Types of Wood Issues
When you begin the restoration process
of the exterior of your log home, you should first
take a look at any decay or rotting that has taken
place. It’s not uncommon in log homes for
beetles, borers, carpenter bees and termites to
cause problems. Anobiid beetles can infest log
homes, but it may take many years for them to
actually cause structural damage. Borers are attracted
to dry wood. They typically appear about five
years after construction and are evident by the
noises they make chewing through the wood. Carpenter
bees look for existing holes in wood. Termites
infest your logs at the ends and can do significant
damage to a log home.
 How
to Restore and Repair Wood
If you find you have a borer, beetle
or termite problem, you may find that you need
to fumigate. You want to fumigate when your wood
is as dry as possible, because moisture can inhibit
fumigation. If your pest issues are less problematic,
spot treatments can be done by listening to your
wood with a doctor’s stethoscope and marking
the loud spots on your wood. You can also treat
your wood with borate. Read the instructions on
any products before using them.
Staining Your Wood
Once you’ve power washed and repaired
your wood, you can then seal the exterior wood
finishing of your log home with a wood stain of
your choice. You should stain your wood finish
evenly on all sides of your home.
Staining FAQs
* I have an older deck and fence that has grayed
out and is somewhat stained. How can I restore
this wood to its original appearance?
* Should I use semi-transparent or solid color
stain on my house?
* When working with stain, can the color of the
stain vary from the beginning of the can compared
to the tone nearer the bottom of the can?
* After varnishing with a satin polyurethane I
found that parts were almost completely glossy
while other areas were nearly matte flat. What
caused this and how can I fix it?
* What should I use to clean and maintain my interior
woodwork?
* What should I use to coat my pressure-treated
deck?
 Q:
I have an older deck and fence that has grayed
out and is somewhat stained. How can I restore
this wood to its original appearance?
A:Redwood, red cedar and other resin-rich
wood species have tannins, which weather to a
gray look. You can remove the tannin from the
wood's surface using our DeckScapes® Revive.
The oxalic acid in this material will remove the
damaged surface, thereby exposing fresh wood.
Be sure to follow all cautionary statements on
the label to avoid damage to nearby plants or
personal injury.
Q: Should I use semi-transparent or solid
color stain on my house?
A:To some degree, this may be an aesthetic
consideration. A semi-transparent stain will show
wood grain, while a solid or opaque stain will
hide the grain but still allow the texture of
the wood to remain visible. If the wood is sound
and has a nice grain, it may be a matter of what
is more pleasing from a visual standpoint. However,
when wood is aged (with a potential for uneven
wear), excessive porosity and/or extreme color
variances, a solid or opaque stain will hide these
imperfections. Please note that in some cases
areas are damaged beyond repair. Such wood may
be soft and excessively cracked or cupped. Such
wood will not hold the stain over the long term
and may need to be replaced prior to staining
the whole surface.
Q: When working with stain, can the color
of the stain vary from the beginning of the can
compared to the tone nearer the bottom of the
can?
A:Stains with less viscosity (such as
interior oil stains) have a thinner consistency.
This may cause the stain pigment to settle out
while the can remains stationary. This could result
in varying stain tones as you work into the bucket.
For this reason, when staining with such products
it is important to stir the material from time
to time to ensure uniformity of the overall tone.
Q: After varnishing with a satin polyurethane
I found that parts were almost completely glossy
while other areas were nearly matte flat. What
caused this and how can I fix it?
A:Satin polyurethane is essentially the
same type of product as gloss, but with a flatting
paste introduced into the material to create the
lower sheen. Unfortunately, because clear urethane
products have very low viscosity, some of the
flatting paste can settle to the bottom of the
can.
For this reason, it is important to stir the
product frequently as you work with the can to
ensure greater uniformity of sheen. If a product
was applied with less-than-adequate stirring,
the result will likely be as you described. We
recommend allowing the clear coat to dry fully.
Then scuff sand to uniformly dull the whole surface.
Once this is complete, a final thin coat can be
applied of the satin material. Be sure to stir
as indicated to ensure a final finish that is
truly satin throughout.
Q: What should I use to clean and maintain
my interior woodwork?
A:In most cases the wood has been sealed
and clear-coated with polyurethane. Polyurethane
dries hard and does not require excessive maintenance.
In general, dry dusting is all that is needed.
On occasion mild, diluted soapy water can be used
to remove any airborne contaminants that may be
collecting on the surface. When cleaning with
this solution, be sure to rinse with small amounts
of water and to dry the surface. It is important
to avoid having too much water soak into the wood
as this could cause swelling of the wood and damage
to the overall finish. Again, this type of cleaning
should be done infrequently.
Please note that cleansers containing paraffin
or oils will leave a film on the surface, which
would need to be completely removed if the surface
is ever in need of a fresh coat of urethane.
Q: What should I use to coat my pressure-treated
deck?
A:The pressure-treating process soaks
wood. When newly installed, it will not allow
coatings to adhere well. For the most part it
is best to allow the surface to dry, and the time
needed can vary. An easy test is to splash/sprinkle
water on the surface. If the water beads on the
surface, more drying time is needed. If the water
droplets soak into the wood, then the surface
can be coated.
The deck should be cleaned at that time, with
one or two days following to permit it to dry.
Once it's dry, coat pressure-treated decks with
DeckScapes Toner or Stain.
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Quick Guide
How to Restore and Repair Your Log Home
• Inspect your wood for pests
• Kill any existing pests using the appropriate
methods for the specific type of pest you have
in your home
• Fill in any holes in your wood with caulk
as needed to keep pests out
• Clean your log home with a power washer
• Seal your clean investment with a stain
on all sides of your home
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