished floor , A Wrought Iron Bed Can Enhance Your Décor is laid, and before the basement , The Hazards of Water Damage insulation is installed under the floor , Aquatic Bath Tubs:- More Than Just a Dip decking. We didn't make it, and we had to follow our wall-washing with a shop-vac to get rid of all the water. , Installing Laminate Flooring .. what a mess!Ã‚Â Ã‚Â It was recommended that we use a mixture of one part bleach and four parts trisodium phosphate. We scrubbed it on with a brush and rinsed it off. Some people recommend a power , Leaks - Prevention and Cures washer for the outside , Just what is surveillance technology? walls, , Air Conditioners and Clean Air but you must use great care, and apply with a fan-tip to avoid damaging the logs. The experts recommend corn , Shower curtains can give your bathroom a quick and easy makeover! cob-blasting, but this is an expense most of us can't afford. If you do use a power-washer, it's a good idea to follow up with a shop-vac and vacuum out the water , Shower curtains can give your bathroom a quick and easy makeover! that will pool inside , The Hazards of Water Damage the checks, so that the logs don't get saturated from water , Catching Crooked Contractors sitting in the cracks. Even so, it will take one or more days to dry completely, depending on the weather. , Wooden Vs. Steel Furniture. Which one should I choose? Once the logs are dry, it is recommended that you apply a borate treatment before applying the stain. This borate is not only an insecticide, it also protects against rot. Usually this comes as a powder, and is mixed with water , Installing Laminate Flooring and sprayed on with an ordinary garden , 10 tips to take care of your bathroom sprayer. Make sure it doesn't rain between applying the borate and the stain, or the borate will probably wash out. STAINING: All stains are not created equal. There is a big performance difference between the best and the worst, so make sure you don't try to save , Laminate Flooring money by cutting corners on the stain - you'll pay for it later. A deck , Nothing says more about quality than great flooring. sealer just won't work for logs; you should use a product , Shower curtains can give your bathroom a quick and easy makeover! specially designed for log homes, , Task Lighting- Illuminating your subject and you won't find it at your local , Aquatic Bath Tubs:- More Than Just a Dip hardware store. For a good brand, budget around $250 per 5-gal pail. Our 2400 sq. foot house , Cleaning and Storing Your Family Tent took about 5 pails initially. Most stains need to be applied in two or three coats, so make sure your painter knows this when going for a quote. You will want to stain the exterior as soon as possible after the house , 12 Things To Know About Carpet Cleaning is erected; it's amazing how quickly the logs will turn gray under normal exposure. Afterwards, a "maintenance coat" of stain needs to be applied every 2-5 years, depending on the exposure. You usually don't have to restain the whole house , "Wow, You Have Amazing Woodwork!" at one time. You'll see the color , Aquatic Bath Tubs:- More Than Just a Dip lighten up as the stain wears thin - for lack of a better word. If you're not sure whether a new coat is required, run a hose on the wall , How to Choose a Freezer for your Home and see if the water , How to Control Mice Without Poison beads up. If it does not, you're probably ready for another coat. And no, you don't have to strip off the old stain first, unless it has been neglected and shows sign of flaking and chipping. If your walls , The perfect home business. have gone 10 years without a second coat, you may have to corn-blast and start over. In this case, consult a specialist. RAILING SYSTEM: The weak link of every log home , Solving Kitchen Sink Problems is the railing system - especially on an exposed deck. , Laminate Flooring The junctures between the rails and spindles need to be caulked thoroughly, and you'll see many more checks in the little railings giving the opportunity to let rain in. The railing system needs to be restained every year. Make sure you don't let any water , Add a Dynamic Design Accent to Your Home with the Right Staircase drip on the railings; gutters are a must. CAULKING: It is a personal preference whether or not you caulk the exterior of your log home, , The 10 Most Important Rules of Choosing and Dealing With a Contractor but common sense would tell us that it's good policy to lock , Catching Crooked Contractors out the elements. There are caulks specifically designed for log homes , Wooden Vs. Steel Furniture. Which one should I choose? that remain supple and give with normal expansion & contraction. The first couple of years, it is advised to caulk any checks that appear on the upper curve of the log surface, where rain might collect. These caulks will take a stain, so they tend to blend in. After the house , Types and Designs of Picture Frames has reached equilibrium with its environment, , Financially Planning to Improve your Home the checking will cease. INSECTS: You can read more about insects in my article LOG HOMES vs. INSECTS: WHAT TO LOOK FOR. For the most part, there is visual evidence of any insect problem. Make it a policy to inspect your home , Basement Remodeling Begins With Dependable Waterproofing in the spring , Christmas Vacation for Your Home Business - A Survival Guide and in the fall, , Laminate Flooring and be sure to keep your walls , A Wrought Iron Bed Can Enhance Your Décor free of foliage, dead leaves, etc. Bushes should be planted a minimum of 2 feet away from the walls. , Beautiful Lighting Tips 101 - A Crash Course in Lighting Design Don't stack fire , Shower curtains can give your bathroom a quick and easy makeover! wood against the wall, , Start Your Next Home Improvement Project With Tools and Hardware You Buy Online or anything else that could provide a home , Start Your Next Improvement Project With Tools and Hardware You Buy Online for unwelcome critters, four-legged or six-legged ones. BOTTOM LINE: Maintenance on your log home , Aquatic Bath Tubs:- More Than Just a Dip should be routine, and the best defense is keeping a careful eye on abnormalities. Discoloration of a corner probably means water , 3 Budget Projects To Add Value To Your Home is dripping on it. A little pile of sawdust probably means a boring insect. Holes in the log, regardless of how tiny, are a red flag. These are the kinds of things you'd look for with any house. , Catching Crooked Contractors And after you've had your inspection, relax on the deck , Compare international package delivery and parcel shipping rates using Parcels Packages .com. and enjoy your home , The 10 Most Important Rules of Choosing and Dealing With a Contractor ... you deserve it.

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