LOG REPAIR

While damaged and rotting logs are problematic and should be addressed rather quickly, repairs can be made and it is often not as big of a deal as you might think. When repairing damaged logs, minor damage can sometimes be addressed with simply filling damaged areas with an epoxy filler. However, larger areas need to be addressed by removing rotted material and replacing with fresh wood. Sometimes this requires removing one or more logs, but many times, the entire log does not even need to be removed. Quite often we can simply remove the first few inches of rotted material and then put a face log (a piece of log siding that matches the original log) in place to fill it in and complete the repair.

Here are a few tips that will help minimize the need for repairs in the first place:

1. The best protection is large eaves. The larger the overhang, the less damage will be caused by rain, snow, or sunlight.

2. Keep up the finish on your home. A good finish will cause water to be repelled and reflect the U.V. from the sun. A failing finish will allow the elements to damage the wood.

3. Keep gutters and downspouts clean and running in the right direction. Often, gutters are slanted in the wrong direction leading to all sorts of issues.

4. Turn downspouts so that the seam is facing away from the house. This may seem backward because most people turn the seem toward the house in order to hide it. However, should leaves/dirt build up in the downspout and water freezes inside, it is likely to split the seem open and once it thaws water pours out and down the house. If this is up against the home, this will lead to a large amount of water running down the corner of the house leading to rot.

5. Should you have concerns, give us a call. We will be glad to help!