Log homes also referred to as cabins have been a popular choice for people who seek to be close to nature. With its rustic charm, a cabin can be erected as a garden structure or even a living quarter. Most log homeowners prefer to have them as get away havens from the hustle and bustle of their every daily lives.
One thing most cabin owners do not take into cognizance before embarking on the journey of owning one is maintenance. They fail to realise that these homes are not like your regular brick and mortar homes; that while they may be solid and structurally sound, they require more frequent maintenance than regular houses.
The older cabins get, the more the elements take its toll on them. So, from the onset, you need to take proper care of your cabin to ensure longevity. Be that as it may, a time would come when it would require log replacement no matter how well it was maintained. This would mainly be all thanks to the elements (wind, rain, snow etc.).
The most common issue that warrants replacements of these essentials of the structure is usually decay/rot. When a single log or a section of the structure begins to rot, then it needs to be replaced immediately. There are many professionals that will do this custom replacement for a fee.
However, if you are a weekend warrior aka DIYer, you may want to get your hands dirty and do the replacement. To this end, we will share some tips to help you get the work done.
Steps to Log Replacement
Bearing all these factors in mind, the following are simple steps to follow: –
Assess the Extent of Damage
It is not all ‘damage’ in a log home that warrants replacement. There is a condition known as checking which occurs when cracks show up on wood as it dries. If that is what you see in the course of your inspection, then all you need is chink or caulk the crack. That’s all that is needed since checks do not impact upon the structural integrity of a cabin because they do not usually penetrate the centre of the wood.
Click here to read more about checks /checking and other things that can be wrong with a wooden structure.
Rot on the other hand affects the structure of the house and if it is caused by moisture, it would have weakened the log. Once you ascertain that the log is rotted, the next step is to find out the extent of the damage and most importantly the source. Note that the source must be eliminated so that when you replace the rotted or damaged part(s), the problem would be solved.
Take Out the Damaged Log or Parts
Once you have found the damaged part and ascertained that they need to be replaced, go ahead, and remove it (them). Be very careful in this step; do not use a chainsaw but rather use a reciprocating saw. The reason a reciprocating saw, and axe is recommended is because most cabins are held together by large screws or with wires in between.
If the log to be removed is at the bottom or you need to remove a section of the cabin, then look for something solid to brace that side before removing the damaged pieces. Ensure that you remove every damaged piece so that you wouldn’t have to come back to it.
Clean the Area and Dry it
Ensure that the area you are working on is clean and dry; do not allow moisture to get into the undamaged ones while changing the damaged ones.
Cut the New Log into the Precise Size
Make sure that the log you want to use is sufficiently dried out with minimal moisture that will not affect the entire process. The best bet to ensuring this is to buy your replacement log. There are companies that sell bespoke treated and kiln dried logs, so order from them beforehand. Ensure that the log fits snugly into the space to be filled.
Chink and Caulk
This process is to prevent moisture from seeping into the woods again. We recommend that you carry out this process for the entire cabin as a safe measure. Visit this site: https://askthelogdoctor.com/ for more information.
Stain
This is the final stage of the process, and it is necessary that you strip down the entire logs and re-stain them. Staining the whole cabin will protect it from further damage and also make it easier to match the stain (both on the new and old logs).
Conclusion
Like we mentioned briefly above, your efforts may be in vain if you do not find the source of the problem and fix it. The things that can cause damage to logs include moisture from water leaks, insect/bugs infestation and other weather conditions. So, make sure you locate the source and take care of it to prevent a reoccurrence.
