When Does a Log Need to be Replaced?
If a section of your home weathers faster than other places, if regular maintenance doesn’t take place, or if a log home is left untended for many years, rot can and will happen.
But it is something that can be fixed.
One rotten log does not have to ruin your home.
Shadow Lake Log Homes offers log replacement services in Northern Vermont and surrounding areas.
The first thing we do is come to your home and preform a site visit to see if the area can be salvaged without replacement.
Logs that have rot more than a third of the way through the log will need to be replaced.
Depending on the length and depth of the rotted area, the damaged can typically be repaired or that section can be replaced – eliminating the more costly option of replacing the entire log.
Surface Repair:
If the rot hasn’t penetrated deeper than a third of the log we preform surface replacement. All of the rotten material is removed. The area is then repaired using a shaped white cedar log piece, similar to what is used to side a home – rounded at the front and flat on the back. This keeps that authentic log cabin look, saves the rest of the log, and is a less expensive option when compared to full replacement.
Section Replacement: How it is done
To replace the damaged section of a log, we first take the needed measurements. We then order a custom log to be milled to fit that exact section of your home. This milling will be done by local Vermont mills, and the replacement log will be of Northern White Cedar sourced from Vermont.
We then bore holes clear through the damaged areas of the log, removing the debris until nothing is left in that section. The new log is cut to fit in the space left by the old log. Once in place, rods are drilled through the new log, anchoring it to the top and bottom logs in the existing wall.
Total Log Replacement: The Worst Case Scenario
There are instances where an entire log needs to be replaced. Accidents, natural disasters, or long term neglect can lead to a log, or logs, needing replacement. This is a service we also offer.
Replacement logs are milled in the same way as for section replacement.
Log replacement is expensive – but it is also the worst case scenario. Regular maintenance and early repair can keep your home from getting to this point.
After repairs are made or a new log is in place, it is stained to match the home (to the best of our abilities). New logs often stand out because the stain on other logs has weathered, changing the color. This is often the perfect opportunity to media blast your log home, and restain so everything looks new and matches.
