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Maintenance

Question:

I have a log home (kit style with 6" x 4" logs). The exterior needs staining and after reading different replies, I think I may have made a mistake! I used a stripper to remove the old stain, then I sanded the entire exterior. Unfortunately, when I used the stripper, I had to rinse it off with water. I've been told by the local paint store to also use a "brightener" this means more water. Am I in trouble because of the water? Also, any suggestions as to what I should use to fill in know

Question:

The floor in our log cabin has shifted, becoming not level, and we believe it is causing our walls to lean in one direction, out of vertical by five or six inches. Our question is this: will the logs come back to their original vertical postition after the floors are leveled?

Question:

I have just purchased a cedar pan log home and would like to know the best process for cleaning and staining the exterior. Can you please advise the options and best quality stain product. thanks

Question:

I am trying to stain a 30 year old pine log home. It was stained 5 years ago a light brown after repairs. There are spots where it looks like bare wood. When the new stain is applied in a test patch it turns those spots almost black. The parts that had stain left look fine with the new stain. Is there anything I can do to fix this?

Question:

I have a pine cladded holiday home in England.The exterior has been stained by manufacturers with sikkens wood stain. I have tried to re stain. I've rubbed down and prepared carefully but the paint at the edges just curls and I cannot get a smooth, durable finish.Is it the spirit? Should I use a different, ater based stain instead?

Question:

I have a built in pool with a concrete deck. The concrete has been seaping a white stain around (what appears to be) a clear bead of sap. The contractor keeps returning and painting over these stains... but they reappear within a couple of weeks after they do this. They do not seem to know what is causing this problem... would you have any ideas?

Thank you for your help.

Becky

Question:

I'm cleaning a log cabin and the interior walls are raw pine. HOw would a person clean this properly?

Question:

I have a customer who's had their log home media-blasted with walnut shells in preparation for sealing, so the house is basically at "raw wood" stage, (been previously water-based sealed and mold grew under sealant). Customer DOES NOT want any stain/color applied before sealing, but I can not find a product suitable for use w/o staining first. Can I use Perma-chink's Lifeline Exterior and then Lifeline Advance?

Question:

I built a stick-framed, "D" log-sided home in the Smokies five years ago. There are 13 8" X 10' white pine, round, milled posts that support the roof and wrap-around porches. The posts sit on PT decking but still are wicking rain water at the base. Also, the large mortises cut into the posts for the log railings also result in water intrusion. I now have dry rot in these posts. What would you recommend as the ideal log posts? What about white cedar vs. cypress? Appreciate your help.

Question:

We have a yellow pine log home. We are interested in stoning or bricking over our logs. Has this ever been done? We cannot afford the constant upkeep and maintenance. Can a log home be stoned or bricked over?

Question:

We own a 140 year old log cabin near Algonquin Park ,in ontario. Our childredn are really stuffy after a couple of days visit. There is black mold on the inside roof boards of both bedrooms and on the roof boards of a screened in porch that runs along the front of the cabin. How can I get rid of the mold, and what should i treat the wood with to prevent mold? Also I have been cleaning the inside logs ( which have never been stained or treated) with Murphy's woodsoap, would staining them make it

Question:

do they make a log stain and sealer in one mix

Question:

I live in a 28 year old brick home in Eastern NC with pine framing for the doors. The stoop of one door has been oozing sap in the late spring and summer for the last five years, even though we have sealed and painted it. Any suggestions to clear up this mess and better yet, why is this happening?

Question:

I have alot of cedar trees on my property and recently cut a few down for a log bed. after stripping the bark,(very easily removed)a week or so later the bark got what looks like a black or dark green mold. How can i stop this or remove the mold.

Question:

I have a 20 year old cedar log house and I am refinishing the exterior. I want to fill the knots that have disintegrated. What product would you recommend?

Question:

Abeaver has ripped the bark all around the bottom of a pine tree and it is now bare.Is there anything we can coat on it to keep from dying....

Question:

Hello,
I was on Time Less Wood Care and see Checkmate. They say to fill the checks. Would you clarify.

Mike

Question:

We have a 20 year old log cabin, and only use it during winter and periodic summer retreats. The center ridge pole is showing weathering and moisture. Looks like a white mold and we would like to know if hot water and vinagar would work in cleaning it?

Question:

Our daughter has recently purchased an older log home in Vermont. Its not in the best of shape and needs tlc. The worst problem is the smell - not a musty smell - just stinks. We have washed the interior with Murphy's Oil Soap and its a little better. They had a leak in the plumbing but that has been cleaned up. Any suggestions on what to do; whom to call??? The smell is getting to her and us!
Appreciate your help.

Question:

We have an exposed deck which is subject to a lot of wear and tear due to our weather. We would like to preserve our exposed logs by putting a cap on them. This would lengthen the life of our exposed logs. Would you recommend covering the log posts and/or is there any negative impact on the log by covering the top? Is there a supplier that you know of that has post caps?

Question:

We have hemlock pine siding that we bought a few months ago and unfortunately it is now moldy. We would like to try to salvage it, what can we do?

Question:

We started building an oak log home last summer and will be ready to stain the interior logs in a couple of weeks. We used a 50-50 water/bleach wash to clean the logs. Should we spray something else on them before staining to prevent termites, etc? What is Borate?

Question:

Our 2 story, open ceiling, styrofoam roof insulated ,27 year old log home outside Nashville has always creaked loudly, especially late PM, worse in summer. Anything that can be done? Thank you.

Question:

I am going to build a white pine log home. A local HVAC contractor advised a system that includes humidity control. If this is addressed from time of build, will it help keep the integrity of log and wood materials? Is this a wise investment or wasted money? What humidity level is ideal?

Question:

Have a cypress log home. on the south side, low, some logs have areas that have some hollow areas. I Was going to drill holes in these areas and fill with Great Stuff. But I read where you said NOT TO .( This can hold Dampness ! )
What do you suggest ? Art Simmons, Chula, Ga.

Question:

I have seen videos of log homes washed with a long wand(tube) with a soft brush at the end. It elimates ladders and scaffle. Can I purchase this equipment and where?..Thanks

Question:

I own a log cabin in Northern Maine built in 1930.I Have a significant moisture problem in the spring caused by a massive fire place in the center of the structure. This 10ftX5ft30ft tall chimney is in the center of th camp between the 30ft kitchen and 30 ft living room.(The building is not heated). In the spring water drips from the ceiling and runs down the chimney in side the building. We have extensive mold on roof and the stringers next to the chimney.The ridge pole (8 in pine log)is rottin

Question:

Considering Mold Remediation in the unfinished basement of our 20 year old log kit home. Have received 3 proposals. Wondering what the proper basic route is after moisture level is brought down to 40%

Question:

Just had my log home exterior totally re-done (blast, sand, and stain). After it rains I have now noticed the log ends looking white / milky in color. Should I be concerned?

Question:

I live in Jarrettsville, Harford County, Maryland, in a log home built iin 1840. The logs are flat sides and rounded top and bottom. Distance between the logs varies because these are/were trees not machined logs.

I took the lathe and plaster off the logs and removed the chinking and daubing. Getting ready to brush the logs clean, preserve them, apply insulation and have them permachinked.

At the SW corner of the house as I was cleaning out the plaster keys that dropped between the lo

Question:

I own a log home in Maryland. The roof overhangs on the 2-story sections are about 18 inches. I'm due for a new roof now, since the existing roof is over 15 years old, and shedding granular particles. Perhaps, I should have this done in 2010. Does your company extend the roof overhangs? Do you have an architect design the extended roof overhangs? Do you keep or replace the existing soffits? Do you replace the shingles after you have extended the roof?

Question:

how often should we need to stain our log home? it is a cedar home.

Question:

We purchased a d log cabin in 2000 from a Georgia builder that was less than honest and short cutted everything we had it inspected after many problems and had what could be found fixed. Recently we had a bad rain up there and the person who checks my cabin said rain had come into and ran down the cabin walls from the gutters. Is this possible.

Question:

What's the best way to protect unfinished cypress wood for a grill stand.

Question:

I have a log home in Vt which was built in the 70's. It appears that it was never stained but natural. It has a lot of dark brown to black weathering. I would like to preserve it. Should I power wash it? Blast it or can I just wire brush it. Then what treatments should I do to preserve the natural color?

Question:

We are looking to purchase a confederation log home in Ontario Canada. We do not know if there has been maintenance done on the home. Do you have the name of a good home inspector that we can get to check the home out before we buy it?
Thanks

Question:

Do you know anyone doing log home staining in the fraser valley area of british columbia (specifically close to chilliwack or hemlock valley)

Question:

What kind of calk can be used around doorframes and windows on the outside of the log cabin? PLEASE give some suggestions of brands that are sold in Home Depot, Lowes, or some other regular store, not on line. Thank you so very much! Also, I was looking for a borate treatment in Lowes and Home Depot, but maybe I just needed to know the brand, because no one was able to help me there. What brand is sold at a regular store I could find here in Maine? I will really appreciate your answer!

