It’s a simple fact: With homeownership comes maintenance. It doesn’t matter whether your home is built from bricks, concrete, stone, stucco or wood. But when your home is built with logs and timbers, there’s a misconception that somehow these houses will be harder to maintain.
Summer and winter are the harshest seasons. Scorching sun, severe cold and whipping wind that pelts ice, rain and debris onto roofs, windows and walls are no friend to your log or timber home. If damage occurs and is left unattended it can create very costly problems. By inspecting your home each fall and spring and tackling a short, manageable to-do list, your home will be ready for the season ahead. Here’s your honey-do list:
1. Inspect Stains and Coatings
The brutal summer sun can break down the stain on your exposed logs and timbers, especially on southern-facing walls. Fading doesn’t just tarnish your home’s good looks; it could be a sign that the wood’s protective barrier isn’t up to snuff. If your stain or coating degrades too far, water could penetrate, which can lead to wood rot or mold.
Testing is easy: Spray water from a garden hose onto the wood’s surface. If it beads and runs off, your coatings are working. If the wood darkens in patches, it could be time to reapply. Always use products from the same stain manufacturer, or a product that is compatible.
If, unfortunately, you notice areas that are compromised, fear not. When caught early, rot spots can almost always be fixed with wood putty or epoxies. A mildewcide can be added to stain to prevent the mildew from spreading further.
2. Check for Checking
As wood dries, the fibers naturally separate, an event called “checking,” but this isn’t cause for alarm. On their own, checks don’t create structural issues in log or timber-framed homes. However, if you have upward-facing checks on your exterior, they could retain moisture from rain, humidity and dew and allow it to penetrate deep into the wood, creating the perfect conditions for rot.
To deal with upward-facing checks, fill the gaps with a filler (designed for this purpose) that’s clear or can be stained to match the wood tone. Cracks that measure more than a quarter-inch wide should be filled with elastic caulk made specifically for log and wood homes. In areas you’ve already caulked, check to be sure the caulk is sound, with no splits or gaps.
3. Banish Bugs
Summer is prime time for wood-loving insects, like carpenter bees, to try to make your house their home, too. They don’t eat wood like termites do, but they will tunnel into it to lay their eggs, and August is about the time when the larvae start to emerge.
Oil and polyurethane coatings will deter them, but you’ll also want to spray an insecticide. A borate solution below the wood’s surface (applied at the log or timber producer’s facility) is lethal to wood-eating insects by disrupting their digestive process. It also adds protection against the fungi that cause wood rot.
Off-the-shelf borate products also are available for continued protection. Simply spray the solution on, making sure it soaks into the wood, especially in hard-to-reach areas.
Borax has been a common method of extermination, but it can be toxic to other forms of wildlife. A variety of EPA-registered products have been developed specifically for log home applications and are effective at controlling wood-destroying insects.
4. Clean Those Gutters
Want to extend the life of your roof, wood walls and even your foundation? One simple chore will do the trick: Clean those gutters. Clogged gutters cause the rainwater to spill over the edge, dam against the roofing material, splash on the wood and collect against the foundation, instead of flowing away from your house.
Start by removing collected leaves, pine needles and other debris from the channels by hand (always remember ladder safety, and don’t try to force it out with water as that could simply exacerbate the clog). With the channels clean, turn your attention to the downspouts by turning on the hose full blast from the top and thread into the drain opening to force any collected material out.
Gutter guards (coverings that stop debris from collecting in the channels but allow water to flow freely) can make short work of this dreaded — and potentially dangerous — chore, but they can be expensive. If you don’t choose to invest in those, you’ll need to check that your gutter system is at the peak of performance regularly or face costly repair bills later on.
5. Deal with the Decks
Log and timber homeowners love to surround themselves with porches and decks to take advantage of outdoor living. To keep them looking and performing their best, it’s important to keep them clean, too — and not just the surface. While they benefit from quick, regular sweeping, the slots between the deck boards can harbor bits of branches or leaves and trap moisture. To free the debris, use a putty knife or other thin, dull blade, to get in between the boards, especially where they cross the joists, creating a small flat ledge.
Next, give the deck a thorough wash. If your deck is made of natural wood, be sure to select a cleanser that’s specifically designed for wood decking and follow the directions closely. If your deck is a composite or vinyl material, protect all exterior logs and timber framing near the deck, as cleansers for these types of materials may be harmful to the wood.
Good news – you should only need to tackle this once a year (spring) to prep your deck for the outdoor fun in the months ahead.
Truth be told, the best way to minimize the time you spend on upkeep is to keep up with it in the first place. Some of it is common sense but bears reminding. Other tasks may be unfamiliar to a new log or timber homeowner. Either way, dedicating a small amount of maintenance time twice per year will prevent these routines from becoming overwhelming — and they’ll keep your home looking fresh and new.
If you’re a lucky log homeowner looking to keep it as good as new, checkout our online maintenance course for FREE (a $99 value)! Click here to register.
