But, how long do wood homes last? Well, the answer depends on the care and maintenance you provide to this adorable abode.
With inadequate care, timber homes can enjoy as much longevity as do standard brick and stone buildings.
But, how to ensure the longevity of log cabins? What are good maintenance practices for prolonging the life of a wooden home?
Here’s the answer:
#1 Choose the Right Material
Before constructing your wooden home, make sure you consult with a professional. Service providers, like Maestro Cabins (maestrocabins.co.uk), provide detailed consultation and guidance on choosing the right type of wood.
Note that there is a wide variety of wood exists, and you cannot just choose anything you like. In fact, you need to select a material that serves the intended purpose.
It should withstand weather conditions in your area. Even if your budget is tight, you should never compromise on quality for cost.
#2 Use an Appropriate Stain and Paint
Once residential cabins are built, the next step is to seal the raw material using paint or stain. But, be careful with this!
Fortunately, there are safer, non-toxic stains, and paints are available for protective, long-lasting results. But, which one is right for your cabin?
Use the weather condition in your area as your guiding force for your Log cabin. If it’s located in a place that witnesses heavy annual rainfall, you must choose a product that offers waterproof protection. If it gets a lot of direct sunshine, you may go for water-based stains.
#3 Keep Plants and Weeds Away
Foliage and vegetation can trap moisture and many other unwanted substances in wooden walls. So, pull out and trim trees, plants, weeds, and shrubs, as and when necessary. Botanicals result in the rotting process when they come in contact with logs.
Do not cut away entire trees during! A little canopy over the cabin blocks direct and excessive exposure to the sun's harmful UV rays.
#4 Caulk Wherever Needed
Sealing between logs is known as chinking. Weak spots in chinking can result in big problems, like the breeding of insects and bees and moisture packets. That is why caulking around windows and doors is crucial for a log cabin.
If you notice that caulk has pulled away from an area, this could be a sign of the existence of moisture. So, re-caulk it right away.
#5 Schedule Periodic Inspection & Maintenance
Like your brick and stone home, commercial and residential cabins also need ongoing care. In fact, wooden homes need it more than most.
So, it is a good idea to get your log home to inspect annually for signs of moisture, pests, etc. Maybe, it needs a fresh coat of paint or stain. Maybe, water is getting in from the leaky roof or windows.
With regular inspection and maintenance of a log cabin, you can avoid such problems and ensure their longevity.
So, don’t neglect even the tiniest problem in your log home. Do these things and enjoy living in your log home for longer.