HOW TO KEEP YOUR LOG HOME INTERIOR IN GREAT SHAPE YEAR AFTER YEAR
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Posted by Michael Whalen on 2/27/2023 to Log Home Maintenance
How to Refresh Your Cabin Interior
The cabin is the quintessential American place of residence. Abraham Lincoln was born in a humble log cabin at Sinking Springs Farm. Teddy Roosevelt retreated to Maltese Cross Cabin to revive his soul after his mother and his first wife both died on Valentine's Day in 1884. And where did Henry David Thoreau pen Civil Disobedience, one of the most important essays ever contributed to the worldwide democratic tradition? Why, nowhere else but the cabin he built by the shore of Walden Pond, of course.
It's only fitting that you – yet another great American – should own a cabin as well. But maintaining your rustic abode doesn't simply require refreshing its exterior every now and so often. If you want your cabin to look great and last as long as possible, then you've also got to give its interior regular TLC.
If your cabin's interior walls are finished just like a regular house's, then you can maintain them like you would a regular house's as well. But if its interior walls are made of the same logs which comprise your cabin's exterior, then here's what you can do to keep them pristine!
Seal and Stain the Walls Regularly
Let's begin with the most important facet of log home preservation. You should seal and stain the interior walls of your cabin every three to seven years in order to protect the sensitive surfaces against ultraviolet (UV) light, moisture and other sources of damage.
To determine whether a portion of your walls requires new sealer and stain, spray it with water. If water beads on the surface of the wall, its previous treatments are still working. If water soaks into the wall, it is in need of fresh coats.
Once you have moved furniture away and placed a protective drop cloth on the floor, remove dirt and dust from the interior walls by thoroughly wiping them down with a damp rag.
Next you must sand the walls. Doing so will remove caked on grime, as well as make the wood's surface coarse enough to effectively absorb sealer and stain. Choose a sandpaper with a fine grit – many consider 80 grit to be ideal on logs. Gently sand the walls with an orbital sander (a sanding block will do if you haven't got the power tool). Once you have finished sanding, use a vacuum with a brush tip to remove any remaining dust.
Now that your walls are nicely sanded, use a brush to apply wood sealer. Different types of stains/ wood grain sealers require varying amounts of time to dry, so make sure you consult the product's label or instructions before you proceed to the following step.
Once the color stain/sealer has fully dried, it's time to brush on the clear top coat. We recommend Lovitt's Platinum Interior Finish for your log home's walls, and not just for the obvious reason. Our state-of-the-art American-made interior finish creates a durable and dazzling clear finish which perfectly complements any log home's aesthetic. It is equally suitable for tongue and groove ceilings, doors, windows, and trim!
Clean the Walls Regularly
Refreshing your log home's interior walls doesn't always require as much work as sealing and staining. Sometimes a good clean is all it takes to restore the walls' glow. Begin by wiping the walls free of dust and dirt using a damp rag, the Platinum clear finish is durable and easy to wipe clean. If the wood areas are in need of deeper cleaning, or removal of existing failed stain, you will need a stronger wood-cleaning product for your walls.
Update the Windows
New windows will enhance any living space's appearance, but they do their part to protect a log home's interior walls as well. Modern window glass is engineered to absorb virtually all of the sun's UV rays before they pass through to the walls. UV radiation gradually makes wood fibers less resilient. That is why wood walls that are constantly exposed to sunlight will eventually warp, crack and cup. Regular sealing and staining can help to ward off that damage, but modern windows will only further help to preserve your cabin's interior!
At Lovitt's Coatings, we understand that picking the best protective product for your wood can be a confusing process – but it doesn't have to be. Contact us today and our friendly and knowledgeable team will make certain you receive the products that ensure total success!