McCall's Real Estate : The Bostic Log

The Bostic Log – Mountain Cabins and Homes

(A Series on Mountain Living in Bostic, NC)

By McCall’s Real Estate

Over the next few months, McCall’s Real Estate will offer a series of short articles on Mountain living in Bostic, North Carolina. These articles will address real estate issues like buying and selling mountain homes and land, decorating and maintaining log homes, and the dream of owning a cabin verses the reality of living in one, to name a few. Join us often. It will be like a chat by a fire in an open hearth; warm, engaging, and always inviting you to stay awhile.

3. How to Care for a Cabin

If you’ve chosen to move to Bostic, NC, and have built or bought a log cabin/home in Yellowtop Mountain Estates, Golden Valley Estates, The Summit, or South Mountain Peaks, you’re enjoying a beautiful mountain summer. You’re probably spending your free time picnicking, hiking, golfing, boating or simply porch sitting with a view. The last thing on your mind is log home maintenance. And it should be. Summer time is play time ‘round here. However, you can’t put it off forever. That maintenance list you made will start calling by summer’s end. You don’t have a list? You may borrow mine.

Log Cabin/Home Maintenance List

· Perform maintenance checks in the spring and fall. In the spring, look for winter damage from snow, freezing, chimney use, etc. and ready the home for summer temperatures and UV exposure. In the fall, look for summer damage from hard rains, high temperatures, and insects, wasps, carpenter bees, etc. and ready the home for winter temperatures.

· Helpful tools for a maintenance check: Make a rough sketch of the exterior walls labeled North, South, East, West, garage with space to note maintenance needs on each side. Buy blue painter’s tape to mark locations needing maintenance. Use a digital camera or phone camera to take pictures of areas in question.

· Check to see if the stain is still working. Spot-check by spraying a little bit of water on the logs — if it beads up, you know the finish is still good. If not, it’s time to apply a new coat. A pigmented coat of water repellent stain will last longer than clear. Remember, exterior walls weather unevenly, depending on exposure to sunlight and water. All things being equal, the North and East sides of the cabin require the least maintenance.

· Watch for cracks. Cracks allow water into the wood and the wood will eventually rot. Fix cracks by filling them to absorption with stain and caulk.

· Check your window and door weather stripping to make sure it’s in good shape.

· Inspect your roof. Check the flashing in valleys, around the chimney and areas enclosing plumbing vents to ensure a tight seal against water.

· Seal exposed timbers. The ends of exposed timbers are susceptible to rot. Check and reseal these every year. Pay special attention to log ends on the underside of eaves that are flush with or extend past the overhang.

· Clean gutters

· Trim vegetation away from walls to help keep the logs dry.

· Pest infestations should be investigated and addressed before it becomes a problem.

Cleaning exterior walls is important to appearance. It gets rid of grime and pollen and helps prevent growth of mold and algae. Also, it’s easier to spot problem areas if the exterior walls are clean. Before washing, inspect the caulking. Re-apply where it is cracked or broken away from the logs. It is important to do this first so that when you wash you aren't forcing water into the joints of your logs

When you clean the exterior walls, do it in ways that cause the least harm to the finish.

· Use mild cleaners as strong cleaners may damage the finish. Try the solution in an inconspicuous area first to ensure it will not cause damage. A liquid log cleaner like X-180 (oxalic acid) or Log Wash works well. These cleaners are specifically for logs and the PH of the cleaners are very close to the PH of the wood in order to work effectively without damaging it.

· Do not use Bleach or Ammonia based products because they:

o Destroy lignin in the wood.

o Can permanently remove color.

o May make the finish look spotty after washing.

o May cause streaks to develop on the surface of your wood.

· Always use a mist setting on water nozzles, not a forceful jet – do not pressure wash your cabin unless it is for the purpose of removing all mildew, dirt, pollen and other contaminants prior to reapplying sealants, stain, etc. If you use a high pressure washer on your logs, you run the risk of tearing up the surface by splitting the wood fibers and leaving it with a "fuzzy" appearance.

· Always use soft bristled brushes and non-abrasive pads for cleaning.

This is the process for cleaning your log cabin:

1. Work an area small enough so that the cleaning solution is on the logs for no more than

10-15 minutes.

2. Wet the wall with spray from your hose.

3. Apply the cleaning solution with a sprayer, starting at the bottom of the wall and working your way up.

4. Gently scrub the wall with your brush.

5. Thoroughly rinse the cleaner from the top down. This helps prevent blotches and drip marks.

Log cabin/home maintenance does not have to take a lot of time. If your home is designed properly, you will save a lot of work. Large overhangs, porches, proper landscaping, and tall foundations will prevent maintenance nightmares. A log home is not a conventional home and will require non-conventional maintenance, but you can design and plan for this. The most important thing is to clean. Keep dust, pollen and mold off your logs. If you are consistent you can stay on top maintenance and you’ll prevent small issues from becoming costly replacement problems later on.

Below is a shining example of a beautifully maintained log home – and it’s for sale!

Hunter's Haven