Question:

Hi I live in the UK where it rains alot I have purchased a log cabin which is made of spruce could you advise me on which product to use to preserve the wood and of course is low maintenance,Perhaps a solvent based one ?
Many thanks for your replay in advance !!

Question:

My roof recently leaked and all the interior logs are stained. How do I get rid of the stains?

Question:

We have a log cabin that is 7 years old it was stained and sealed at time of construction. It is now time to seal again. I do not want to change the color at all. what would be the best product and procerure for this?

Question:

SO MUCH VALUABLE INFORMATION!!! I did ask a question some time ago and hope to get the answer soon. How do I know you answered it? On some sites there is a notification to person's email. I have been wasting so much time looking through everything repeatedly to see if my question is posted. Should I look at the very bottom?

Question:

I am having trouble with chipmunks around my house digging holes near the house. How do I get rid of them?

Question:

We bought a log cabin in Maine last year, and it is a very unpleasant surprise to us that it needs so much maintenance. No leaks, but no chinking and calking between the square logs either. i think the inside is tong and groove, pine. Don't know what kind of wood is outside. Should we calk anyway? It might look ugly with the calking... Is there colored calking, or the one that will stain just the same color as wood? Or , since there is no leaking, we should not worry about it? We definitely do

Question:

What do you suggest I use to fill nail holes on a new log siding home?

Question:

I have purchased a cypress log home that is 15 years old,previous owner did not keep up with maintance so I am in the process of calking out side cracks. I would like to fine someone in my area that does cleaning and staining of log homes,I live in North west Indiana. Thanks for you help

Question:

I inherited a 30 year old log house that has never been maintained. An inspector found much log rot and his opinion is that it is too far gone to restore. The logs are covered with latex paint. If i install vinyl siding over logs will they continue to rot? The structure seems very stable right now.

Question:

We built a Lindal log home in '05. All the windows leak when I wash the exterior or with even a light, wind driven rain.Thinking this might be a common problem, I've talked to the manufacturer several times with no help.The windows were installed following Lindal's plans. Thanks for any help.

Question:

Great site to review information about log structures. Our concern is a cabin we purchased 6 yr ago, it was built in 1975. Due to neglect prior to us the bottom logs have severe rot in them. One corner is sinking and the log has split, therefore no support for the structure. What would you recommend. we live in northern BC.

Question:

Sir, I recently purchsed a park model home with cypress siding,The wood is new and has nothing done to it.Would you advise me as to what I should do to protect the wood and keep it same color as it is now.Thank you

Question:

We have a 40 year old pan abode cottage. There was condensation on the interior. How can we fix this problem without covering up the logs. The roof is uninsulated.

Question:

I have a Jim Barna log home in MI that is 10 years old. In the past 3 or 4 years, there is either some settling or log shrinkage pulling appart slightly the mating french doors and making it more difficult to lock together the doors and keep the seal. It is most noticable in winter and becomes less of an issue once warm. What kind of re-adjustments would you recommend? Anything special for log homes to consider vs stick built home.

Question:

I purchased a log home last year. It was built in the 70 and in great shape. It has paint on the exterior. I'm thinking about either repainting or stripping and going with a natural finish. Which would you advise? The logs are flat against one another made from a kit.

Steve

Question:

I have made an offer to purchase a 9 yr old Tennessee Log Home in Northern Iowa. I have not found any Log Home Inspectors locally so I will have a typical Home Inspection and Termite inspection done. This is a one story on a basement. I do not know what type of wood, who built the home, or maintenance done. What should I look for at inspection, and what maintenance should I do when we move in. Thank you for your help.

Question:

I have a log home with a covered porch around the exterior. This past winter the woodpeckers have had a feast of the support posts leaving large holes and enlarged existing cracks. I would like to fill these holes and cracks with a product that can be troweled on with a putty knife.....wanting something that will restore some strength to the post but will flex with the weather.. Appreciate your recommendations...
Thanks in advance

Question:

I have leftover Lifeline Ultra 2 stain that froze over winter in the garage. Still OK to use or toss it??
Thanks.

Question:

I have square logs w/chinking, located in middle TN, built in 1981. I actually have two questions; First, can I use "Great Stuff" to seal the interior air gaps around my windows? If not, what do you recommend? And second, My interior logs have some type of stain/sealant, don't know what the product is because no history when we purchased. I would like to strip this product down to the natural log color (Eastern Pine) and then clear coat. How do you recommend stripping interior log walls and wha

Question:

our home is 4 yrs old..we had a terriblr time with our builders.. it took them a year to build the shell of our house. It is only 1200 sq. ft).we were doing the rest.. The outside finish on the dormers looks horrible! black on the stain. it really looks bad when it's rainy. what is it and how can we get rid of? also, what product do you recomend when we restain the house? Thanks.

Question:

My son just moved into a new log home. There are a few logs that are starting to have a white color coming through. Could you tell me what that is and how to treat it? Also, he has these little green bugs coming out of the wood we believe. This bug is not from our area so we think it came with the logs. What could they be?

Question:

I have just recently washed my log home with bleach and water. I had a few places that water did come inside. What do I use to seal the areas, maybe a clear silicone sealant?
Thanks, Tommy

Question:

I wonder what can be done to level a leaning trappers cabin. It leans from front to back.
Some people say, I need to get two comealongs,
place 2x6's between logs(vertical) around the cabin before setting the cables over them . Is that a good idea? The cabin is about 10x12 only.
It's very small and, it will be used only in the Spring, Summer, and Fall as recreational.

Question:

I have just bought a small 800 sq ft log cabin in the north georgia mountains. It was built in 2004 using sisson 'd' tongue and grove pine logs. the logs are in good shape but need a good cleaning. can i pressuse wash the logs. is there a cleaner that I should spray on first. i probably will need to reseal logs in the next year or so. thanks

Question:

rain blew in through small cracks of our cedar log walls. Now there are black drip water stains down the walls. Is there an easy solution to remove them?

Question:

Im in the process of purchasing a log home. It has three stories. The basement had some water areas, looked like it was coming from a closet in a room in the basement. It traveled a small stream into the garage. What would cause this? Is there a sealer that goes on the foundation?

Question:

i am part owner of an 80 year old Chestnut log hunting cabin. Most of the logs have age and drying cracks running with the grain of the wood. My partners want to fill these with caulk. I think it will trap moisture and make matters worse in the winter freeze / thaw cycles while the camp stands empty. Beyond the debate what if anything ought be done?

Question:

what is the best product to dust with ?

Question:

What should I use to pressure wash t and G pine that has some mold on it?

Question:

Have exposed wooden beams that were stained and then coated with poly. Sap has come through the poly. How do I remove the sap and prevent this from coming through again. to re stain.

Question:

I want to install a log railing on my porch. The post is 6 inch round cedar log. do you have a suggestions on the best way to secure the post to a cement slab? I seen square anchor posts but no round ones.
Thanks

Question:

Does salt water spray during storms etc., effect timber log cabins built very close to the shore. I have a site about 35 feet from the shore line and winter sea spray will be my biggest worry.

Question:

I am considering purchasing a 10 year old poplar log home. What immediate maintainance should I perform?

Question:

My home is 5 years old. The origanal owner used TWP and it has been treated regularly with TWP. The logs have spotty bark peices on them are some are curling and falling off and leaving gray spots. Should I remove the bark that is left and how do I do that? One more thing how do you aply TSP do you mix with water? and what is the mix ratio? thank you and great site!!!!!!!!!!

Question:

I have a split log home and cannot figure out a good way to get the dust off the interior peeled logs. Dust cloths leave little pieces of fuzz behind and hauling a shop-vac up to the top of a 30 foot ladder is not something I really want to do. Is there anything out there that can get the dust off without fuzz and risking my neck on a ladder?

Question:

care and treatment of stain and insects of 24 year old log home

Question:

We live in a log house and all interior walls are wood. We have wood and tile floors with no carpet. We have central heat & air. We are experiencing MAJOR problems with dust. Is there something we can do?

Question:

i was in my basement cleaning and my 22mth old daughter was playing with something seaping from the wood beams. my land lord said it was the pine sweating, so i believe it is sap.is this possible? is it harmful? why does this happen?

Question:

My friend purchased an old log cabin and removed interior beams: two logs that span the main area at either end from side to side overhead at the roof line and two near the kitchen area from roof to floor. I say they were there for support. Has he made the structure unsafe removing these logs?

Question:

I recently bought a 25 year old pine log cabin. One and only one of the logs is oozing sap. How long can I expect this continue and is there any way to stop it. Thanks

Question:

We live on the outskirts of Phoenix AZ and have a Santa -Fe style home. The logs are splitting a-lot now , we have east/west exposure, is there anything to do? Also what about termite prevention for them to?

