Frequently Asked Questions ... and Answers:

What should I do to fully restore my home/cabin?

There are a number of steps to follow in restoring your home. They are listed in order below.

1. Assess your home for damage and determine what your goal is.
2. Explore your options and either hire the work out to an experienced company like Appalachian Log Care or investigate into how to do the work yourself.
3. Start work. Make sure you perform the work items in the right sequence. This depends on the look you are going for (contrasted or blended) and what your overall restoration goal is. The work sequence for a full restoration is as follows:
1. Surface Preparation (corn blast and wash, bleach and borate)
2. Log repair/Replacement
3. Caulk/Chink
4. Stain
5. Clear Coat

What are the benefits of Corn Blasting?

1. It removes up to 98% of any existing stain or paint off the logs. Since the logs are brought back to the original bare wood surface a borate can be applied to prevent rot growth and protect the logs against insect infestation.
   

2. When you go to restain the home in most cases you can go lighter or darker with the stain. This means that your log homes new look is up to you.
   

3. Unlike other strippers on the market corn media is easy to clean up, biodegradable and doesn’t pit the logs as much as sand will.
   

Are my logs rotten? Can they be fixed?

Walk around your home and really examine each log. Find logs that may look darker in color than the others, logs with a lot of bug holes or logs that have fungus growing on them. Hit the logs and listen for hollow spaces, take a knife and try to insert it into the log, if it goes in smoothly and far you know that log has a rotten area. To prevent future log damage remove the existing sealer off the logs by corn blasting, install impel rods in areas where rot is starting, apply borate into the logs, chink and caulk all seams to prevent water damage and apply a breathable sealer. Remember that rot spreads like a cancer. If one log is rotten and you ignore it other logs around that log will eventually become rotten as well. The cheapest way to handle rotten logs is to fix them right away and maintain your home properly.

What do I do for Insect Infestation?

The best way to deal with insects is to prevent them from the start. When building a new home make sure you apply an insect treatment over all areas and when the home is completed seal it in so if the insects bore into the log and eat the wood they will die. If you have a severe bug problem you should corn blast and apply a highly concentrated termicide, insecticide and fungicide solution for deep penetration into the logs. Reseal the home with a breathable sealer with a bug additive for best protection. Also rotten areas are bug havens and need to be fixed properly to get rid of them.

Why should I caulk or chink my home?

This is the most frequently asked question and the most overlooked. Some log home manufacturers advertise that their homes are "chinkless" but in actuality no home is. Even if the logs are tight against each other with barely a seam, water and bugs will find a way in and eventually that may lead to log damage. Not only, does properly caulking and chinking prevent damage to the logs but it also dramatically helps with heating and cooling costs. Areas most affected by caulking and chinking are: Log lateral seams, upchecks, log corner areas, around windows and doors, roofline seam, chimney seam etc…

Contrasted

Blended

What is the difference between the most popular log home looks? Blended vs. Contrasted.

What our company calls a blended look is when the home is chinked and then stained over with a similar color. This hides the chinking and gives the home a one-color appearance. (See picture) This is usually the look for homes with many log layers and with small gaps between the logs. There aren’t many drawbacks to this look. It allows for easy maintenance and future stain applications. One hint: keep a pail of stain in the garage or shed in case of any chink touch up work.

What our company calls a contrasted look is when the home is stained and then chinked with a different color, usually mortar white or light gray. (See picture) This is usually the look for homes with less log layers, larger diameter logs, or wide seams. This gives the home a very dramatic appearance and a real special and unique look that varies from the conventional log look. When you go to restain you will either hand brush the stain on or spray the stain and use a chink paint over the chinking area to get the contrast look.

How do I get an estimate?

There are two ways to receive an estimate from our company. The first is FREE and involves the homeowner to do most of the work. This involves:

1. Taking pictures of the home at angles where all four sides can be captured.
2. Filling in our FREE ESTIMATE form
3. Emailing or regular mailing this information to our company as directed on the form.

The second way is an on site survey. This way has a cost attached which varies depending on your location. This involves:

1. Contacting our office to schedule
2. Setting up a date
3. Meeting with our trained log home specialist who will take pictures of the home, review the home for damage, and measure the home.

Both of these methods will give you an estimate with a detailed description of all recommended work items. When you sign up with our company the survey fee will be subtracted out from the total contract price, otherwise, it is just the price for the information you were provided with from our company.

Do you have more questions that we haven't answered?
Call or Email us for the answers!
800-726-0708
info@logcareproducts.com

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