How do you know when to stain a log cabin?
If you have an oil-based stain then look at the knots in the logs, if they have become blonde then it’s time to apply a new coat of stain too. If you haven’t recently washed your cabin, then another quick check is to spray some water on the logs. The water should bead and very quickly run down the cabin. The best oil-based stain I’ve used is TWP.
How many coats of stain should I stain my cabin?
The first time your cabin gets stained, you actually shouldn’t wait as long. It’s best to add another 2 coats of stain to your cabin after about 2 years. Every time you add stain, some of the old stain remains. But with the first staining, there was no old layer of stain underneath.
How often should I maintain my log cabin?
Maintaining a log home should be a bi-annual activity, specifically during spring and fall. Regular maintenance of your log cabin reduces the damage from UV, water, insects and air infiltration.
What is the best oil-based stain for a log cabin?
The best oil-based stain I’ve used is TWP. For my cabin at 2,000 square foot, I required 35 gallons for two coats which costs $2,300. As I stain my cabin every three years this works out to an annual cost of $767 for log cabin stain.
How much does it cost to stain a log cabin?
For my cabin at 2,000 square foot, I required 35 gallons for two coats which costs $2,300. As I stain my cabin every three years this works out to an annual cost of $767 for log cabin stain. The best way to stain your cabin is to work in smaller horizontally complete areas and paint wet on wet.
How many coats of stain do you need on a log cabin?
Two coatsAfter the first coat is completely dry, apply a 2nd coat of stain. Two coats are best for longevity, protection, even color, and an overall awesome looking log or wood home.
How often should you seal log siding?
To ensure your log siding stays beautiful for years to come, you'll need to regularly apply a maintenance coat. Depending on how much sunlight your wood is exposed to, you'll need to apply a maintenance coat every one or two years.
When should I Restain my log cabin?
Most of these problems are preventable with the correct maintenance. Staining your log home regularly, 3 -5 years depending on climate, and stain used; will prevent your logs from rotting, bug infestation, warping, cracking, and other problems that are very expensive to fix.
What is the best wood stain for a log cabin?
Best Log Cabin Stain ReviewsBest Multi-purpose Log Finish – PPG ProLuxe Log and Siding Wood Finish, 078 Natural. ... Best Exterior Log Sealer – Seal-Once Nano+Polly Penetrating Wood Sealer With Polyurethane. ... Best Semitransparent Cabin Stain and Sealer – Sashco Transformation Log and Timber Stain.More items...•
Should you paint or stain a log cabin?
Instead of painting, you should stain your cabin. Stain allows the cabin to breathe, and a clear coat can help repel excess moisture without trapping moisture inside. Luckily, if you're over the wood look, you can stain your cabin a color other than brown!
How do you maintain the outside of a log home?
Make sure to hose down the exterior once or twice a year to remove dirt. Otherwise microorganisms in dust and dirt may eat away at any finish on the exterior material. Check around doors, windows, sill plates, vents in your roof, for any intrusions in your home, and for leaks or cracks in the seals.
Do log homes require a lot of maintenance?
All homes require some exterior care and maintenance, but log homes require a bit more than usual. Once a year, the home's exterior should be washed to remove pollen, insect debris and other dirt. At that time, the home should be checked for mildew and mold, which should be removed if present.
When to Stain Your Log Cabin
Now that we know you should be staining your log cabin every few years, how will you know when it’s time to complete this project.
Why Do Log Homes Need to Be Stained so Often?
Traditional homes do not need to be painted quite as often as log homes need to be stained.
What Are the Negatives to Living in a Log Home?
Although you may consider having to stain your home every few years a negative, there are a few other things you should be aware of before you purchase a log home.
What Is Involved in Staining a Log Home?
To save money, many people choose to stain their log homes themselves.
How long do log cabins last?
Adam Hambleton. December 12, 2019. The rustic charm of a log cabin can last for decades if it is cared for properly. However, if maintenance is not kept up with a log home, it will deteriorate in a matter of just a few years. One of the essential elements of maintenance of a log cabin is treating the exterior logs with stain.
Why do you need to stain logs?
If the water beads up on the logs and rolls off , you are in good shape, but if the water gets absorbed , you need to stain your logs.
How long do oil based stains last?
Water-based stains are on the shorter end of longevity, with a lifespan of around three to five years, whereas oil-based stains will usually last approximately five to seven years.
Why do logs rot?
Logs naturally soak up moisture, and if your home is in an area that receives heavy precipitation, it can generate the growth of mold and fungus, which will induce rot . That is why stain is so imperative it helps to seal out moisture and protect your logs.
How does UV light affect stain?
Even the amount of light that reaches the exterior of your logs will impact the color of your stain because UV rays break down and “bleach” the color of your wooden logs.
What is staining a cabin?
Staining your cabin is more than just an aesthetic choice — it’s essential protection to make your exterior last for the lifetime of your home. Myriad products are available to accomplish this task, both in single- and multi-coat applications, and in a number of colors. Select the product that best suits your cabin’s location and needs;
How to get a stain on a log?
1. Prep your exterior. If you are using logs, when new, they may have what’s known as mill glaze — a hard layer created during the milling process as water-soluble extracts are brought to the surface of the wood. In order for stain to properly adhere to the log, this glaze must be removed.
How often should I touch up a stain?
Once dry, you can then chink your home, if desired. Reapplication If the exterior is properly maintained, most stains will need to be touched up every two years, either by brushing on a touchup coat or an additional layer of clear sealant of the original product.
How hot should I use a stain?
Avoid applying stain in temperatures of less than 50 degrees or more than 70 degrees Fahrenheit, high humidity or wet weather, and make sure to stir the stain as you use it to prevent pigments from settling at the bottom of the container. 4. Caulk checks or cracks.