Question:

I have a 30 year old Lindal Cedar home. At one time the roof leaked and left a stain on some of the inside ceiling wood. How would I clear this wook. I have tried soap and water with some success. The stains appers to be from the original tar paper.

Thank You

Tom Fisher

Question:

what can i put on newly peeled logs to prevent mould and craking

Question:

We put weatherall stain and sealer water based on our logs in2007 and it looks like it needs more in some places. I tried to clean it with a hose with water but you can still rub off dirt. Can I wash it with log wash from perma chink and then should I go back with the same product - Weatherall? Weatherall has UV protection in the water based product. Can you use Perma chink products over Weatherall?

Question:

I have three log homes with Spruce log siding. one cabin needs to restained. I like the look of Sikens and is what I have used on the three cabins. Give me the run down of what I should do. What type of Sander do you recommend.?
Sikens guide says to power wash, is this correct?
Regards,
Brad Abernathy - BackwoodsVacations.com, Oklahoma

Question:

We just cob blasted our four-year-old log home after the Defy finish failed. We still have gray areas that stain darker and cause a blotchy effect. Scrubbing those areas by brush with wood brightener helps, but is too tedious to do the whole house. Any suggestions?

Question:

We are considering purchasing an old log smoke house to restore and convert to living quarters. Is there anything we need to know before we take this big step?

Question:

I noticed that Pro Bass Shops have a large faux Log holding up the corners of the roof. Where can I find these logs? Thank you!

Question:

We have a log home in the Rocky Mountains witha metal roof and it seems that we are hearing creaking and clunking from the roof more and more. Any idea why this may be happeing?

Question:

We have a log home that the top parts of the log have greyed but the bottom part that doesn't get hit by sun are fine. How do I finish the top without getting two tones?

Question:

I'm thinking of buying a log home (age unknown, circa 1800 approx). The outside of the cabin has been covered w/ wood siding (not sure exactly what kind of wood, not cedar though). The inside of the log cabin looks great, but I know nothing about the upkeep of the same. Could you give me some info re: inside upkeep; and how often should I stain the wood siding over the outside of the log cabin? Thank you

Question:

If I apply the new clear Cetol Maintenance to my logs can it also be applied over the Perma-Chink? Thanks

Question:

We built a log home 9 years ago and it's been nothing but a big headache! We caulk constantly, but the walls still leak, some logs are rotting, and we freeze int he winter! We were thinking of wrapping house with Tyvek (sp?) and just putting flat log siding on the outside of the logs?? Would this work? Any other suggestions? Thank you!

Question:

We purchased an Honest Abe Log Home, built in 1981, using the original chinked log. I would like to install drywall on the master bedroom log/chinked walls. What do I need to do? Install it directly to the log walls, or do I need to use some 2x4 as spacing? I'm ready to start now and need to know where to begin as I have no experience with log homes. Thank you.

Question:

What chemical solution best strips oil based stain from wavy red cedar siding? The oil based stain, not mildue or dirt has darkened the wood. The ceday siding is twenty seven years old.

Question:

white pine log cabin,has had wood preservative aplied.do i need to do anything else,do i have to stain? 10 yrs.old in wisconsin

Question:

I have a 250 year old square log house with chinking. We are putting on fiber cement siding on the outside and wanted to know how to go about insulating before we put on the fiber cement.

Question:

my garage is ready to restain been over 10 years dad used a mixture he used to make himself when he built the place many many years ago he dipped his cedar sideding in a linseed oil, paint thinner, oil bese paint and japan dryers, the place is starting to dry in some weatherd areas time to recoat but what is the formula he used ???? and should i use the same stuff ? he used to say the stains now adays are trash his stuuf seams to hold up good but i dont nkow his formula no way to ask him any mor

Question:

I have a poorly constructed log home. The builder has used "Great Stuff" filler to seal between some of the log courses and in the saddle notch joints. Is this appropriate; is there something better? Also, tell me about "borate". Can I blow this salt material in between the saddle notches and logs to protect against rot and insects?

Question:

I haven't had any treatment applied to my log home in around 8 years; all sides look good except one, the side where the sun hits it the most, it looks faded. What is my best way to go about doing this and what are the cost?
Who does cob blasting in Georgia?
Also, you mentioned that it's very important to have gutters on log homes, why?
The roof over hangs, there's no water running off the roof onto the log walls, so why are gutters needed?

Question:

cedar log siding upkeep. What treatment would be best? New and would like it to stay that way.

Question:

my log home was stained three years ago, looks good but maybe a little thin or worn, Can it be cleaned and a new coat of same stain and sealer be applied? Sikkens product

thanks, rick, frm morganton, nc

Question:

I just had a home built with half-log white pine siding. What do I need to treat it with? And how do I treat it? I noticed that some of the wood is already getting some black spots, and a few places have some sap oozing. I have been in the house about a month. The builder used Thompson Water Seal mixed with some kind of an oil.

Question:

I purchased a 7 year old log home. White pine, full logs. The main roof is held up by 2 massive posts, 24" diameter, 30' high. They support 2 A style posts which sit on top of the side walls plus secondary braces. Well, the gaps between the A posts and the Vertical centre posts have been getting wider and wider. It seems that the side walls are shrinking and the main roof needs to be lowered. The centre posts sit on top of 4 massive nuts. Do I have to lower the centre posts by using the

Question:

Just built a pine log staircase with pine railings in the home we are building; all of the pine is bare wood (we used a grinder to remove top layer of logs/poles); what product/products should we use to seal this wood? We would like to keep wood as light as possible yet seal it so it stands up over time. Should we stain first then cover with a urethane finish? Do we use a water or oil base stain? How does a tinted urethane hold up on stairs/railings?

Question:

I have a two story great room that looks like a ski lodge. The walls are all cedar. They obviously have had water leaks in the past. There's lines running down the walls from past water dripping. Is there anything I can do to make the walls look better?

Question:

I am purchasing a log home in Ely, Mn. X-180 sounds like a great product to treat the logs and cedar siding. Suggested power wash at 500 to 1000 psi. I want to be carful not to blst out the calk between the logs. Help?

Question:

Do you suggest to cut back the log ends?

Question:

I recently purchased a 3.5 foot 10" * 10" barn beam. I am planning on simply putting 4 legs on it and turning it into a bench for our front hall. It's currently in the house drying out before I treat it. My question is what would be best to bring the wood back to life and protect it?
Thanks.

Question:

WHY IS THE #1 NO NO IN THE PERMA CHINK CATALOG , I recieved today?? On page 32 and 33 they offer two products to be used outside as a finsih remover, you apply, the remove
with a PRESURE WASHER!!!!They clearly state this. Now is this a new safeway to do this?, If I call them, they will say yes, its their product, you tell me is this a safe way to do this on my log home!!!!!!!!!!!

Question:

We just finished a room (about 2400 sq feet) in knotty pine and have been told about Watco Danish Oil and Sikkens cetol oil. We want to seal the wood but keep the natural color. Should we use one of these products or a polyurethane. What would you recommend? Thanks Pam

Question:

The logs around my utility sink in the laundry area are dull and water stained. What can I do to the affected logs so they look like the other logs in that room?

Question:

Log home built this past year. Sap drips from roof onto my carpet. How do I best clean my carpet. Can this drip be prevented in the future?

Question:

could you give me step directions on bulding a nornal log barn

Question:

ike after the first treatment on the exterior of my log cabin i treated it with yacht varnish which i was told was the best thing to use then winter came and i noticed water blisters around the outside walls of the bathroom now some of the wood has turned black what should i do now?

Question:

I live in Huntsville, Ontario. We have a deck that has white pine railing,posts and beams that are all covered in black mold. What is the best way to get rid of it.

Question:

We had a cabin built 2 years ago. It's 1,600 sq ft. with a wrap around deck. Cabin is supported on concrete cinder blocks. The decking is supported by 4x4 posts at 6 ft intervals. Built on a slope, the front is ground level and the back is 8 ft high. My question: Are 4x4s sufficient support or should I look at replacing with stronger support (6x6). It's been suggested that in time, I could develop severe problems.

Question:

We are buying a house that has an upper story out of cypress.....it is very dirty....how should we clean it? The trim around the windows needs to be replaced....once we replace the trim and clean will the colors blend well? Or will the trim look a lot newer and better?

Question:

My parents have a kitchen that is done in barn beams and the barn board. The barn board on the ceiling has some water stain damage from severl years ago. What can I use to lighten the stain and something to put over it. The wood is a gray weathered never painted barn wood. Wood a gray stain/sealer work? Lots of window in the kitchen so there will be good air flow when working on it.

Question:

I am building a cypress log home. The shower in the master bath has 1/1/2 walls that are the interior of the exterior walls. The other walls are framed. Can I 1) use the cypress walls as is unfinished, 2) use the cypress wood but well finshed, 3) must I do the usual and tile over backer board? Thanks.

