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Maintenance & Restoration
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Wood + Heat + H20 + Air = DECAY In order to prevent decay, we need to remove one of the ingredients for decay Food (wood), Heat, Water, and Air. The easiest one to control is water. Design is linked closely to maintenance. Rule No. 1 is to keep moisture away from the wood. This is achieved by adequate roof eaves (overhang) and height of the first log above ground level since there is a nearly constant flow of moisture coming up out of the soil. Logs within the first two feet above ground level are more prone to decay than those higher up. Besides this design factor, there is also the element of trapped moisture which can occur when a non-breathable finish is applied over a wet wood or when finished wood is re-wetted by water-catching devices. These devices can be a check (a crack in the log) that faces upward and catches water from rain, lawn sprinklers, or hoses when watering foundation plants. The other devices can be decks, sidewalks, or gas tanks at drip line or anything that redirects water toward the house instead of away from it. Also look at foundation vegetation or obstacles that inhibit air flow around the bottom logs, thus creating a moist, humid environment that leads to log decay. Take a mini-tour around your home and inspect for possible traps that may lead to future problems. Early detection and preventative maintenance can yield a worthwhile return for the time invested. |
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| Above Though the design is visually pleasing, the log ends protruding both past and flush to the roof eaves is undesirable from a maintenance perspective. The weathering effects of the rain and sun on these log ends will allow rot to begin if not consistently monitored and maintained. If not, the reconstruction and replacement costs can be staggering. | |||
| Right The lower logs have rotted due to rainwater back-splashing off the walkway. A longer roof overhang would have prevented this costly log replacement. Paint is not recommended for log work because in time, the paint (a non-breathable finish) will crack, allowing water to seep in, become trapped, and then start decaying the logs from the inside out. Photo courtesy of Don Bergstrom. |  |
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