How often should you staple electrical wires? do electrical wires need to be stapled.
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Staining your log home regularly, 3 -5 years depending on climate, and stain used; will prevent your logs from rotting, bug infestation, warping, cracking, and other problems that are very expensive to fix. Before you stain your log cabin.
How often should I reseal my log home? The short answer is usually every 3-5 years but this can vary due to many factors.
Sealing and Chinking Repair The cost of resealing and repairing log cabin chinking can cost anywhere from $2-$5. For a typical 1,500 square foot home, the price tag for this type of log cabin maintenance may run anywhere from $3,000 to $7,500. Homes that are not maintained properly may sustain damage.
A log cabin should be stained every four to seven years. The time between each staining of the log cabin is going to vary depending on where your log cabin is located. If you are in an area where your cabin gets a lot of exposure to rain, wind, hail, and even sun, then you will need to stain the home more often.
Instead of painting, you should stain your cabin. Stain allows the cabin to breathe, and a clear coat can help repel excess moisture without trapping moisture inside. Luckily, if you’re over the wood look, you can stain your cabin a color other than brown!
The best exterior stain for log homes are oil or water-based products that saturate wood pores to prevent water penetration. They typically contain a drying oil or resin in a transparent or semitransparent stain.
The value of log homes not only holds steady, but often increases. … All of this means that most log homes are high in quality and value and are well-cared for, so they generally don’t depreciate and have a good resale value.
Maintenance Concerns All homes require some exterior care and maintenance, but log homes require a bit more than usual. Once a year, the home’s exterior should be washed to remove pollen, insect debris and other dirt. At that time, the home should be checked for mildew and mold, which should be removed if present.
- Step 1: Inspect Your Home for Necessary Repairs. Water damage or rot. …
- Step 2: Clean the Logs. You will want to clean the logs of dust and stains, but avoid using chlorine bleach. …
- Step 3: Stain and Finish the Logs. …
- Step 4: Seal the Logs.
While a log cabin can last for as much as 100 years in ideal circumstances, anywhere from 20 to 80 years is more realistic. The quality of the construction matters, as does the weather in the cabin’s location. At worst, a cabin will fall apart in five years. Log cabins can be durable rather than flimsy structures.
You’ll need to prepare the surface beyond cleaning for best results. Whatever you do, never use a pressure washer on log cabin walls. Almost all cabins are made of softwood. It’s too easy to damage the wood surface or accidentally drive water deep between the logs.
Sealing and Staining Your logs should ideally have moisture content around 14-15%. and anything above it will cause mildew, mold, blistering and log rot. When weatherproofing your cabin, you have to consider the natural climate, cabin size and also your budget.
The wooden floor of a log cabin can be protected and sealed like any wooden floor with a floor oil or floor varnish. … Interior walls and ceiling can be oiled, varnished or painted to personal preference. This again protects the wood from dirt and moisture making the interior of log cabin easier to clean and maintain.
You cannot place drywall directly against the logs. You need a buffer that will allow the logs to shrink while not damaging the drywall. Place wood studs every 16-inches on center, mounted with lag screws placed in vertical slots cut into the stud.
The best way to prevent rot is to keep water out of your wood. This can be done by using a top notch exterior finish on your logs and log siding and regularly maintaining that finish per the manufacturer’s directions. The key is maintaining that finish on a regular basis to keep water out.
- First, clean the wood thoroughly by using water to remove any dirt or mill glaze. …
- After wetting the entire surface, use a solution of 2 oz. …
- Next, let the TSP bleach/water solution sit on the wood for approximately 10-15 minutes, depending upon the severity of the discoloration.
There are several modern finishing products that are suitable for log homes. All of them penetrate the surface of the log and also provide a protective film on the surface. A good finish should contain a maximum amount of solids, some mildew inhibitor, and Ultraviolet blockers.
- Take a small bowl and fill it up with lemon oil. …
- Pick up the steel wool pad and squeeze out any remaining oils.
- Gently rub the pad over the water stain. …
- Re-soak the steel wood pad and repeat for each water stain that is white in color.
- Read the instructions to the wood or oil soap.
Log homes are another type of home that attracts a narrow buyer base. While they do have rustic charm, the unconventional style may not appeal to mainstream buyers. … If you fall in love with a home that is classified as hard to sell, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should walk away. Just know what you’re getting into.
As a general rule, you will need to stain your log home every 3 to 7 years, depending on the elements. Elemental factors include exposure to rain, sunlight, hail, wind, climate, and more.
One of the first questions people ask about log homes is “How Much Termite Damage Do They Get?” Well, rest assured: log homes are no more susceptible to termites than a traditional framed house. … Termites thrive in a damp environment; they dehydrate when exposed to the air for too long.
No, it’s not your imagination— log homes are warmer than traditional “stick-built” homes and there’s some science behind this concept. Insulation is a substance that slows or limits the transfer of heat over time. … These fiberglass bats or other insulation materials are good at keeping the heat in.
We recommend cleaning logs with a combination of water and a wood-friendly detergent, i.e. TSP (Trisodium Phosphate Cleaner). We want to stress that we DO NOT recommend power-washing logs to clean them. Applying water under high pressure can be detrimental to the “health” of a log building.
Based on national estimates, the cost of renovating a log home may range from about $15,000 to upward of $100,000. The process can also be a lengthy one. Even with the help of experienced contractors, the restoration of a log home may stretch beyond a month.
Log cabins are a perfect solution for any family looking to go green on their outdoor retreat. A log home’s energy efficiency is based on the wood’s insulation properties and its thermal mass. … Testing has shown that log homes often are more energy efficient than conventional homes boasting higher R-values.
We have seen the damage high pressure cleaning has caused to window screens, siding, decks and log cabins. … Using properly developed, eco friendly soaps and rinsing agents, soft washing completely disinfects and loosens those unsightly stains, while clean water rinses them away completely.