Question:

Our log home is about 40 years old but was moved to the location it is in now about 12 years ago. We purchased 5 years ago. The problem I have is, part of the master bedroom, I have turned into a walk in closet. The shelving on the east wall, where clothing may sit against the logsl, I have noticed that they are wet and there is ice on some. Of course now there is nothing touching the wall and when there is nothing we have no moisture there. Sometimes if a housecoat is left near the North w

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Some of our inside logs are splitting what are we to do? Also we have been having severe weather swings 70 then teens, rain, snow, ice all in two weeks, last rain it started running down some of the interior logs and through the chink, what causes this and what can we do?

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seasonal upkeep on a log cabin i have heard it must be treated every year is that true?

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I recently purchased a log home. Only in the winter time, with 3 feet of snow up on the roof, I had problems with water drops coming through the ceiling, we had really bad rainy days, but no leaks only in the winter time. I paid a couple of roofers to come and see the problem but they claimed that the logs were never caulked nor chinked. On one of the dormers they seen ply wood and a roof flashing exposed , he claims the the gaps on the logs had to be chinked, do you think that could be a facto

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I live in a Lindal Cedar Home which is about 15 years old. the interior cedar walls which are EVERYWHERE are not clear, but are knotty to the point of distraction! They are sealed. I want to paint or "wash" them in a warm white or gray color so that the knots are not so prominent. What would you suggest to "treat" them to achieve the desired effect of not-so-knotty looking walls?
Many thanks

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Log Doctor, I just brought home a large pine log from NM. The plan is to finish it and use it as a base for a coffee table. What is the most appropriate way to sand, stain and seal it so that it will last, but not seap sap? P.S. We already have the bark off, the log is aged. Thank you in advance.

Charlie Pinson
San Antonio

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I have cut some long leaf florida pine for furniture. How is the best way to drain the sap and how long would it take? the logs are 4" and less. Thanks, Jimmy

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I am considering restorations on the cabin that my father is giving me, handed down from my grandfather. The cabin is ~80 years old and is constructed of white pine logs and swamp cedar rafters. The main issue with the cabin is the two pine trees in front are very close (one white pine and one douglas fir). The roots have actually lifted the front of the cabin I fear. These trees are both about ~120 feet tall. My first issue is the roof and chimney. The chimney has no foundation and is leaning i

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I have rough cedar walls throughout my 4500 square foot house and have not found anything that works on removing pet hair and dust off the walls. I have tried a vacuum cleaner, wet rags, feather dusters that stick to the rough cedar. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks

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We just took delivery of a new white pine hand-crafted log home. The first three courses of the home sustained some significant UV graying during early fall when we had 5 weeks steady rain during the build. Courses laid later look great, but the difference between these and the bottom 3 courses is stark on the sun exposed areas. The builder bleached all before delivery and then applied TimberTech - to stabilize the logs until spring staining. The bleach really did very little to remove the g

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Does cold air cause eastern white pine logs/siding to darken? I have geothermal heat which requires water under pressure. I would like to shut down the heat and well pump and drain my water lines for extended winter absences. Does the lack of heat cause the wood to darken? Thanks

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The interior walls of our 20 year old cabin, construction is just logs with rubber gaskets, show what look like drip marks. I can scrub some of them off, but don't understand what they are, what causes them, or if they can be fixed.

Washed the walls with a vinegar, baking soda and ammonia with water mix and that helped a lot, but not completely.
Could you advise? many thanks, P. Venet

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How do you get that black stain off the stone on your fire place?

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NOREASTER HORIZONTAL RAINS PENETRATE OUR HEMLOCK LOG WALLS OF OUR 5 YEAR OLD MAINE HOME, DESPITE CONTINUED USE OF WATERPROOFING PRODUCTS. LOGS KEEP CHECKING. WILL HURRICANE PROTECTION FABRIC KEEP WATER OUT? ANYTHING ELSE?
WHAT TYPE AND BRAND OF FINISH DO YOU RECOMMEND?

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hello, I am building this spring, using batton and board siding, I really like the look of the chinked log siding on the INTERIOR. Is their a faux chinked log system for interors?

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I had cypress siding installed five years ago, expecting it to turn the beautiful light grey you see at the seashore, Instead, the boards have simply darkened. Would applications of salt water over time give me the effect I'm hoping for? Thanks!

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My husband and I have been thinking about building a log home (or possibly brick). Since we are novices, would you already happen to have a list of log home pros and cons, to share some of your wisdom with us? Thanks!

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I have a 30+ year old 3 bedroom log ranch made by Ward Cabins of Maine and want to re-finish the interior walls. Interior walls are tongue & groove knotty pine and the outer walls are Cedar, milled flat, all are raw wood, no finished applied. Fillers for the knots that have discinagrated in the center? Sanding [takes forever with a hand held osscilating sander] or other method to clean the wood walls? What finish to use? I've tried poly urethane but the Home Depot brand for floors smells forev

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How susceptible are log homes to termite infestation.

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In the October newsletter you say to mount the downspouts 6" from the corner. How about from a flat wall? Do I need to mount the downspout with a 6" spacer between the wall and the downspout?
Thank you,
Heidi in Florida

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I have a prussure treated wood ramp for my shed that has a knot which continues to seep sap. How do I stop the sap from seeping?

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I built a Lindal Cedar Home 5 yrs ago. It is has red cedar siding (not logs). It is time to restain. Will corn-cob blasting work on siding? Will it remove black water stains on cedar plywood? Do you know of anyone around Des Moines, IA that does corn=cob blasing?

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We have an older faux log house. Can you recommend a book or something to learn about the upkeep requirements and how can we find out what brand/type of logs it is made with?
Thank you.

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I paid a company to reastore our 30 year cabin last year. They power washed and stripped the logs, etc. Then they applied weather seal after it dried. Some of the areas need another application. How do I go about this. Do I have to clean the logs before hand again to get rid of dirt, before applying stain? Also, what is the yearly maintenance on the outside for these logs?

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How does the product called Timberwash by Saver Systems, an oxygenated bleach (safe on grasses, etc. as well) , compare to LogWash for cleaning a log home stained using a latex product?

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How do i prevent newly peeled logs from getting mouldy and splitting

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Hi there,

My wife and I dismantled a couple of old granaries(in Saskatchewan Canada and we would like to use the siding in our basement. I was wondering what I could use as a chemical or non-toxic solution to treat the boards to clean them up a bit. I am concerned with a possible smell as the boards until a week ago, were still in place on the granaries.

Any suggestions? I don't want to damage the grey look.

Rick

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I'm considering purchasing a log sided home built in 1990. I have no experience with this type of construction. What should I look out for and what kind of maintenance should I expect.

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I'm having a cottage built on a lake with red cedar shingles. I would like to treat the shingles with a clear stain so it shows the beautiful colors of this fine wood. What types of treatment,products would you advise in order for me to achieve this. Thank you.

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I am considering buying a 22 year old log home in Nova Scotia. There is no insulation in the roof and I was told that "log homes don't need insulation". Is this accurate?

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I have been sealing a friends pine log cabin for the past few yrs. What would you suggest in sealing the logs so that they do not need sealing every year? And His pine log garage windows have mold will the solution you recommend with bleach, tsp and warm help clean this up before I seal it again?

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We have an Applachain style log home that we built 10 years ago. We chinked between the logs with mortar. The "mortared" spaces are between 4' and 8'. We would like to use a layer of synthetic chinking to cover the mortar and get a smoother finish. What do you recommend? How do we apply it? Also, we want to treat the logs with Boracar. Will that interfer with applying the synthetic chinking?
Thanks

Question:

We have asked several questions but have never received an answer nor have they been posted.
We really need some help with a water stain problem.
I found one question on water stain that was posted but it really does not answer our question.
We built a cypress log home six years ago and for some reason we are getting water leaking inside when a severe rain and wind comes. It has caused stain on the interior and we need to remove these unsightly stains. Weve tried diluting bleach with water

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I'm restoring a cabin in Council Id and it has a tin roof with no insulation. I'm making the attic area liveable and would like to know how to insulate the roof without using much of the head room. Thanks for any help. It gets very hot in that area.

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I have a cabin in Colorado at EL. 7700 feet with peeled log siding that has been coated with a clear varnish. The varnish has deteriorated and yellowed and is flaking on the top part of the logs. Part of the logs are turning black. The underside of the siding appears okay in some areas where the varnish has not weathered. The same is true under the eaves where the sun has not hit the siding as much. What process would you recommend to restore the logs prior to placing a new finish? What pr

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I have a tongue and groove cedar ceiling that is 20 years old. At the seams it appears to be turning ash or white in color. Do you know what might be causing this?

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Some of the logs in my home recently got drenched! There are spots that the water seeped inside. Is there any way to restore the logs before they mildew and mold?

