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Log home maintenance is something that is a continual project for most log home owners. Typically, it is confined to reapplying log stains and applying a little caulking or chinking material. Log home maintenance does not have to be a headache if you set up a maintenance program. Below you will find some helpful tips for maintaining your log home.

1. Walk around the perimeter of your log home once a year.
2. Look to see if you have any new checks that need to be filled with caulking material.
3. Examine any high moisture areas for possible water damage. If rot is present use a wood restoration product to remedy the situation.
4. Look for any small holes created from wood boring insects. Check with Mountain Home Building Products in regards to fixing this type of problem.
5. Look to see whether your log stain is faded.
6. Lightly clean your wood before applying more stain material. The idea is to remove any dirt, dust or debris from the surface of your wood. The new stain material will only be as good as the surface that it adheres to.
7. It is best to use the same stain that was originally applied to your log home. Switching stains is possible but make sure that the new stain is compatible with the old stain material.
8. Use a quality log home stain. I recommend a product called Transformation from Sashco. The better the stain material, the less maintenance your logs will require.
9. Log home stains should last about 3 years on the southern exposure of your log home and 4-5 years on the other sides of your home. The better surface preparation you do, the longer your log home stain will last.
10. Fill all checks and cracks that are a 1/4” or greater. This will prevent any water or bugs from getting in your home.
11. Look for any tears in your chinking. This material can happen from a poor initial application of chinking or excessive movement in your wood. Fixing the torn chinking can be as easy as re-applying more chinking material to the existing chinking. Most chinking materials adhere to themselves.

In conclusion, the more you stay on top of your log home maintenance, the easier and cost effective it will be. For more information about log home maintenance, chinking or log home stains contact Mountain Home Building Products at 800-490-3695. Mountain Home Building Products is a leading distributor of chinking, log home stains, log caulking, clear wood finishes, log siding, house logs & rustic lighting.

Selecting the right stain for your log home can be confusing and time consuming. Below you will find some helpful hints to guide you through the selection process.

1. Oil based stains typically penetrate into the wood and have a strong odor. Oil based stains can be used on logs, wood siding, decks, hand rails or roofing materials. Not all oil based stains are created the same.
2. Water based stains typically form a coating on the surface of the wood and have a low odor. They can be used on logs or wood siding but can present problems when used on decking surfaces. Not all water based stains are created the same.
3. Always test the stain on a wood sample from your home.
4. Clean your wood sample the same way your wood will be cleaned prior to the application of the stain.
5. This cleaning process can dramatically change the color of the stain material on your home and sample area.
6. Allow the stain sample area to dry for 24 hours.
7. Apply the same number of coats to your test sample area as you intend to apply to your log home.
8. Start at the top of your logs and work down when applying your log home stain.
9. Spraying the stain first is preferred but not absolutely necessary.
10. Always back brush your stain into the wood.
11. Oil based stains are typically easier to apply.
12. Water based stains can show lap marks and brush marks if you are not careful during the application of the products.
13. Water based stains clean up with soap and water.
14. Oil based stains clean up with solvents.
15. Water based stains can hide some of the grain of the wood.
16. Oil based stains typically allow more of your wood grain to show.
17. Some water based stains are prone to flake and peel on the surface of your wood. This is due to poor application of the stain material or it could be a bad water based stain product. A good water based stain will allow your wood to breath and expand and contract as your wood does thus preventing any flaking and peeling on the surface.
18. Some oil based stains fade very quickly and your wood is left with no protection. Once again, this can be attributed to poor stain application or it could be just a bad oil based stain product.
19. A good stain material should last 3-4 years on the southern exposure of your log home and 4-5 years on the other sides of your home. If you have found a stain product that outperforms these numbers then stick with it.
20. No stain will last the lifetime of your log home.
21. Stain technology has come a long ways in the last 20 years. There is a wider selection of good stains but there are still quite a few inferior stains on the market today.

For more information about chinking material, application tools or contractor referrals contact Mountain Home Building Products toll free at 800-490-3695.

1. Can I apply a clear finish to protect my logs? No, most of the protection from stains comes from the pigments. Clear wood finishes look nice but do not last more than 6 months. Typically, the darker the log stain the more protection and durability they offer.
2. Should I apply a water based stain or an oil based stain to my log home? It really depends on you the consumer. There are good water based stains and there are good oil based stains. Water based stains are nice because they do not have much of an odor and are easy to clean up but they can be difficult to apply. Oil based stains are easier to apply but typically they have a strong odor and require solvents for clean up. Finally, make sure to pick a stain product that has a good track record and have realistic expectations.
3. How often do I need to restain my log home? Plan on doing some type of stain maintenance every 3 years. No stain material is going to last 10 years without some type of maintenance. The more you keep up with the maintenance the easier and more cost effective it becomes to protect your log home.
4. Will my log home require chinking or caulking material? Typically, all log homes require chinking or caulking at some point. Some homes require more but most require some. It is very typical for log homes to require caulking in the corners because these areas experience more movement than other parts of the home.
5. How much chinking material, caulking material or log stain will my log home need? This is a difficult question because it depends on the size of your chinking joint and the size of your home. A standard home requires 10-15 gallons of stain and 25-35 gallons of chinking or 12-20 gallons of log caulking material. These numbers are averages. Check with your log home finishing products supplier for more exact figures.

