Planning

A log home is constructed with a natural material and needs some maintenance to protect it and keep it looking attractive.  There are certain materials and construction techniques that can greatly reduce the cost and time of maintaining a log home.  Weiler’s Custom Log Homes suggest using some of the following ideas in the planning and construction of your new log home.

Use the best material available to finish the exterior of your home. The labor cost is the same regardless what you use and a good quality product that was designed for a log home can last twice as long.

Use wide roof overhangs over the log walls to protect the logs from rain and sun. Use porches to add additional protection. Porches can also be used as platforms to stand on when refinishing a log home.  This greatly reduces labor cost.

Use a good grade window that is vinyl or aluminum clad. This eliminates the tedious job of painting or staining your windows. There are many attractive colors available that compliment a log home.

Proper choice of doors can greatly reduce maintenance cost.  Patio doors could be a vinyl or aluminum clad doors that can match your windows. Entry doors can be steel or fiberglass doors that can be finished to last for many years. Garage doors can be a wood grain pre-finished door, that is maintenance free.

Consider the option of capping your roof overhangs in aluminum. This is the most difficult area of maintaining a home. The overhangs are the highest parts and are difficult to reach.  Aluminum also protects your overhangs from carpenter bees who are attracted to wooden overhangs. Aluminum capping comes in many different colors and can be very attractive to the over all appearance of a log home.

The use of a pre-finished composite deck material for your deck floor and railing eliminates the need to refinish and maintain your decks and porches.

If the above recommendations are incorporated in the building plans the only maintenance needed is coating the logs, approximately ever four to five years depending on certain conditions.