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We are interested in buying a house that a bank bought back - so there is no information on how it came to have its problems. What we have seen is 1)bee holes 2)some interior sides of walls are showing signs of water stains running down 2-3 ft from various heights on the wall 3)some floor was ruined due to the cabin's previous owners not winterizing it and pipes burst and there is mold on all wood in the basement 4)the bank is running the a/c but no de-humidifier and it is still extremely humid

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My sliding doors are very difficult to open due to settlement and possible seasonal expansion. The doors are double insulated glass with wood interior and aluminum clad exterior. I haven't been able to find anyone who could help with this problem. It looks like the track was routed by the previous owners as a quick fix. The logs are oak and the house was built in 1992. The exterior tracks are twisted so the screens can no longer function. I'm 6'5" 230lb and I can hardly open them. HELP!

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We have inherited 50 acres and a 1800 hand hewn log home which is in fairly good condition. We are disable and unable to repair the home and not able for the up keep on a log home, so we intend on building a home we can manage the up keep. We have talked to several log home companies about the worth of the house. And I would like your estimate of the value. Its approx 40x60 hand hewn log cabin built in the mid to late 1800's, it is good condition, my husbands grandfather lived in it until his d

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We built our log home three years ago and used Saver System products. We would like to avoid stripping/cob blasting by proper maintenance. Will applying a clear moisture and UV protection product every several years help prevent the need to ever strip and start from bare logs?

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What are your thoughts on Behr Oil Based Deck Stain. The previous owner used it but we are wondering if Deckscapes from Sherwin Williams is a better product. Would you advise going through their whole deck stain remover, revive and stain system that they are trying to sell. Or can we stain over the current stain on the deck after we sand?

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How does one easily remove bark from the logs inside an existing log cabin

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We just finished staining our new cabin with Weatherall UV Guard. Is it necessary to finish with a coat of clear? Will it hurt if we don't? What do you recommend? thanks

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Dear Log Doctor, I have a 15 y/o log home in southwestern Wyoming. I am looking for a good contractor to do repairs to my home, log replacement, blasting, staining, chinking and so on. Could you suggest someone in my area to call for help in repairing my home. Thank you.

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We are in the process of building a log home and are debating whether to put any stain, sealer or Urythan on the interior logs. Do you think this is a good idea, or what do you recommend? We had cleaned the logs with straight bleach to clean them, and they look washed out.

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We are considering buying a log home built in 1988 in southeastern Wisconsin. What kind of yearly or ongoing maintenance can we expect will be needed?

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Hey, infromative site, nice job.
Question, my white pine home has three spots that look like carpenter ant holes. Best plan to irradicate these beasts?????
thanks, mike in wisconsin

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I have some logs that are faded and black. I think the builder used too much bleach, and the stain is not sticking. What can I do to fix this?

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My log home was built in 2004 in Mississippi. I have had no problem until yesterday. When I got home from work, there were hundreds of BEES in my home. I have a vaulted ceiling with 2 triangle windows. The bees were swarmed in the windows and would fly up to the ceiling. Is this a major problem anywhere else, and what do you suggest I do to get rid of them?

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I'm a new log home owner and a novice to log home maintenance. I understand that water based sealers (like Lifeline) seem to have several advantages but is there any technical downside from a wood protection standpoint to using a solvent based sealer (like any deck water sealer and UV block)?

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I am decorating a wooden shelf with log slices & some of them have grown mold. What can I do/use to get rid of the mold? Thanks!

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We are considering purchasing a log home that was built in around 1945. We have been told that the outside logs were coated with creosote in the mid 80's (inside is all sheet rock). I know this is very nasty stuff, but have been unsuccessful in really finding input on potential hazards from an application that old. It has been "painted" over many times, but I still need to find out if it was paint or truly solid stain (I had assumed it was stain thinking no one would put paint on logs, but a

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I have a two story cedar log cabin home in central Florida. When the sun shines on the highly sloped roof, I get condensation on the ceiling beams. I have installed a ceiling fan, which helps, but does not eliminate this problem. Any suggestions. John

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We have a rustic log cabin near Glacier National Park, built of Western Larch and well hewn inside with a braod ax to a very even surface. The porch ceiling has never been finished. How would you suggest we finish it? Would random width 3/4" boards be in keeping with the style?

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Sweating or frost in the walls on stick built gable end above where the logs end, in Maine in the Winter time. There is Log siding, sheathing and then insulation. It is wet between the insulation and the sheathing. The inside walls are not put up yet. Please help we are getting mildew and runoff down the walls on the 1st. floor below. Thanks!!

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Dont mean to sound ignorant but what is TSP?and where would I find it?

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What would you consider to use to remove the sap from a stained log house? Mineral sprits and goo gone do not work.

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Sir:
Sir:

I have access to 60 red pine and blue spruce logs. (12 to 16 at the base. 30 to 40 feet long) They are standing and I am to cut them down. They are all alive. I was wondering if there is a good time of the year to cut them down and peel the bark off easily. Or, do I have to do it with a draw knife. Is there any other hand tool that would work better? I do not have access to a machine driven log peeler. What do ya think?

Frank Kortuem

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Hello. Great informative site!
I just purchased property that has a pre-1840's log home on it. It is in great shape considering, but does need some maintenance and repair. I have no idea where to start really to get this house restored. It is located in central West Virginia and is made of very large hewn logs with about 3" space between them. Some chinking is missing (not much) and a log under the porch is eaten/rotted away on the face but the heartwood seems okay. I don't know who to contac

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How do you remove tannin stains from log homes? We have been told that is why our logs are turning black.

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i live in nc. I've noticed several exterior log homes being painted with a type of liquid that makes the logs look like plastic. Do you know anything about this type of finish?

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We have a 12-year old red cedar home in central Virginia. During the Spring and Summer we have very high levels of humidity, dust and pollen. This combination leaves a thick layer of grime on the logs. We purchased the house nine years ago and begain treating the logs with Cetol products by Sikkens. How do we clean the logs on an annual basis? Is light power washing okay? I don't want to strip the logs, just clean them. Thanks.

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We are currently building a timber frame home. We wanted to use 10 inch channell rustic cypress siding. We love the natural weathered look of an old barn with grays and browns. What kind of stain can we use to achieve that look.

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how can i remove latex paint off mydeck?What stripper do yopu recommend?

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we have wanted a log home for several years, however due to the negative side, we are how looking to stickbuild and use the log siding instead...will this give us the look of a log home without the maintenance of the real logs..

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A friend of mine wants me to come "look" at his csbin and explain what is wrong as I used to be a builder. His problem is that the drywall he hung is pulling away from his logs, which he did not allow to dry. My understanding is that he hung the drywall directly on the logs as opposed to building seperate interior walls. Any solutions? Thanks

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Are the square logs with chinking the best way to go? Worry about other types because of logs touching and rotting eventually.
Thank you

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would you recommend oak log homes over pine or cedar? why or why not? We are trying to decide on a log home to build

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We are looking at a 12 year old heart cypress log home to buy in central , florida. Is cypress a good log, what do we look for, how should we maitain it, some large shade trees in back, the rest in the sun, should trees be left?

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we just bought a log home and the logs are turning almost white on the outside and splitting on the inside. what kind of maintence do we need to do in order to preserve our logs? we live in wyoming and the wind blows badly here.

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we need some information on humidifying our log home: is it necessary and is cold air humidifiers the best, do we need to keep them on year round? What are the benefits? Thanks very much.

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We just built a new log home and the interior logs are finished with a clear coat. My question is what do you use to clean the dust off the round logs and how often?

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I live in Ontario Canada and have a 10 year old cedar log house, I am having a lot of trouble keeping humidity in the house in the winter months. I have a humidifier in the furnace and two humidifiers in the house however, the logs are really dry and cracking. Any suggestions?

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i'm trying to get the water stain out of a untreated quaking aspen log and also would like to pull a crack together. This is only a 3' long log of about 5" caliper, it is being used as part of a interior.
Thanks for you great follow up to your email problems months ago!
Vern

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I have a log house that was built in 1770. The logs are in good condition. They have never been treated or painted. I would like to clean the logs. What would you recommend that I do to clean the logs inside and outside.

Thank You.

Harold L. Burrell

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We have caulked our log cabin two years in a row with non silicone based caulk and everytime it rains, water pours into the house. What else can we do?

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When a question was asked about what to clean mold off a log cabin with, you mentioned water and TSP. What is TSP?

Question:

How do you stop the sap from seeping through on a deck made with pine lumber

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My wife is fasinated with log homes. Is there anyone that is producing an artificial log siding that will have the low maintenance quality of a good vinyl or steel siding?
Thanks, Rich

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We have a log house in NW Montana and will leave it for the winter. Is it alright to shut off the heat during the winter? Will this damage the logs or the chaulking/chinking?
Thanks

Question:

How do you remove birddroppings from your logs?I want to reseal the logsagain this year.

