About Log Homes

Henry KH Fong asked:


e is very exciting and building a home with log cabin kits can be even more engaging. While many of us think of log cabins as the poorly insulated, poorly ventilated, and poorly lit homes of many frontier families, the log cabins of today are real, well constructed homes fit for a family.

You have many options when you build a new home this way. Generally speaking, it is less expensive than building a new home in more popular ways. You have a large selection of floor plans. These floor plans are most definitely ready to cover small houses to 5000 or 6000 square feet. With careful financial planning, you can get a lot more home for less by building a log cabin.

Your floor plan is all about creating something unique and special. Log cabin building is no longer about frontier plains and harsh, unfinished wood. Instead, these homes are put together with a signature style that amounts to nothing less than beautiful. There is something rather esoteric about living in log formed dwelling.

There are several ways that a log cabin kit can be “assembled.” Many of today’s most common methods include the notching of the logs before shipping to make sure that each log will fit together cohesively and in harmony with the other logs. If you’re looking for a longer seal, the chinkless options might be for you.

The building process is a rather unique one. The logs will come to you prepared either with notches on the ends or grooves down the middle. Either fit gives you a weatherproof and airtight seal that is fully finished and downright beautiful. In keeping with the tradition of log cabin homes, the logs still stack together very much like the Lincoln Logs of our youth. With notches at the end you can stack them into each other in a cross beam manner.

If you want to build your home from log cabin kits you can do it provided that you have the right equipment and help. However, hiring professional help can be much more expedient. Mistakes are expensive and you would probably be wise to make sure that you are at least working with someone highly knowledgeable in the area to help guide you.

There are many reasons for using log cabin kits to build your new home. Each of these reasons is valid and viable, but one has to admit that there is something that pulls at the heart every time you just see one of these beautiful final products.

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Jim T asked:


When I log into my home page which is, my yahoo. I get an error from Internet explorer that says it can’t open my yahoo task aborted. then it shuts it down.

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SmartyPants asked:


list of things. going shopping tomorrow. confused about what to get. Buying everything new. I have nothing so far. Gimme a list?? please:)

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country girl asked:


I cant log into my my windows. I have tried safe mode. Administrators ( as of user ) an left password blank. Does anyone of know anything else to try?

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Dtrainwillis35 asked:


My brother stole some files off of my computer when I was away. He has his computer password protected. Is there a way that I log into his computer from mine since, we are on the same network?

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Douglas Johnson asked:


If you have recently built or bought a new log home, then you know the joy and excitement of finally stepping back in time to the rustic feel and the slower paced lifestyle that a log home offers. You may have even said, “this is the life”!

However, if you have had your home for a couple of years, you may have noticed the stain is not looking as good as it once did. You may notice on the sunny side of the home premature fading and, or blisters and peeling. You may see black spots and patches showing through the stain that seem to be growing larger. I am often asked if this stain performance is the normal progression and is it to be expected. My answer is “yes under the circumstances.” However, the answer should be no if the log home is properly prepared to receive the stain. If any of this sounds familiar, there is a good possibility more is going on with your logs than you might imagine. 

When logs are first milled they are left with what is known in the industry as “Mill Glaze” on the surface of the logs. Caused from the fast spinning hot blades in the saw mill, it draws the sap to the surface of the wood and dries forming a thin glaze or film on the logs. Also, when first milled, the logs generally have a high level of moisture either from being freshly cut logs or being left outside in the rain or both.

When a log home is built using these “green” and “mill glazed” logs, you can expect to have finish problems sooner rather than later. Once the logs are erected and the roof dried in, most of the time the builder will have it stained to keep any more dirt from accumulating from the ongoing construction. Good for the builder, bad for the homeowner. When this is done, several things are occurring.

 First, with “green” or wet logs, not only will the stain not soak in properly, but the stain will trap water inside the logs, especially if it is a “Film Forming” stain. The film acts as a barrier to keep moisture out. However, it also keeps moisture in. With poor stain penetration, moisture trapped in the wood and the presence of mill glaze, it can be concluded that any amount of stain that may have seeped into the logs, will not stand much of a chance of having a lasting effect or offer much protection. 

Another problem with having green and/or mill glazed logs is the real possibility of the presence of mildew and wood fungus.

Logs are often stored outdoors. Some companies store them in shelters, some do not. Either way, they attract dust, dirt and if in the southeastern US. most likely mildew. They then are shipped to the jobsite where they sit for at least a few weeks to months before being erected. Still attracting dirt and mildew. Now once erected, if the stain is applied, it not only does not soak in properly, but it also seals in any dirt, dust, mildew or anything else that may have floated by.

Now, combine green logs with mill glaze, some dirt and mildew and (it is not unusual to see a footprint or two tracked on a few logs) and you have the ideal surface for certain stain and finish failure! 

There are two ways to solve these problems. 

First, the homeowner will have to make certain that the logs are properly cleaned after the construction and before any stain, sealer or other finish is applied. This may not be as easy as it seems. Dealing with time constraints, banking personnel, inspectors and the GC. can pose their own challenges. However, if you have the time to keep an eye on the project (which often times is impossible) and can stress to all involved that you expect this cleaning procedure to be preformed before any stain is applied, and you stick to your guns, it may just happen. 

