If you’ve never lived in a log home or log cabin, you are probably under a few misconceptions about what it takes to keep a log home looking picturesque. For instance, it’s a popular misconception that luxury log homes are for the very affluent, because they require so much special care.
In fact, that’s not the case at all. Log homes are actually no harder to maintain than a traditional home. The biggest jobs are probably cleaning the outside and applying stain every so often to keep the wood from breaking down and to combat the effects of the outdoors, like bright sun or several rainy seasons. The weather can definitely take a toll on your log home’s exterior, so we recommend pressure washing the outside of your home annually, but protective staining can be done on an as needed basis, usually every few years.
While you can choose stains in any variety of shades, you may want to check with your builder to see which type of stains they most often recommend. Over their years in business, they have likely seen many different stains and can tell you which ones wear the best on your particular log home (based on the logs used) and offer your home the greatest protection.
You should also make sure that you choose a stain specifically designed for the outside. Outdoors stains are formulated to protect against fungus and mildew (elements you don’t need to protect against inside the home, but that you definitely want to protect against on the outside of your home).
For the best results, choose to stain when the weather is warm and sunny, and preferably choose a time when you will have 3-5 days of sunshine, so that the stain can fully dry (and thus, be fully effective in protecting your log home against the outdoors elements).
If you have any questions about how often or what type of stain (or other log home maintenance steps) are necessary to keep your home looking its best, you should use your log home builder as a resource. Your log home builder will be able to recommend the most applicable products and home maintenance strategies particular to your home.