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My mom had a log home built (square cut logs with chinking) 32 years ago in mountains of western NC. Exterior/interior walls are one and the same. Never had any finish or waterproofing applied. We decided to waterproof now. Went to Lowes, where they recommended Olympic clear wood protector, a penetrating oil formula for decks, siding, etc. Treated the back of the house. A week later, very strong odor from product inside the house. Is it penetrating all the way through the logs? Should

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i am looking to buy a 20 yr. old log cabin. it has not been taken care of but looks solid. instead of blasting and resealing can i just put vinyl siding over it? can i use a vapor barrier like a tyvek? will the logs still be able to breath? thank for the input, really love the site fritz in pennsylvania

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need name of log expert to replace logs, sandblast, stain, etc, live in virginia, on the chesapeake bay, house is expose to the salt water air, house built in early 1970

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Our log home has a good solid coat of primer & acrylic paint on the exterior. That's the way it's going to stay, & because of that am wondering if it would be best to leave the interior bare so the wood can breath.

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I was wondering how you get mildew off log siding It just started to mildew last year so it shouldn't be to deep. what would you recommend sealing it with?

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My log home exterior is extremely dirty and has many black stains and black stained drip markings. I'm told it's from dirt sticking to pollen. I live in a heavy pine tree area with lots of pollen. I've tried washing with TSP, no bleach though, but it didn't help much at all. I need to know how to clean these logs without stripping or damaging them. They are very, very dirty and sticky.
Thanks

Question:

What is the best way to remove sap from untreated logs? Some of it is dried, some fresh. We are preparing the interior for staining.

Question:

Recent (built 2003 - 2006) log and timber A-framed home in UT at elev. around 5 k ft. Siding is pine tounge and groove stained a sunset redwood color. Problem 1: The stain on siding is patchy, and blotchy in some areas. Needs to be re-stained, however the South siding and some on the East is seeping sap. How do I remove the sap to re-stain? Will I have to do this to the entire pine tounge and groove siding of the house? Problem 2: Interior A frame beams also seeping sap in some areas. Do

Question:

In one of your tips you mentioned infusing Shell Guard into small checks to prevent rot. When refinishing my home, we used a product called Penetreat. Will this work as well as Shell Guard?

Thank you,

Question:

I'm in the process of buying a 26 year old log home. It was built from a kit by an outfit in Virginia. They used pine logs that were attached together by use of a 1/4 inch tempered masonite spline that was notched into a one inch groove that ran down the center of each log. The home inspector (who is not a log home expert, although he said he had a lot of experience with log homes) strongly suggested that we have the house chinked and caulked. Given the tongue and groove arrangement of cons

Question:

We have a peeled log home around 25-30 years old in the Catskills. We have a very large front porch where birds have made nests over the years. We are planning to clean out the eaves this Spring. What is the best method for cleaning the bird droppings on the logs located right under the eaves. Thanks!

Question:

Why do we use tongue and groove to build log cabins? I need this for my school homework.
Thank you!

Question:

We are having problems with water leakage on the south side of our log home. When there's rain and wind, the water comes in every single hair line crack (and there are bazillions of hair line cracks). We've rechinked the inside and outside and run calk and chinking in every crack we can get to, but no avail. Is there any spray on product that can coat the entire side of the house, fill every crack, and still preserve the log look?

Question:

How do you fasten half llog siding on and what kind of panelling do you need underneath of it?

Thank you.

Question:

Our historical was given a log cabin made with round logs. the outside has been neglected for quite some time.What is the best cauck to use
(clear or color) and the best preservative for the logs.

Question:

We are purchasing a log home built in 1974. The logs have darkened over the years. I think the previous owner did very little to maintain the logs. An inspector noticed three small areas that may be log rot. Since we are spending a lot of money on the house, I wonder if the drill and fill method of installing epoxy will be a stop gap measure until we accumulate enough money for a log to be replaced. Is there an "average" price for log replacement? Short of spending 10,000 for "corn cob bla

Question:

We are thinking about buying a log house in Magnolia, mississippi. Our home was damaged during hurricane Katrina, so we are moving out of the flood plain. I came across this two story log home it has been restained in the last two years. I know nothing about log homes so what should i look for when inspecting this home. It seems to be well kept. I would like any information you could supply.

Question:

IS THER ANY STORE(LOWES, ETC.) THAT SELLS PERMA CHINK OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT WOULD SEAL LOGS SO WATER WON'T COME IN.

Question:

I have purchased a log home built in 1980 some of the interior walls are untreated. I want to give them a good cleaning and put a clear stain on them to improve their look and make cleaing easier in the future. How would I clean the logs? The are red pine hand peeled.

Question:

We are going to retire and move from Ft Worth to NE Texas. We found a small but beautiful ranch there with a Satterwhite log home on it. I have been told the log homes are very high maintenance. Is this true? We do not want to spend our spare time and alot of money to maintain a house. Are ther specific questions we should ask the seller? Thank you, Marie

Question:

My husband and I are thinking about building a red cedar sided house this summer. I was wondering if you have heard of anyone having any trouble with a home that is log sided and drywalled on the inside. Do Red Ceder logs keep a nice color or do they eventually fade and need staining? Thanks a lot.

Question:

the southeasterly facing windows in my log home are leaking when the rain drives against them.I have caulked around all of them,but it does not seem to work.They have done this ever since the house was new.The builder has been no help in this matter. They are the kind of windows that open out,not up and down.I hope you can offer me some advice.Thank You.

Question:

In my area (Knoxville,TN) who is best qualified to replace rotted logs? Do not include Appalachian Log Homes or Dave Carter, thank you please. Enjoyed your website-very informative.

Thanks,
M S

Question:

I am about to buy a log cabin business. this place was built in 1935 and has wood slats between the logs and then it was chinked. the chinking is parting away from the logs in places. none of the logs are in any symetric order so what type of chinking would i use to seal this back up again and are there any special tools or special precautions I would need to do while doing this prioject.

Question:

Just bought a 30 yo cedar home, true log/no drywall, and have dripping ceilings. This happens mostly in the a.m. Also, a converted garage keeps condensation on the french doors. We did put on a metal roof when we moved in. We keep the ceiling fans on reverse to circulate air. How can we stop this before damage happens?

Question:

Out log home is very drafty and hard to heat. Can we caulk the interior which is tongue and groove cedar?
THANKS

Question:

The logs on the house are very dirty what is the best thing to clean them with.

Harolde

Question:

My log home has 3/4 logs with 2x6 framing. I have these cracks. in the winter they fill with snow melting then freeze and check more. When that happens it sounds like a gun shot. Can I seal these with stacker caulk? Also where can I get minwood filler putty?

Question:

Do Cedar Logs have problems with core rot?

Question:

My wife and I just purchased an old log cabin, (built around 1955) while looking at the house I noticed that they used quickcrete for chinking. Should this all be removed? There are no apparent leaks in the cabin. And what would be the best thing to clean the logs with.

Thanks Harold

Question:

We have built a log home in 2001 and had to have it refinished because the first finish peeled off. The people we hired to restain in globbed the stain on and it turned black with mold. We just finished cleaning it off exactly as the manufacturing recommended and we have the mold back again on the surface - it hasn't even been a month and it's covered again. it comes off easily with the TSP /pool chlorine solution they recommend but why is it reoccuring??? We followed the instructions to th

Question:

We are having a log house/cabin built. We've found the builder, and he builds with log siding or Satterwhite "real" logs. This is all new to us. What are the advantages or disadvantages of both. Are real logs more cost efficent (heating and cooling)? As far as durability and maintenance... which is better? I guess my first question is would you go with log siding or real logs? And my second question is regarding the builder... he has been building for about 5 years. How can we make s

Question:

are there any big disadvantages to building a log cabin with "bark-on" exterior siding? thx.

Question:

I bought a 75 year old log cabin home in northern Idaho. It was stained or oiled from 30s - 90s. Then somebody stuccoed it (must have been a heck of salesman). Then someone else painted over the stucco. As the newest owner, I scraped off everything loose, caulked all the cracks and primed and painted the entire structure. THEN I found your page. Will the breathability problem be helped by the age of the logs? Should I cut a slot on the underside of each log to let it respire? Help?

Question:

We just built a log home. Due to tremendous rain during construction, It suffered water stains and mildew on the interior. I cleaned the logs with a tsp & bleach solution. I then sealed with Lifeline Interior. The water stains have reappeared and even darker! Did I hurt the wood? What can I do to remove the water stains and not injure the wood?

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Help! we have neglected maintenance & find rot in log ends underneath wood filler applied years ago to cover/fill punky areas.. apparently the sealer wore off/moisture got in& rot is 2-3" deep in log ends.. what to do?

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I am looking at buying a log house. I have been told that it's not a good idea since they are a lot of upkeep. I am a handy, but busy single mom. I've always wanted a log home though. Can you give me an idea of the maintenance I'm looking at above what I would do for any other house?

