Ask the Expert: Is There Such a Thing as a Low-Maintenance Log Home?

Timeless, attractive and born from America’s pioneer history, log homes have a special allure. But even with such a magnetic pull, people often perceive them as needing lots of upkeep. In reality, a log home can be everything you want it to be — including low maintenance.
 
No log or timber home is entirely maintenance-free. Some effort is required, just as it is with any conventional home. A low-maintenance log home is the result of smart structural planning, quality products and proper care. Collectively, these tactics are the preventative management that keeps a log home gorgeous for decades to come with minimal effort.
 

Structural Planning

Strategic choices when it comes to architectural design elements, construction and proper siting on a property can shield the home (or as much of it as possible) from water and UV exposure, the source of many maintenance issues. Strategies include:

• Wide roof overhangs. Extending the roof edges over a covered porch or eves along the roofline helps protect logs from rain, snow and UV exposure.
• Proper site drainage. It’s important to ensure water does not pool around the foundation, which can lead to cracking and rot.
• Elevated decks and porches. Raising deck and porch platforms reduces splashing onto lower logs. With their horizontal surfaces, decks and porches are particularly vulnerable to weathering. Covering outdoor spaces adds even more protection.
• Strategic landscaping. Gravel, stone or plants that require little watering minimize dirt and moisture near the home’s base. Make sure sprinkler systems aren’t spraying the house.
• Kiln-dried logs and engineered wood products. Choosing these products can reduce settling, chinking and cracking over time. 

Quality Stains and Sealants

In addition to enhancing a home’s aesthetics, stains, sealants and finishes play a critical role in protecting the wood from the elements. When it comes to performance, certain qualities indicate a product that excels:
 
A high-performance finish must be breathable and flexible. These are particularly important features for a low-maintenance log home. Low-quality stains don’t allow the wood to breathe, nor do they accommodate a log’s natural movement. With these, the finish will crack allowing water to seep in. Plus, any moisture that was in the wood’s fibers when the stain was applied won’t be able to escape, causing bubbles. Meanwhile, oil-based stains don’t bind to the wood and when the oil eventually evaporates, the logs are left vulnerable to weathering. Perma-Chink’s stains, like Lifeline Ultra-2, Lifeline Ultra-7 and Lifeline Exterior penetrate deep into the wood and are breathable and flexible. Perma-Chink Lifeline™ stains come in a wide range of colors.
 
In the Perma-Chink system, Lifeline stains add the color and wood protection, while Perma-Chink’s innovative Lifeline Advance Clear Top Coat finish protects the stain, giving the color and the wood a deep, rich luster. Lifeline Ultra-2 and Lifeline Ultra-7, when used with Lifeline Advance Clear Top Coat, qualify for a five-year limited stain warranty.
 
Sealants are another critical element to protecting a log home. Properly applied sealants like Perma-Chink and Energy Seal are virtually maintenance-free. Not only do they reduce the cost and effort of home upkeep, but they also come with a 10-year warranty.


 

Proper Care

A simple, yet regular, maintenance routine adds decades to a log home.

• Once a year, you should check for cracks, peeling finish or signs of pests. This is where the ease of Perma-Chink comes into action. If the finish is dull or wearing away, you can simply reapply a fresh coat without having to re-stain the entire exterior wall or home.
• Once or twice each year wash logs with a product like Log Wash to remove accumulated dust and pollen. Log Wash is environmentally friendly and can be sprayed on then hosed off. The best time to use Log Wash each year is during spring after pollen season.
• Finally, addressing small issues with spot touch-ups will prevent little issues now from becoming major repairs later.

 
Combining smart design and durable, top-performing Perma-Chink products gives you time to enjoy living in your beautiful, low-maintenance log home . . . not endless hours and money maintaining it.

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