log home maintenance slides
DESCRIPTION
An Overview on Identifying, Preventing and Solving ProblemsTRANSCRIPT
The Log HomeMaintenance
Slides
The Log HomeMaintenance
Slides
An Overview on Identifying, Preventing and Solving Problems
An Overview on Identifying, Preventing and Solving Problems
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“If we can see where problems occur, we can plan
ahead to prevent them.”-Gary Schroeder, The Log Home Maintenance Guide
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Care of Logs Before Building
Care of Logs Before Building
If you are building from logs that you have obtained, consider how you will be treating them BEFORE construction begins.
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Care of Logs Before Building
Care of Logs Before Building
• Remove all bark– Many insects nest between bark and wood– Bark absorbs and holds moisture
• Minimize checking (log cracks) and mildew– Peel and store two ft above ground– Space out to allow airflow
• Control sapstain– Spray wood with sapstain control– Apply within 24 hrs of peeling
• Treat with borates– PeneTreat or Timbor– Protects from fungus and insects– Apply to bare wood
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Design for Easy Maintenance
Design for Easy Maintenance
• Design is closely linked to maintenance (poor design means more maintenance)
• Wood decay and insect damage are the two main issues involving log homes
• Wood+Heat+Water+Air=Decay In order to prevent decay, we need to control water
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Design for Easy Maintenance
Design for Easy Maintenance
• Allow water to run off and away from the house– Slope grade away at least six inches
every 10 feet– Use self-draining notch styles– Use gutters and downspouts
• Keep sill logs at least two feet above the ground– Bottom logs are prone to rot due to
ground moisture and back splashing– Piled snow and decaying leaves
near wall can cause rot problems
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Design for Easy Maintenance
Design for Easy Maintenance
• Reduce back splash hazards– Install gutters and downspouts– Keep objects away from walls
• Provide large roof overhangs– At least two feet– Log ends should not extend past roof
• Properly coat your logs– Do not use paint or a heavy coating
• Logs must be able to “breathe”
– Use a quality, pigmented finish• Clear finishes degrade quickly
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Log InspectionLog Inspection• Inspect annually to stay ahead of issues• Start from ground up
– Problems identifiable at the bottom are often caused by issues overhead
• Take notes and photographs• Carry a pocketknife or awl
– Prod areas to check integrity
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Log InspectionLog Inspection• Look for moisture problems and their sources
– Discoloration on lower logs and beneath windows– Areas of splash back from ground, deck and objects– Probe discolored areas to look for soft spots– Look for insect infestation evident by holes and frass– Keep vegetation a two ft minimum away from logs
• Look for areas needing caulk– Cracks let moisture & pests in– Cracks let heat out– Joints– Notches– Checks (cracks in logs)
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InsectsInsects
• General treatment:– Use borates to
prevent infestation• PeneTreat or Timbor
– Inject insecticide directly into holes
– Protect logs with a quality log home stain
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InsectsInsects
• Carpenter ants– Inhabit wood when it is moist
• Prevention and treatment– Solve moisture problems– Trim vegetation away from building– Keep firewood away from building– Use approved carpenter ant insecticides
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InsectsInsects
• Carpenter bees– Bore large holes into logs, decks and trim
• Prevention and treatment– Maintain a finish on logs– Early detection minimizes damage– Use insecticidal sprays and dust
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InsectsInsects• Powderpost beetles
– Create many pinholes leaving a powdery frass– Prone to re-infest
• Round-headed wood beetles– Chew through wood, plasterboard, plywood, hardwood
flooring and carpeting– Most species do not re-infest, except for the old house borer
• Prevention and treatment– Use borate preservatives– Spot treat by injecting borates directing into holes– Use a finish with a contact insecticide in it
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InsectsInsects
• Termites– Build tunnels through soil looking for wood
• Prevention and treatment– Consult local building codes– Seal cracks in foundation– Keep wood two ft above soil– Contact a local exterminator
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Log Home PestsLog Home Pests• Bats
– Caulk cracks– Put up bat houses
• Mice– Caulk cracks and set traps– Keep house clean
• Porcupines– Live trap and transport
• Squirrels– Cats, ultrasonic devices, repellants
• Swallows and woodpeckers– Bird netting, Nixalite strips
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Caulking and Chinking
Caulking and Chinking
• Log home caulking– Seal cracks and joints to limit
traffic of heat, moisture and pests– Use latex or polyurethane
caulking (silicone is not recommended for use with logs)
– Caulk upward facing checks, joints and other openings
– Use backer rod for proper joint design
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Caulking and Chinking
Caulking and Chinking
• Chinking– Prepare surface
• Maximize adhesion– Install backer rod
• Necessary for proper joint design– Apply and tool chinking
• Maximize adhesion and aesthetics
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Log Home FinishesLog Home Finishes• A quality log home finish needs to perform
successfully in five areas:– Provide UV protection– Provide rot resistance– Proved water repellency– Proved a flexible finish– Provide a breathable finish
• Surface preparation is key:– Dry wood (<18% moisture)– Weather damaged wood removed
• Sanding, blasting or power washing– Clean wood
• Dirt, dust and failing stain removed• Follow manufacturer’s directions:
– Surface and air temperatures– Application methods
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Log Home DecksLog Home Decks• Wood preparation is key• Glossy, surface-film finishes are
very water repellant but are most risky for failure
• Penetrating finishes have dull luster but are more easily maintained
• Remove weathered wood before staining
• Power wash with a cleaning solution and rinse well
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Log RestorationLog Restoration
• Rotted areas can be treated with borates and patched with wood putty
• Large areas may require replacement wood pieces• Half log or full log replacements may be required in
areas of advanced decay
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Cedar Shakes and Shingle Roofs
Cedar Shakes and Shingle Roofs
• Keep roof clear of branches, leaves, lichens, moss, etc.
• Keep gutters and downspouts clear
• Properly ventilate roof• Apply preservative finish to
extend life• Clean with a power washer
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For More Information:For More Information:• Read The Log Home
Maintenance Guide For complete pictures, details and information on log home care.
• Talk with Schroeder Log Home Supply, Inc., your log home information source. Toll free at 1-800-359-6614 or on the web at www.loghelp.com
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Credits:Credits:• Photos from various log home owners and the
Itasca County Historical Society.
• Information compiled from The Log Home
Maintenance Guide by Gary Schroeder, ©2003
• A presentation by Schroeder Log Home Supply,
Inc. 1101 SE 7th Ave, Grand Rapids, MN 55744
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