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The Ultimate DIY Log Cabin Playhouse (That Won't Rot)

Posted on DIY log cabin playhouse Log siding for playhouse Playhouse cost Safe wood stain for kids Water based log stain | Jim McCain
Every kid dreams of a log cabin in the woods. It’s a place for secret club meetings, imagination, and independence. But most DIY playhouses have a lifespan of about 3 years. They are built with cheap lumber, left unsealed, and quickly become a haven for spiders, mold, and rot. By the time the kid...
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Weatherall Home Blog

The Post-Winter Autopsy: How to Spot & Fix Cold Weather Damage

Posted on | Log home rot repair Log home winter damage Screwdriver rot test Spring log home maintenance UV damage snow reflection | Jim McCain
Spring is here. The snow is melting, the birds are singing, and your log home is finally visible again. But before you relax, you need to perform an autopsy. Winter is the single most destructive s...
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How to Repair & Replace Chinking (The Professional Way)

Posted on | Bond breaker tape Chinking over stain Chinking repair Removing old chinking Two-point adhesion | Jim McCain
Failed chinking is more than an eyesore; it is a structural threat. When chinking pulls away from the log, it creates a "water trap." Rain runs down the wall, enters the gap, and sits trapped behin...
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The Moisture Rule: Why Chinking Fails & How to Test Your Logs

Posted on | Log home moisture content Triple Stretch Chinking application Using moisture meter on logs Why chinking blisters | Jim McCain
You buy the best chinking on the market. You hire a contractor. The job looks beautiful. Three weeks later, you see bubbles forming under the surface. Or worse, the chinking starts peeling off the ...
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Why Your Log Home is Moving (And How to Manage Shrinkage)

Posted on | Adjusting screw jacks Elastic chinking Log home settling Preventing log gaps Wood shrinkage calculation | Jim McCain
If you are a new log home owner, you might hear your house "groan" at night. You might notice a door sticking that used to close perfectly. You might see a new crack (check) appear in a wall log. D...
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The Ultimate Log Home Maintenance Schedule (Save $50k in Repairs)

Posted on | Cost of log home maintenance Ground clearance for log homes Log home maintenance schedule Re-staining frequency | Jim McCain
There are two types of log home owners: those who spend $500 a year on maintenance, and those who spend $50,000 every decade on restoration. The difference isn't luck. It's a schedule. Log homes ar...
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How to Clean Your Log Home (Without Ruining It)

Posted on | Log home cleaning Media blasting log cabin pH balance wood Pressure washing logs Removing mill glaze | Jim McCain
Cleaning a log home is not like washing vinyl siding. Vinyl is inert plastic; wood is organic. It absorbs water, reacts to chemicals, and if you hit it with too much pressure, it "fuzzes" like a pe...
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Borate Wood Treatments: The "Vaccine" for Your Log Home

Posted on | Borate wood treatment How to apply borate to logs Termite prevention log homes Tim-bor Professional | Jim McCain
If you are building a log home or stripping an old one down to bare wood, you have a brief window of opportunity to perform the single most important step in log preservation. It's not the stain. I...
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3 Dangerous Myths About Log Home Chinking (Busted)

Posted on | Backer rod importance Chinking vs Caulking Log home chinking myths Triple stretch chinking | Jim McCain
If you ask three different builders about chinking, you might get three different answers. "My logs are tight; I don't need it." "Just use mortar; it's cheaper." "Skip the backer rod; it's a waste ...
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3 Dangerous Myths About Log Home Chinking (Busted)

Posted on | Backer rod importance Chinking vs Caulking Log home chinking myths Triple stretch chinking | Jim McCain
If you ask three different builders about chinking, you might get three different answers. "My logs are tight; I don't need it." "Just use mortar; it's cheaper." "Skip the backer rod; it's a waste ...
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The Science of Wood Stain: How It Actually Protects Your Logs

Posted on | Acrylic latex log stain How wood stain works Oil vs Water based stain Stain vs Paint for logs | Jim McCain
Most homeowners think of wood stain as "paint for logs." They choose a color they like, brush it on, and hope for the best. But if you own a log home, stain is not just a cosmetic choice. It is the...
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Why Is Chinking Important? (The "Gasket" of Your Log Home)

Posted on | Albion bulk gun Chinking vs Caulking Log Home Chinking Triple stretch chinking | Jim McCain
If you look at a log home, your eyes are drawn to the massive timbers. But the logs aren't what keep you warm at night. The real hero of energy efficiency is the white (or tan) strip running betwee...
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