Timber and Log Homes
Timber and log homes make for some of the most beautiful homes in the world. They have a timeless style that has been beautiful for hundreds of years and will be beautiful for hundreds of years more. Log and timber homes can last for hundreds of years if properly maintained. They do have some special maintenance needs that are not found with typical homes. However, if they are properly maintained, they can be passed on through the generations. The following is a guide to properly maintaining timber and log homes.
The first step is to take a look at the eaves of the roof. Make sure that they have a large enough overhang to protect the beams against the elements. They may need to be extended if they are allowing bad weather to damage the beauty of your wood.
Next, check out the gutter system of your home. The gutters and downspouts should channel water away from your home to protect the timbers.
The next step is to do a sweep around the base of your log home. Make sure that the walls are not touching the ground at any point. If they are touching the ground, then they are susceptible to damage from water and insects. Prevent this by using a rock or stone buffer zone of two feet between your house and the ground.
Outside of the buffer zone planting a garden or other plant life is okay. However, make sure to never use any kind of ground cover, because ground cover encourages insects. Nothing is more damaging to a timber home’s natural beauty than an insect infestation.
Here are two more steps to ward off insects. Clear any stumps or dead trees within a 50-foot radius of your home, because they are a haven for insects. Also, prune any tree limbs that are near your home, as insects can use them as a highway to your house.
Water can be as damaging as insects to timber and log homes over time. Make sure to prevent this by having a proper slope away from your home. This should be a minimum of a 6-inch downgrade in the first 6 horizontal feet away from your home. Use gravel or rock to create the downgrade, as dirt will settle over time and lose its downgrade. The downspouts of your gutter system should divert runoff at least nine feet away from the base of your home.
One final step to protecting your home from water damage is to install a French drain. A French drain is a trench that contains a pipe in it. This pipe is covered with gravel. The pipe absorbs all the excess moisture from the surrounding soil and carries it away from the home.
Another way to maintain your home and show off its natural beauty is to always keep it clean. When washing the logs, always be sure to start at the bottom and then work upwards. Rinsing off the cleaner is done in the reverse order. Be sure to completely rinse off the cleaner from your logs.
After cleaning the logs, you need to protect them. The first step is applying a borate preservative. After the preservative dries thoroughly, apply stains to enhance the beauty of your timbers. Finally, weatherproof your logs by coating them with an external sealant.
If you follow a regular maintenance routine with your log or timber home, then you will be sure to keep it looking beautiful for years to come. Your family will thank you, and so will your descendants hundreds of years from now. Timber and log homes are beautiful treasures, and should be treated as such.