How to Treat Your Log Home

Some people are intimidated by the idea of owning a log home. They love the look but worry that a log home will require too much care or be too difficult to care for and maintain properly. It's not as hard as you might think, though.

Manufacturers of log homes generally use pretreated logs to construct a home. They dry the wood before starting construction and may also infuse the logs with a borate solution to protect it from insects and fungi. After your log home has been built, it will need some further treatment to prevent damage to the wood. Ask the manufacturer of the logs used in the construction of your home how the wood was treated before construction and for recommendations about how to treat the logs after your home has been built.

Step One

Use a cleaning solution on your log home to remove dirt. Dirt on the logs prevents preservatives from adhering to the logs and you need to apply preservatives to protect your log home from water damage and other problems.

Step Two

Apply a wood preservative to your log home to repel water. This helps prevent mildew and mold. Use a preservative designed for use on log homes. The Log Homes website suggests that in most cases you should apply a wood preservative every three to five years, but also points out that some log homes have different needs depending on the climate in which you build your home and the type of preservative you choose to use.

Step Three

Add a biocide to the wood preservative if you wish, or choose a preservative that already contains a biocide. Biocides help protect against mildew, mold, fungi and insects.

Step Four

Add a sun block to the wood preservative if you wish, or choose a preservative that already contains a sun block. A sun block will protect your log home from harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun.

Step Five

Apply a finishing coat to your log home after applying the wood preservative.

Tips

Ask the manufacturer of your log home for recommendations about treatment products. The best way to treat your log home may vary depending on how the manufacturer treated the logs before constructing your home.

Sources:

Log Home. http://www.loghome.com/wood_treatment_options/articles/1583 . How to Treat Your Home's Logs.