SEARCHTop 5 Log Home Care Questions
Five essential questions for any log home owner. Caring for your home is the only way to protect it and the investment you've made in it!
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.