How long does it take for a multi coat to dry?
Most manufacturers of multi-coat products use a two-coats-of-stain, one-coat-of-clear system, Kovitz notes, allowing for a 24-hour drying period in between each coat. Use the same back-brush process noted in step three to keep the look uniform. Once dry, you can then chink your home, if desired. Reapplication If the exterior is properly maintained, ...
Can you use multi coat stain on logs?
If you’re using a multi-coat product, wait to repair checks or cracks until the first coat is in place in order for the stain to seal the log, Kovitz recommends. “Caulking sticks like glue to most substrates — it’s a form of adhesive,” he notes.
Can you paint cabin logs with chinking?
If your cabin features logs with chinking, you can cover the strips with painters tape to try to avoid staining them, but it will likely be easier to simply apply the stain or sealant as necessary and repaint the strips with chinking paint. ★ Add to Favorites. < Previous Article.
Choose the Color of the Stain
This is the first thing you should think carefully. Determine the color of the stain for the new look of your latest log cabin. When you want to paint the walls, it could be that the color reference is much more varied than the stain color for the log cabin.
Choose Base Stain for Your Cabin
After you have determined the stain color, then you can choose the stain base that will affect the staining process. As we know, the stains used will prevent your log cabin from warping, decay, cracking, bug infestations, and other problems that may require great effort to fix one day.
The Right Weather Condition to Start the Work
The staining process should be carefully planned before you advance to the initial stage of desecration. What is that initial stage? It’s to clean the logs. Choose a day when it’s sunny, windless, and a little rain is still preferable, and you’re ready for this stage.
Cut the Crack Area
Now that you’ve got a super clean log cabin. So, it’s time for you to work under nice weather to cut out any areas of cracks or chinking that look bad. Clean all crevices and cracks using a brush.
Stain Technique
Stain techniques commonly used are spraying and back brushing techniques. You can also use a brush application only. When you use a brush application, you will find it easier to focus on details when you brush the stain into the log. However, this method does require more time than the spraying technique.
Apply Scratch Coat
The initial coating ends are marked by brushing the sprayed area. This ensures that the stain penetrates the log and a new similar look is created. Anyway, you have applied the initial layer with the spray technique and then brush it with the brush earlier. After that, you will caulk all the checks and cracks.
Applying the Final Layer
You need 24 hours before moving on to the next layer. We assume this final layer is the third stain layer. You will need to cover the areas you don’t want to stain with plastic and tape again at this point. Especially in the chinking area. You can also use a particular chinking paint to cover the area after the last coat.
1. Prepare your logs
The first step when staining your log home is to clean your logs. Dirt and other debris on logs will prevent the stain from adhering to the wood. You want to bring the logs down to a clean and bare state using a pressure washer with minimum psi of 3,000.
2. Prepare your stain and tools
Before you start staining, it is important to make sure that you stain and tools are ready. For stain you will want to have enough so that you will not have to stop and wait mid-wall. To avoid visible differences, you will want to finish entire walls at a time.
3. Apply initial coat
Before you apply the initial coat, there are a few things you need to know and do.
5. Apply finishing coats
The most important step to staining your log home is to read the instructions. Most stains require two coats, however some of them require three. Wait at least 24 hours between coats. Before you apply the finishing coat, make sure that cover any place that you do not want to be stained.
When should I maintain a log cabin?
Maintaining a log home should be a bi-annual activity, specifically during spring and fall. Regular maintenance of your log cabin reduces the damage from UV, water, insects, and air infiltration. During spring you will want to give specific focus to any water damage to exterior wood from freezing water and snow and then preparing your cabin ...
How to get a stain out of a cabin?
The key to ensuring the stain lasts for three or more years is the quality of your preparation. Once your cabin has thoroughly dried you can apply your stain. Initially apply the stain using a garden sprayer and then back brush the stain.
Why is it important to clean a log cabin?
Your cabin’s logs can become darkened by splashback from water very quickly, which can cause decay, infestation, and many other expensive problems. You would first notice this when cleaning your cabin if certain patches are darker than others.
How to get blonde stain out of log cabin?
If you have an oil-based stain then look at the knots in the logs, if they have become blonde then it’s time to apply a new coat of stain too. If you haven’t recently washed your cabin, then another quick check is to spray some water on the logs. The water should bead and very quickly run down the cabin.
What is routine maintenance of log cabins?
Whilst log cabin maintenance can depend upon site location, design prudence, maintenance and environmental factors; one thing is for sure, routine log home maintenance is an often-neglected step for ensuring the longevity of your home.
What is the best way to clean a cabin?
spider webs, eggs, etc…). The best technique I would recommend to wash your cabin is to use a mild detergent and a soft-bristle brush.
How to clean logs with detergent?
We recommend two cleans (once bottom-up and once top-down); To start with, work your way from the bottom-up. Initially wet the logs and then applying the detergent mix with a soft bristle brush by gently scrubbing in circles – this will avoid streaking of your logs.
What is the best way to stain a cabin?
When picking a stain you'll want to go with a Log Oil. Using this is perfect for cabins because it not only will look great but it also prevents any bugs, mold, or sun rays from damaging your cabin. To apply the stain it'll be best to use a sprayer or roller, this will allow for speed and quality.
What kind of oil should I use for a cabin stain?
Here comes the part that truly transforms your cabin. When picking a stain you'll want to go with a Log Oil. Using this is perfect for cabins because it not only will look great but it also prevents any bugs, mold, or sun rays from damaging your cabin.
Is staining a log cabin worth it?
Staining a log cabin is a serious project. It will take time, money, and effort but in the end, it'll be worth it. It might even bring out some jealousy from the neighbors!