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I had e-mail you a couple of weeks ago with questions but now 1 is answered..no power washing. Our 18 yr old cedar log home needs help. Some of the logs seem a little "tender" and have lost all their sheen..cabin looks dull.
The original owners used Wolmann's..I can't find that here and wonder if we could use Sikkens Retol..no color just natural top coat. We have some mildew..how do I remove that if we can't power wash? We love our home and want to make it look so much better. We live o

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How do we remove crayon from untreated interior logs?

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I AM THINKING ABOUT PURCHASING A LOG CABIN THAT WAS NEVER FINISHED AND IS 10 YEARS OLD. SOME OF THE LOGS ARE SPLIT AND I WAS WONDERING IF THESE COULD BE REPAIRED AND HOW?

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How do I go about finding a contractor who can replace rotted lower logs on 100-year-old cabin? and do some leveling? (whole log construction with long spans, no true foundation, 50x60 cabin)

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We are building a new log home with double D shape logs. The manu. of logs told us they would provide a templete for cutting log but now we cannot get any help from them.We need to know how to cut log to join corners together. Can you please help us? Thank You.

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We are in the process of purchasing a log home, our very first. It is 4 yrs. old and appears to be in pretty good shape. What should we be looking for/asking during the inspection period?

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I have a log home twenty years old.The roof is cedar shakes',is there a way to clean them like you clean the logs to restain them.Also.what is the age limit on shakes.

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I have been having alot of water leaking on the inside N W corner of my 15 year old log cabin. I've tried caulking, but so far it hasn't helped. Help!

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Our Rec Center is a log building. It is 14 years old. On the weather side we have noticed that there is dry rot, enough so that one can press the log surface toward the interior of the log. What can we fill the void with and stop further damage?

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We have a western red cedar log home, purchased 1/01; home built 1987-1988. Supposedly has never been stained only power washed in 2000. We are in the process of cleaning with a product that has sodium hydroxide and bleach and power washing. (Should have contacted you first, sorry.) We need to caulk (d-shaped logs) as we are getting some water on the inside. We think we want to caulk all the joints. Some joints & knots have had clear silicone applied. We are trying to get that out, as it i

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I just bought land and want to use the Cedars on the property to build a camp/retirement house. Can I cut them and use them right away? I plan on milling top and bottom for good flat fit and the inside also. Will it shrink too much and/or how do I compensate for shrinkage? I want to be able to have camp as soon as possible but am afraid using new logs will only cause me problems? Please any direction will be great.

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We have recently purchased a 5 year old log home in northwest AR. It was a lincoln log kit. Anyway, the logs were stained with a base deck stain that looks like a brown base paint, almost. Is there a way to take this off and stain it properly and what stains are good for pine logs.

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We are building a log home and our latest shipment of log siding looks different from the logs we received before. The siding has gray colored sections, where the previous logs did not have any discoloration. Is this anything to be concerned with? Does the gray color mean the log has started to decay? Or is it just "character" as the log company explains? The log is made of lodgepole pine.
Thanks!

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I have a early 1800's pine log cabin that I am restoring. Most of the Logs are in really good shape with small cracks. What should I do to treat my logs?
Thanks

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We need to put gutters on our log home. What kind do you recommend?
Thanks

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i am building a ceder log cabin on premative property, and the chinking process is somewhat a mystery to me. i first started out to build a fort for my son and i to have some adventures in, but it soon turned into a big project with ceder tree cutting, peeling and digging. i dont claim to know what i am doing but i do know that i need to chink in between the french style log cabin logs. i cant afford the good stuff, but i dont want to use the mud and moss either. if you could help me with this i

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I am considering buying a log cabin in NH that has been painted. It was built in 1991. It has a regular wood frame at the corners but then the rest is logs. Is there any reason to ever paint versus stain a log cabin. Everything in your web page says to never paint. It is stained on the inside. Would I need to strip off the paint to insure the logs do not rot?

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I have 6" D shaped double tongue and groove logs and water is being blown in when it rains. Can I use something like "LiquidWood" to seal the joints outside? Also have a lot of cracking going on, S side of house, Any help would be appreciated.

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Are there any affects, concerns or disadvantages of putting a log home in extreme dry desert conditions such as Nevada area? What affect will extreme heat do to the logs and what should one do to protect it better, if any? Thank you.

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We have a 6 year old log home that we built ourselves. We live in the woods in N.Ga.. Since we have lived here we have had costant problems in our upstairs with wasp and flies. Especially in fall and spring. Each room will be filled with wasp and will come right back after being cleaned out. Help! our children can't even stay in their own rooms. In the summer wasp circle our home. Do you know any repellents or products we can use on the logs to help rid of these pests.

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Is it necessary to take off the old finish before staing the log home. The finish under the porch roof is good, but the rest of the house needs staining, can I just apply a new coat of stain?

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We have a whole log cabin. The bottom few logs on the interior are getting moldy. I was wondering what the best way to clean it is and how to prevent it in the furture.
Sincerely,
Kathy Merritt

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I live in a log house that is very old. The logs still have the bark on them, should it be removed ?

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ANY EASY SOLUTION TO REDUCE CREAKING WITHOUT THE USE OF CARPETING?

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I have a summer cottage that is all cedar on the inside and half logs on the outside ... Will I hurt the wood if I drain all the water lines and turn off all the heat?

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Thank you for your great web site. I am looking at buying a 24 year old log home in Illinois. It has 8 inch full logs and no chinking. Owner claims, "in 1992 outside stripped using high-pressure washer, and logs were treated with Bora-Care. he stains with latex perma-Chink" should i beware on account of this home being pressure washed? I noticed in different areas in the middle of a wall where a log end or two has warped out maybe 1 inch. Is this a problem? If so can it be pulled back in p

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I have a log home that had ice damage. The insulation panels used for the roofing does not have a vetilation. I there any products that can be used to create a ventilation system for a house with cathedral ceilings

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We purchased a log home it was built in 1987 and the logs inside are very dirty. I have no idea what the logs are finished with and don't want to hurt them when I clean them. I need to know what to clean away all the years of dirt and grim with.

Thanks in advance. Cheryl

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how can I repair large cracks/splits in my logs? can I just use cauk? thanks

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I just bought a cabin that has had an addition using half log siding, the original has full logs which the bark has peeled off. Is it ok to peel off the bark of the half logs and stain or paint everything to make it look uniform.

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We are considering purchasing a log home and we noticed that a lot of sap is coming out of the wood on the outside of the houe. Is there anything we can use to wash off the sap? What can we do to prevent the sap from seeping out? Thanks.

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My porch ceilings, they are tung and groove pine, are molding. It seems to be worse near the ceiling fans. And some of the logs have mold on them. the house is stained with Cabots. What can i use to clean the mold without messing up the stain job?

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I HAVE A CABIN IN MONTANA AND I WANT TO OIL THE INSIDE LOGS TO FRESHEN UP THE DULL LOOK. WHAT DO I USE? ITS VERY DUSTY HERE SO I DONT WANT DUST TO ADHERE TO SOMETHING THAT MAY BE STICKY.

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I have mold growing inside my log home and there is no apparent moisture source other than a particularly humid summer. What can I use to get rid of it? Then, how do I prevent it from returning?

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how do I put my porch light on after I put log siding on

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I have a cedar log home and when it rain, water runs through and around the knots and into the inside of the logs. How can I stop this problem?

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Hello,

My name is Peter and I have been tasked with "cleaning" my brothers recently purchased 5 year old log cabin. Can I just hit this thing with a low preasure power washer and some dish soap. We live in New England and it looks like he has some moss/mold or acid rain staining, or something.

Thanks,

Peter Meggison
Colorado Springs/Hopkinton, MA

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How would you go about reducing the shift of an existing log cabin circa 1920's-30's? It sits on a sand base next to the St Maries River in MI. The consensus is that some type of foundation needs to be installed. I dont see how that is even possible. Although Im not a professional builder, Ive put up some buildings and I suppose you would tear the floor out and pour a pad of sometype? Any ideas on cost and time?

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we have mildue in the basment. closets, doors, and in side the cealing. not sure about the rugs. we need help.george harkins

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What do I use to caulk between the logs to winterize? There are some "holes" that need sealing. How often and what do I use to seal the outside of the cabin? It is my first cabin and is 9 years old.
Thanks.

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Hi, I think I have black mold on my logs.
What's the best way to handle this problem.

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We purchased a d log home in north georgia in 2000, they builder used silkens stain, we after six months stained the unfininshed deck and rails again with silkens, Everything looks great except one wall that gets direct sun now needs more stain, I have read not to seal the cracks unless letting in bugs or water, so we haven't just caulked the 45 boards and above the windows. Question 1 is there a better stain and can it be put over the silkens Question 2 is there a caulk that will last longer f

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I am interested in buying a log home, however
the outside appearance looks very grey and
weathered. Is there anyway to restore the color to it's original state? If so, is it expensive?

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Last painter did not kill mold (just washed with water) and sprayed weatherseal over. Now the mold is growing under the stain. How do I correct at this point?

