Owning and living in a log cabin is a fantastic and privileged experience; being surrounded by such a beautiful, natural and rustic environment can provide you with such peaceful feelings.
One of the more common questions we’re asked about is the maintenance of log homes – especially the exterior lumber.
Whilst log cabin maintenance can depend upon site location (purpose of your log cabin, accessibility, factors such as slopes and soil conditions), design prudence, environmental factors (light, water, and soil nutrient levels); one thing is for sure, routine log home maintenance is an often-neglected step for ensuring the longevity and sustained value of your home.
When we advise log cabin owners on ongoing care of their log home, very often they have previously received more bad information than good. We suggest the following six steps be followed for a good maintenance process:
- Inspecting – have a pro-active approach to inspecting various elements of your home at during different times of year
- Staining – within 2 years after initial staining, your home should be stained again. We suggest it be inspected every two years after that, and generally be re-stained every 2-4 years
- Chinking – longevity largely depends on the material used, most homes will require small amounts of repair each year. Checking for issues should be added to your annual maintenance list.
- Pest Control – keeping your home free of water and damp areas will help lower your chances of infestation issues. Inspections should be done annually by professionals.
- General Maintenance – following the Maintenance Guidelines above as well as keeping gutters cleaned and your log home free of dirt, pollen and mildew will help militate against a very expensive future home restoration project.
If you have questions about starting a maintenance schedule or restoring your log home give us a call at 417-861-7603 or email us at [email protected].
