Log Home Stain

If you’re new to log home building and maintence, staining exterior logs is probably far from your mind. We’re going to discuss why it’s important to stain logs when the home is built, as well as during the maintence of the home. This information is touched upon lightly, so remember to always ask questions about anything you’re unsure about.

Not only does the stain seal in the natural color of the log, which offers great curb appeal, but it also seals the wood. Sealing the wood protects it against moisture, offering prevention against damage to your home both in the near and distant future. The stain will also allow for any moisture within the log to evaporate.

Note that there is a difference between interior and exterior stains. Exterior stains contain fungicides, as well as a mildicide, which causes instability for interior use. If you’re an owner-builder and are unsure of which stain is interior and which is for exterior, ask a salesperson to help you with your selection.

Because shrinking and cracking occurs, it’s necessary to stain again a year following the build of your home. This is where a proper maintence plan should be put into place to account for the gradual weathering of the stain. If you aren’t an owner-builder, discuss the kind of stain used during construction of the home so you can continue maintence with the right products. If you’re unsure of correct applications (for example, spraying it on versus brushing it on), that’s something else worth discussing with the builder.

When someone first drives up to your log home, the exterior is what they will see first, and so keeping that external finish looking great should be a priority. There are numerous contributing factors that affect the life of your log homes exterior finish. The main ones include: the ingredients quality, the preparation and application of the stain, the amount of colorants used and the exposure to weather.

Some of these factors can be controlled by the how you design your log home like making sure you have wide overhangs on your roof, adding covered porches to the sides that are most exposed to high winds and extreme weather.

With your preparation and application process, you should be very conscientious. Choosing a stain with higher pigment levels can help make your chosen color last longer, and doesn’t necessarily mean darker colors.

How often you have to stain your home can range greatly, and it is not unheard of to have to apply new coats every year or two in a log home built in a higher elevation, where sun exposure is extreme, and where a lighter pigment is chosen.

At the upper end of the scale, I have heard of log homes protected by being located in a heavily treed forest and coated with medium pigment finish that stayed looking great for nearly ten years.

If you want a natural look, choose a stain that is colored the same as your wood, then apply the pigmented finish to stabilize the color and provide the long term protection that only pigmentation can give.