The second way and also the most expensive as well as the least desirable is the dreaded chemical strip or cob blasting. Depending on the product used on the logs will dictate the removal process. The old stain will have to come off so that the mildew and other contaminants under the stain can be removed. Although the logs may look clean after stripping, we always do a chlorine wash to make sure any mildew spores left deep in the wood cells will be destroyed. Due to the microscopic size of the mildew spores, there is no way of knowing by looking to see if the wood is completely cleaned or not.  

 Once the stripping process is complete, the next and most important step is allowing the logs proper drying time. This is vital! Let me stress it again. This is VITAL! If the logs are not dry, you have not only wasted your time going through the stripping process, but you are right back where you were when you started. 

Logs and wood in general should be as dry as possible. The dryer the wood the more the stain will be absorbed. (Just like a sponge.) Now the question becomes,” how do you know when it is dry enough?” There is only one true way…Use a moisture meter.

The moisture meter has two probes that are inserted into the wood and records the moisture content. Remember, the dryer, the better. Depending on the location, humidity and weather conditions, the ideal moisture content for applying a sealer should be at least 18% or lower. A 12% reading is about as good as one can expect to get in the southeastern United States. If the sealer is applied within this range, you will get an acceptable absorbsion rate and proper adhesion resulting in maximum protection and performance. 

No stain, sealer or any other finish will hold up if the logs are dirty, have mill glaze or are green and have high moisture content. Proper preparation is paramount. There is no other way to obtain proper absorption and adhesion of any sealer in order to provide a long lasting finish without first having a clean and dry log. 

This is one log home restoration project that the homeowner could avoid if they are aware of this simple yet extremely important process. In this case, an ounce of prevention is worth far more than a pound of cure.   



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Douglas Johnson asked:


There are many aspects to Log Home Restoration. Stains, sealers, caulking and chinking are all related to the preservation of your log home. Stains and sealers cover the surface of the logs and other wood to form a barrier from the harsh elements of rain, wind and UV damage. Caulking is used to make the home weather tight by filling gaps, checks, butt joints, window and door trim. Chinking is used to fill the large spaces between the logs themselves. All of these products are used in your log home restoration as a means to help preserve the wood from the elements.

Another means of log home preservation is applying a Borate treatment to the wood. This method of preservation not only protects the wood from weather related issues, but also fungal decay and probably more importantly, it is an excellent insecticide. Borate combined with zinc is also used as a flame retardant

Little known to most log home owners, Borate is one of the most effective means of persevering the log home. Borate is a chemical compound that contains Boron, a mixture of inorganic salts and other minerals. Mined from the earth, Borate comes in a crystallized / powder form. While it can be used as a dust for treating cracks and crevices, mixed with water, it is applied to larger areas by spray or brushing.

Borate has the ability to diffuse into the wood to various depths depending on the density of the wood and moisture content. While dry wood will accept more Borate, it will penetrate deeper into wet wood and in general, with soft woods, this can be as much as a half inch. It must be applied to bare wood, meaning any existing stains or sealers must be removed. Two spray applications are recommended with the first being allowed to dry before applying the second. After the solution has had ample drying time, a good quality sealer should be applied to prevent the borate from leaching back out of the wood. Therefore, during the log home restoration process; after the house has been stripped and neutralized to prepare for sealing, but before the actual sealing, the Borate is applied. Although, not necessarily a hard process, an experienced professional should be hired. They will have the knowledge to properly mix the solution and apply it according to industry standards as well as the application equipment to perform the job safely.

Although this process has been used for many years for commercial applications, (most notable with creosote in railroad ties.) Borate is becoming more popular as a safe and long-lasting method of protecting log homes and other wood structures by preventing fungal decay, wood rot and wood destroying Termites, Carpenter Ants, Old House Borers, Subterranean and Powder Post Beatles and other insects detrimental to wood.

While not a necessity, Borate treatments should be considered as an option to combat the constant attack from fungal decay, wood rot and insects preventing costly repairs. Used as another preventative maintenance tool, it provides another layer of protection in the preservation and restoration of your log home.

When choosing a log home restoration company, consider all the many options related to the maintenance of your home. An experienced and knowledgeable contractor can answer your questions, address any concerns and suggest ideas and options that can make your restoration project fun and exciting, not a headache.



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A_Moron asked:


I am looking to buy a house. A couple that I like are log. A friend told me that log homes require special maintenance: that the logs can “pop out” from the house if you don’t “tighten bolts once a year”. I am fairly handy, but have no idea what he was talking about. Can any real carpenters/handy men tell me what special maintenance a log home requires?

Thanks

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here_lies_freedom asked:


Was going to put in a mobile home for my family (3 bed, 2 bath) on our property, but I seem to recall seeing a place that offered nice log home kits for under $20,000. Perhaps it was a scam, or maybe inflation jacked everything up…but I lost the site. Anyway, where can I get affordable log homes/cabins? A mobile home would do, but if i can get a log cabin for nearly the same price, i’m all ears. We don’t need anything to big or fancy, just something suitible for a family of our size. So anyway, any ideas for an afforable home? I understand there will be hidden costs(setup, delivery, etc). No spam please.

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Jack B asked:


Every time I log on to the internet, blank page (safetyonline) keeps coming up. I have tried to change it in internet options but it will not stay.

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