For more information about chinking material, application tools or contractor referrals contact Mountain Home Building Products toll free at 800-490-3695.

Before or after buying your log home there are certain things every log homeowner should know. Some things might be open for debate but one thing is for sure, your log home will require attention. This doesn’t mean that you will spend all of your waking hours staining, caulking, sealing, chinking, re-caulking, re-chinking and re-sealing. It does mean that you will need to pay attention to your log home like you might pay attention to your car. Below you will find some helpful tips and information to guide you through owning a log home.

1. Have realistic expectations for the maintenance on your log home. There will be some.
2. Set up a routine log home maintenance schedule.
3. Follow a routine log home maintenance schedule.
4. Apply log stain when your log home needs it. Remember you get what you pay for most of the time. Good log home stains are not cheap but you will save you money in the long run.
5. Good log home stains will offer about 3 years of protection on the southern exposure of your log home and 4 years of protection on the other sides of your home. These figures are just estimates and will vary depending on a number of factors.
6. Expect to caulk or chink your log home at some point.
7. Some log homes require more chinking, caulking and stain than others
8. Almost all log homes require some chinking or caulking whether it be in the horizontal log joints, the corners of the logs or around your window bucks.
9. As we mentioned earlier, the better the log stain material the less stain maintenance your logs will require.
10. Design your log home with maintenance in mind. Remember the less exposure your logs take the less maintenance they will require.
11. Square logs weather better than round logs.
12. Log home chinking can be used for aesthetic purposes or as a weather-tite barrier.
13. Log home caulking should typically blend in with your logs. Conceal caulking by Sashco sets itself apart from all competitors.
14. Some water based log stain materials are very good while others are very bad.
15. Some oil based log stain materials are very bad while others are very good.
16. Your log home stains should be compatible with your log chinking and your log home caulking materials.
17. The preferred time to maintain your log structure is typically during the summer.
18. Remember you log home is a dream home. Don’t forget to treat it like one.

For more information about log home caulking , chinking, log home stains or contractor referrals contact Mountain Home Building Products toll free at 800-490-3695.

Chinking for your log home can be easy and complicated all at the same time. It is important to follow the guidelines below.

1. Select the right chinking application contractor for the job. Ask your chinking contractor for references. Most good chinking contractors will not mind sharing this information and will probably provide it before they are asked for it.
2. Select a chinking material from a reputable chinking manufacturer such as Sashco.
3. Select the right chinking material for your job. Some types of chinking material have more texture than others.
4. Select the type of chinking application you desire. Do you want a clean and crisp finish? Are you looking for trowel marks in the material or are you looking for a very rustic appearance with the chinking material?
5. Inquire with your chinking contractor whether backer rod will be installed. It is highly recommended to install some form of backer rod before installing your log home chinking material.
6. Select a chinking material that is going to be compatible with your log home stain. If you are unsure about the compatability of your log chinking and your log home stain then speak with the manufacturers of both products.
7. Inquire about the product warranty. Log Jam chinking is the only chinking that offers a lifetime warranty. Some of the other chinking materials offer 5 and 10 year warranties. Check with your chinking manufacturer for specific details.
8. Ask your chinking contractor what type of application warranty they will provide after the chinking has been installed. It is standard for chinking application contractors to offer 1-2 year warranties for small repair work.
9. Cover all details with your chinking contractor. It is much easier to agree on a contract before the job starts as opposed to during the middle of the job. Make sure to speak with your chinking application contractor about all of the horizontal and vertical details. Do you want your chinking to tie in with your drywall? Are you going to want to install chinking in all of your corner joints? Will your door and window trims require chinking?
10. Inquire about the time frame for the chinking application. It is much better to have the chinking for the exterior of your log home done during the summer and fall seasons. The chinking can be done during the winter and springs seasons but more precautions need to be taken in order to get the job done right.
11. Agree with your chinking contractor on who is going to purchase the chinking material.
12. Finally, make sure your chinking color selection is agreed upon. Once again, it will become difficult to make color changes after the job has been started.

For more information about chinking material, chinking application tools or chinking contractor referrals contact Mountain Home Building Products toll free at 800-490-3695.