A log home can sometimes be a little bit like a diamond in the rough – beautiful and with lots of potential on the inside, but kind of rough and dirty on the outside. Wear and tear of the logs is a natural thing, but the beauty is always there – it just needs some polishing up on a regular basis to make it shine.
A yearly exterior wash is an essential part of maintaining your log home or structure that will help to extend the life of both the logs and the stains and sealants you’ve applied. Washing removes surface contaminants such as dirt, mold, mildew, cobwebs, pollen and bird droppings that will wear the finish prematurely. Washing also gives you a great opportunity to be proactive in finding any potential problems that need attention like failed caulking or chinking, insect damage or dry rot. If you are thinking of applying a new coat of stain or sealant, washing the cabin beforehand will help the application last longer.
While the thought of “washing” your log home may sound like a fun DIY project, the reality can be a little more challenging.
Basic Wash: Start first with the basics by using simple log cleaning soap and water. If this treatment cleans your structure to your satisfaction, great! You won’t need to move on to the methods below. If, however, it doesn’t give you great results, proceed to a more aggressive method, like pressure washing.
Pressure Washing: Another common exterior cleaning technique is pressure washing. There’s no right answer to if this is the method you should use. Factors such as the age, type and condition of the logs should be considered. If you’re unsure, check with a professional log cabin maintenance company to steer you the right way. (Like us!) Pressure washing is quick, easy and cost-effective.
Media Blasting should really be done by experienced professionals. This method removes the surface of the logs creating the optimum surface for applying new stain. Media Blasting uses a variety of materials such as corncob grit, walnut shells, glass beads, baking soda, dry ice or recycled crushed glass to remove mold, mildew, stain and sealants from your logs and prepare them for a new application. While you can try this yourself, we recommend that you have an experienced log home professional who can inspect your log structure beforehand in order to decide the best method and material that will benefit your home.
While you can perform much of your log home maintenance yourself, we do recommend that you consult with a professional before washing your home to make sure you are using the methods, materials and tools that are right for your home’s unique factors.
Give us a call at 877-477-6564 and we’ll be happy to help you out!