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my husband and I want to build a log house from old logs. We have found an old barn with interior logs and also an old farm house which the logs are covered with siding. can these type logs be used on the exterior ? we have been told that these logs would probably rot fast because they have not had weather exposure. If they can be used is there any type treatment necessary to do so and what is the average cost of such treatment?

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I live in Mora MN (central). I have just completed building the shell of a pole building, I am going to be opening a lumber yard. I would like to use logs cut in half for the exterior walls. I've been thinking of white pine and would like to keep it as natural looking as posible. could you tell me how this can be done and the steps it will need to keep it looking good. (the building is in direct sun light) I was thinking of just bolting the logs right to to buildings poles? Any tips on where a

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We just bought a log home in kansas. The SE side of the home has areas that look like peeling of the finish, and greying. Do
I need to just put new finish on it? or strip it and redo the whole side?. I am sure it needs waterproofing. Can you apply finish and waterproofing in one step?
When do you know when to fill in cracks?
is it by size and depth?
Is there someone that you know of around wichita KS that can inspect our home and give us suggestions to maintain it?

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a veryclose friends owns a rental cabin that is 1 year old what should his first step be for exterior maintenence

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I am looking into stripping / preserving / staining / sealing / and chinking our newly bought log home. Its 4 years old, and needs just a little tlc. What order would i do all this work, and if i strip it with a power washer, can i continue all the rest of the work after a couple of days. thank you

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Is it common in log homes for the roofs/floors to not be straight/level? I just looked at a log cabin where the floors are not level and the roof is sagging. I'm looking into having a home inspection but I'm not sure if I can find someone who is particularly knowledgeable about log homes.

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Which is the better wood for log homes, cedar or oak? We will be bulding in the Ozarks of South Missouri in the future and wonder if there is any advantage or disadvantage over either cedar or oak. In respect to the climate of south Missouri does either wood matter?
Thanks
Stan

Question:

Wet logs were used on parts of our new log home. We have mold appearing in various areas inside and out. The builders sealed them wet... We have a wall & shower stall in the bath that covers some of those wet logs. If they were not properly treated, what can we expect in the future, in the bathroom? What can we expect with ALL of the wet logs in the future- more mold, rot, shrinking, shifting, etc.?
Thank you VERY much for this info.
Chris

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We stained our cedar house "natural cedar tone" - the color is horrible and turned out a very orangey red. Is there anything we can do to soften the color or repair it - we were looking more for a natural color.

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Purchased 10 year old home 2 weeks ago. The home is in UT where there is snow covering the railings several months of the year. Log railing around the deck has some beatle activity and most rails are splitting due to weather conditions. How should we preserve and or repair these posts & railings? Should the cracks be filled/sealed to prevent further penetration of water? What sort of filler should be used? The previous owner said to stain every 2-4 years. Doesn't look like that was enough

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We have a log cabin in Virginia. We have been told by the owner of an adjacent log cabin that we should cut down all the trees within several yards of the house to prevent rot, that any shade provided by the trees to the house will harm it. Can you confirm that this is necessary? Thanks very, very much.

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I recently cut some cedar logs for a camp I'm going to build from them next year once they've dried (I plan to start working with them this winter in my garage). After peeling the logs I piled them in my garage to dry away from the elements. It's been 3 days and the logs are developing mold/mildew on them (they were very wet after peeling them from the sap). Should I do something different to dry the logs (I'm assuming drying them outside is not a good idea because they'll turn grav from

Question:

Hello,
We purchased a 30 year old log home.
1.how to treat rotted log ends at gutter spill areas
2.how to treat soft spots in the pine logs ( exterior only )
3.how to go about split / cracked logs
4.what to use and where to buy best possible treatment for outside logs
5.should i fill the cracks and bug holes with....?
6.Did have the hous exterminated against wood boring beetels

Many Thanks,
Malini & Thilo Glueck

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We are restoring the interior of our 130+ year old log home and would like to know the best way to remove old plaster that soaked into the logs. Is it safe to use a wire brush or will that scar the wood. Thanks Alot!

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Is it ok to use a mild bleach solution to clean untreated logs?

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Which is better, a penetrating oil with UV protection, of a 2 stage product and the last stage seals the log form moisture? I have had 2 different painters tell me different things.

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We have just completed our exterior of our log home, which took over 1 year as we are doing ourselves. The interior is rather dirty due to being open to the elements for that long. I know they recomend a bleach and water mixture, but I can't see how I am going to rinse the interior walls without making a complete mess inside. Can I use steel wool or a buffing wheele to clean the walls?

Question:

HAVE A CABIN BUILT IN THE 1930'S - WAS MY DAD'S - HAS HAD MUSTY SMELL FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS - INSTALLED AIR CONDITIONING LAST YEAR - RIPPED OUR FLOOR - STILL SMELLS

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we have old home borers in a log house we are selling.What can we do at least expense to protect the buyer?

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how do you remove lead pencil marks from log walls?

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We built our D- shaped log home in 2001. We are experiencing all kinds of problems with water coming in and carpenter bees, wind infiltration, etc. In fact, we are currently in a law suit over the construction of our home with the builder. We currently have our home on the market to sell. We are wondering if it is possible or if you have heard of anyone siding their full log home with vinyl siding? This is an option that we are seriously considering and we feel it may be cheaper than gettin

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After owning our log home for one year the spruce logs started checking. The home is five years old. Humidity in Alaska is very low. What can we do to prevent further checking and to fix the checks?

Thank-you
Barbara

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I purchased a cedar log home. about 30 years old. Logs are flat on both sides, 2 3/4 " X 5 1/2".Tong & grove. No chinking, but not needed. House has been closed up for 3 years and has an unbearable musty smell. Logs are dry and crawl space in dry and clean. Any suggestions on how to get rid of odor. We are cleaning inside with water/bleach solution and intend to refinish logs. I also intend to dry wall the bedrooms and closets. But the musty smell has to go. Please help.Nice web site.

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I have a main beam on one side of the house that has rotted from water sippage. Floor joist and one side of the house is supported on that beam what would be the best way to support the wall, floor joist and roof to re[place the beam.

Question:

How do you care for logs that still have bark on them? (Old 1933 cabin)

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What is the proper way to remove mold off of logs on the outside?

Question:

what questions should we ask when buying an older log home?

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I have slight mildew on 2 sides of my log home. The mildew is on the exterior of the stain. Any problem with waiting a year or more before I worry about cleaning and restaining? Also, what can I use for sealing around windows and doors - latex or polyurathane caulk...or other?
Thanks

Question:

I have an old log cabin that has been painted multiple times. I have seen some cabins in the area that have an artificial stain per say. The exterior was apparently painted a light beige color similiar to the wood and then somehow they stained over it to make it look like real wood stain. I would like to achieve this look without having to strip all the paint layers etc... Are you familiar with this method or have you seen it before ?... Any help would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks in advanc

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Hi, I am currently building a log home with logs that were peeled and stored outside 3 years ago. Some of them show the first signs of rot, just in the sap wood the hearts are still very sound. If I use them just for the walls, once they are under a roof and kept dry will they still continue to rot, if so can I do something to stop it. Thanks, John. P.S. Great site.

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how do you clean mold and mildew off the outside logs? I was told bleach water. if so, how should it be mixed.

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what are the proper intervals to wait between powerwash, borate and stain

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I have a 2 level "D" log home, that has Aspen T @ G ceilings and 4 walls have the same aspen on 1/2 of the walls, the log is a rough cut. My question is how do I clean the logs. This is for the int. of the house. I have dusted them with a dust brush but that just brushes away the top dust, I have asked many other home owners how they clean there logs and they all say the same way as I have been doing, Im sure there must be a better way HELP HELP PLEASE!!!!

Cyndi Murphy
Pagosa Spr

Question:

Hello, great site. Quick question. I currently live in a log home that I built myself and am in the process of putting a small additon on. I have some log siding left that was used on the gable ends (2nd flr) and would like to use the siding on the addition, but It has been outside and has weathered. Is there a process you recommend to bring the color back to the siding, it has become very gray, but is still in good condition. I had it covered but the elements still got to it. Bleach, sand

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We haven't done anything to our house it is 10-12 years old (we lived in 4) there is black mold and two small areas of log rot (no gutters) what do we wash with and what do we treat it with afterward. we have a two sided porch some is not covered, thats were the rot is. who is a repair service in or around Chatsworth, Ga.

Question:

The logs on my home are in good shape and to keep in good shape, what type of maintainence routine should I be following. I would like to do it myself. Central oklahoma, no fungus, rot,or insects at this time. House about 10 years old, I have owned for past 4 years. Thanks.

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I recently purchased a log home here in Northern Michigan. I absolutely love it! But how do I winterize the roof? The home is 25 years old and I dont want to loose the log look from the interior.

Question:

I am finding a lot of great content on this website. Thank you! My question is this. How do I keep my logs from rotting in the future?

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