Part 1 Of Log Home Restoration | ImageWorks Painting

We moved in to our 25 year old log home in July of 2009, and despite my concerns about owning our first non stick-frame house, we have been extremely happy living here.  For my money, the warmth and ambiance of exposed log design just can't be beat.

I'll admit that initially I had some doubts about our ability to adequately care for its upkeep, given all of the warnings I'd heard about the maintenance nightmare that is log homes -- along with the fact that our property was in a bit of disrepair when we bought it.  But I found that even though there was certainly a learning curve in adapting to this new type of dwelling, by taking the time to educate myself on the kind of special attention they need I was able to find a level comfort in our quest to make and to keep our home looking beautiful.

Now, admittedly, working for a painting company that provides log home staining & restoration services gave me a bit of an advantage in the resources I had access to, but I don't believe that precludes any other ambitious homeowner from taking-on their own project.  Even if you decide that you don't want to tackle the project on your own it pays to know the proper steps involved in the process so you'll know what to look for when you're interviewing and collecting bids from potential contractors.

This 3-part blog article will explore all of the steps involved in inspecting, preparing, and coating your log home.

In this post we will look at the first step of how to determine the extent of the work that needs to be done.

1.) Inspect The Structure

The first step in your log home restoration project is to determine the scope of the restoration work that needs to be performed.  Start by doing a walk-around inspection of the home.  Look for things like:

• Damage to the stain/finish or to the logs themselves (peeling/flaking coatings, wood discoloration, softened wood, wood rot, etc.) in areas where landscaping plants are in close proximity to the structure.  Plants that are within 36" of the side of the home can hold moisture up against the building and block the sunlight from drying the wood after it becomes damp.  Consider removing or relocating landscaping that poses a potential threat, to prevent future issues.  You can check for soft wood spots by using a screwdriver to poke any areas of concern.

• Peeling/flaking stain and wood rot around gutters and downspouts.  Overflowing water from your roof drainage system is a major culprit in damage to your finish and logs.  Make sure your gutters are cleaned of leaves and other debris at least 1-2 times per year.  Also, clear away any obstructions you may find that prevent water from flowing through your downspouts easily.

• Water damage to logs within a foot from the ground, even if they do not come in direct contract with the soil.  Moisture can migrate up through the foundation block -- especially if the exterior of the foundation wall has not been coated with a waterproofing product -- and into the lower logs causing them to prematurely age or rot.  Try to keep any dirt from coming into direct contact with the wood as that will hold moisture against the substrate; also slope the grade of the soil away from the foundation to allow rain water to more easily run away from the structure.

• Evidence of damage caused by wood-boring insects and woodpeckers.  One big obstacles I faced in keeping the elements of nature out of my home were wood-boring bees.  You can usually find them by looking for perfectly-drilled holes about 1/2" in diameter usually in an overhead area like your eves or gables.  You'll sometimes even notice a small pile of sawdust on the ground underneath their work area where they've been tunneling their way into the wood of your home.  The larvae that the bees lay presents a food source for birds and will often attract woodpeckers who will come along and further damage your home as they're attempting to get to their next meal.  We'll discuss some of the best ways to remedy these problems later in the article.