It could also be used inside on walls. Wind, for example, can exacerbate aging and lead to cracking. During construction there must be space left in interior framed walls to allow for settlement in the log walls. This steel timber alternative realistically mimics the log cabin look and comes in six color options. Or just stain it? match the adjacent work (Figure 47) [shown above]. One of these was on the east side of the building and the other on woodpecker) damage. They blow it in the walls and it gets rock-hard. Those authors DO discuss use of a diluted epoxy on viga log beams but only as part of their screw-on Viga Log restoration project not as a general band-aid for what should be considered normal and generally harmless log checking. Please take a look at our discussion of this sort of cracking in CRACKS CHECKS SPLITS in BEAMS, LOGS & POSTS.If you are asking about a "cosmetic repair" to make the cracks disappear, that would be an unusual decision but technically possible by a combination of filling cracks with soft, non-hardening filler and staining the fill and log to match. Where the horizontal timbers and tenons were in bad shape, they either reinforced them with epoxy consolidants or, in cases too far gone to revive, replaced them with a built-up assembly of 2x lumber. Knowing what to save, what to repair, and what to replace (or replicate) is the key to increasing the longevity and comfort of your treasured home. Thanks, Norbert. Rot caused by logs getting wet from splash back. Watch out: But this post looks different - it looks as if as if there may be actual rot at the post to, particularly at the outside corner and outside face of the post. Last year, my heating bills were barely over $200 for the entire year. But if your neighborhood and surrounding area are mostly modern homes your realtor could be faced with quite a task to find a buyer. August 10, 2000, KnowledgeBase: Primary Processing: Air Drying Lumber, KnowledgeBase: Primary Processing: Lumber Grading, KnowledgeBase: Wood Engineering: Wood Properties. In most circumstances log or beam checking is not a structural concern whatsoever, as we explain in the article above. Lot # 84, Bostic, NC 28018, © 2012 - 2020 WeFixLogHomes.com, Website by, P.O. Looking for proper preventive maintenence and avoid doing something that could be detrimental in long run.Thanks in advance for your input! Photo: viga log ends after attaching them to the structural viga ends via epoxied double-ended screw connectors. While taking out walls in the basememt my husband and I noticed these splits and that all supporting posts of the main beam do not line up with all three boards making up the suppprt beam. Dust Collection, Safety and Plant Operation, Job Opportunities and Woodworking Services, Cracks in logs used in log home construction are normal, but not necessarily desirable. This does not pose a problem and, in fact, adds character to your one-of-a-kind home. Many items are covered in a log-home building book. Thankfully the option of TruLog steel siding is available for those that want the look of logs, without all of the possible issues. This finish needs recoating after the first year of construction, and generally every three years after that. If you want the exterior to look like a log home, get log-shaped siding. (Castlewood Estates, BBC, 4500 sqft home we repaired, built by a “high end log home designer”) But perhaps the most damaging element is moisture. The trouble is this movement can be a bit of a problem if we want to put things on the wall, or perhaps adding some shelves or fixing machinery. On the back porch, however, where the framing would be completely new and hidden, they chose modern lumber. Once it’s cut down it starts to dry out and lose moisture. As I have warned separately at WOOD FLOOR DAMAGE REPAIR, when restoring or repairing old wideboard wood floors, filling cracks between the floor boards pretty much guarantees further damage. White Bits: This is the easiest to solve, wait until the weather improves and then remove the fascia, you can then paint behind them and you will never notice this again. Most wood shrinkage and settlement around doors, windows and vertical posts cause energy efficiency problems and take up time and expense in maintenance. I don't have much money invested in this home so I'm now planning on tearing it down and building a stud-frame ranch with lots of insulation. Average annual maintenance costs of caring for a 2,000 sq ft log home is roughly $1,350 or upwards of $3k biennially. A special Viga log repair involving replacement of the outdoor-exposed viga log ends is described in an NPS article cited below. AG A purlin roof consists of horizontal logs that are notched into the gable-wall logs. Question It seals up all air gaps tightly. Created By: e-Marketing Partner | Copyright 2020 | Privacy Policy, 3. Notice (by reading the document) that this repair approach is being used only to repair weather-exposed ends of viga logs that are otherwise enclosed within an adobe structure. We also provide a MASTER INDEX to this topic, or you can try the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX as a quick way to find information you need. To rebuild a failing corner on the northeast end, the crew spliced in replacement joists of oak, using the same mortise-and-tenon joinery that had proved successful since 1850. Let's look at some more photos to form a more confident opinion about your carport roof beams. We heard the split occur a few nights ago when outside temp was -12F. 866-637-7462 or logs@mlhnh.com - merrimacloghomes.com. "Fireâdamaged R/C Members Repair With HighâPerformance FibreâReinforced Jacket." Since replacing this key member with a new piece of timber would have meant disturbing all of the framing connected to it, as well as peeling off exterior siding, the crew decided to leave the post in place, but relieve it of its job. Log or beam checking is not normally a structural concern, though we might make an exception of there is significant splitting or checking exactly where a key structural connector such as a lag bolt or through bolt is located. Many people mistakenly believe that kiln dried log homes do not settle but even log homes built with kiln dried logs will settle and there should be a plan in place to address it. They are located in the middle 1/3 of the planks—or about 3" in from the edges of a 2x8—and spaced roughly 18" apart in a staggered pattern. I find most of the comments made to be unfounded and showing a lack of knowledge in the area of log homes. Not only were they built across the full expanse of North America, but they often bridge a variety of styles and technologies, making them a challenge to restore. As moisture levels vary the beam picks up or gives off moisture, changing in dimension.