Log Cabin Maintenance: The Top Five Misnomers of Log Homeownership

A charming, rustic log cabin is an appealing place to spend your time, but many people believe that these spaces are difficult to maintain. On the contrary, a log cabin isn't necessarily more complicated to keep clean and safe than another property. If you're holding off on a cabin purchase because you're concerned about the maintenance obligations, here are five common myths about log cabin care that you may be surprised to find are untrue.

Cabin Maintenance is Time Consuming

If you plan ahead, caring for your cabin isn't necessarily more time consuming than maintenance on a regular home. Installing features like a large overhang and a tall foundation can help you steer clear of major maintenance problems. As long as you construct your log cabin up to the right standard, you shouldn't encounter any major nightmares down the road.

Log Homes Have Mold

All homes with wooden components can have mold. Even though the siding on your cabin is made from logs, if you keep the moisture in and out of the cabin to a minimum it won't be any more at risk of mold and mildew than the average home. The best thing you can do to prevent mold at a cabin is to keep the logs off of the ground. Overhangs and other measures can keep the logs dry as well.

Log Homes Have Insects

With the use of borate on log homes, which is a mineral that keeps termites away, log cabins don't necessarily have a lot of insect problems. You can help curb insect problems even more by applying liquid formulations containing permethrin and cyfluthrin, dust containing boric acid to the logs. This keeps away carpenter bees, which are the main pests that affect a log cabin. Avoid ants and other insects by using traps and keeping food refrigerated or in safe storage.

Cabins Have a Lot of Cracks

Log cabins can experience cracks, but they are not as detrimental to your home as you might think. As long as the crack is not on the exterior roof where rain or snow can collect, the crack doesn't cost a lot to repair and won't even impact your home to a large degree. You can fix cracks by putting borate rods in the crack and then caulking the open space followed by a coat of stain. Insurance specialists can help you find solutions for the cost of repairs in some cases.

Cleaning a Cabin is Complicated

While you should ideally stain your cabin every season, it isn't extremely complicated. After cleaning the logs, dry them off before staining them. Be especially careful to watch the south and west sides of the home which get the most sun and exposure to the natural elements. As long as you keep mold and pollen off of the home, cleaning won't take an extraordinary amount of time.

While a log cabin does require some extra care when it comes to cracks and staining, it doesn't have to be a huge hassle. If you create a schedule for routine cleaning and staining, your maintenance won't seem too laborious and you can enjoy your cabin home.

George Nesler has a log cabin for his summer home and keeps it up himself. He likes to help others by sharing his tips on various homeowner, insurance and DIY websites.