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Staining your log or timber home is a humble art and is a critical part of the sense of style and feeling of what the structure creates. Whereas paint simply transforms the color of a surface, leaving no trace of its previous character, stain is typically used to enhance the beautiful grain of wood and generate that back to earth feeling that heavy wood timbers accentuate. Semi-transparent stains from Perma-Chink Systems are designed to let the beauty of the wood shine through and provide increased protection from interior and exterior elements. But what about the colors?

Some DIY homeowners assume that hot weather simply means that the log finish freshly applied on their log home will dry faster. While this is true, there are circumstances when stained log surfaces dry too quickly. Once the finish is on the wall, it does not really matter if it gets hit by direct sunlight a few hours later. It’s the surface temperature during the application process that’s critical.hotweather

How Hot is Too Hot to Stain My Log Home and Deck?

loghomeentryBy Seth Murphy
papadiy.com

Home improvements can be expensive, but they can greatly increase your home’s value. When it comes time to decide which improvements to make, there are a few things to consider. Here are some tips on how to improve your home to increase its resale value.

By Seth Murphy

Papadiy.com

Homeowners almost always have a list of projects to complete around the house. If interior projects are on your list, don’t let winter slow your progress. The truth is, there are several indoor maintenance projects that are ideal for winter.

How about EuroPlast?

Looking for just the right compliment to enhance the interior walls of your dream home? Consider the ageless appeal of Venetian plaster. For centuries architects, designers, builders, and owners alike have marveled at the splendor of this highly popular form of wall surfacing, and throughout the ages the artisans who were skilled at creating such beauty have been revered and sought after. With today’s advanced technology, you can now have this distinctive elegance and appeal at a fraction of the cost- in as little as two days.

novemberheaderIf you live in or near the woods, you probably have a variety of rodents that also occupies your surrounding area. Most rodents like to gnaw on wood and if your log home is accessible to them it may become the target of their gnawing activity. Although field mice occasionally work on the exterior of a home, most of their effort is devoted to finding a warm place to spend the winter. If you seal up all of the potential entrance points, especially around the foundation, you will prevent their taking up residence inside your home. Just remember that they can squeeze through unbelievable small openings so you need to do a thorough job.

During the winter months many homeowners use firewood as a source of heat or create an attractive atmosphere. But along with the firewood comes many types of living pests. Most firewood pests will not harm people or animals, nor will they start infestations of wood within the home.

However, there are a few pests, like Black Widow spiders, that are of concern. Some types of wood boring beetle infestations occasionally begin by emerging from stored firewood. But most pests are harmless, yet annoying, insects like cockroaches, pillbugs, centipedes, ground beetles, and sowbugs that all like to hide over winter beneath bark, or in the cracks of firewood, becoming active within days after the firewood is brought into a warm home.

housewarming

By Seth Murphy
Papadiy.com

Owning a home is a big part of the American Dream: a place to call home, where your family grows and thrives. Being a homeowner however, has its fair share of responsibilities and it’s a year round job. As you prepare for winter and ice storms, there are a few must do’s to ensure your family’s peace of mind. Every homeowner is inevitably faced with the possibility of having to hire a professional to do home repairs and maintenance. However, there are plenty of DIY maintenance tips that can keep your house in tip top shape so you can save the most complicated jobs to the professionals.

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Is Chinking Cosmetic or a Sealant?

Perma-Chink has evolved into an elastomeric compound that has been specifically designed for use in log home sealing applications. Perma-Chink adds to the overall integrity of the structure by not only preventing water and air from entering the home, but also adding greatly to the overall effectiveness of the entire building envelope - keeping heat and air from escaping during the heating and cooling seasons. While it looks fantastic when properly applied, Perma-Chink is most definitely a sealant first and a cosmetic product second.

It should also be mentioned that a properly applied chinking compound will help keep out unwanted insects and other nuisance pests. In the case of a “chinkless” style home, many homeowners often desire to add a chink line for cosmetic purposes to differentiate the home from a smooth-sided home. Or oftentimes on a full log wall system Perma-Chink is used as a contrast in the color of the chosen finish.

asianladybeetle

In many areas of the country when cool, fall days arrive, Asian lady beetles (ladybugs), Harmonia axyridis, and boxelder bugs, Boisea trivittatus, congregate on exterior walls. They typically choose the south and west facing walls since these walls are the warmest. Once on the wall they look for nooks, crannies and other dark openings where they can hibernate over the winter. Log checks, gaps between butt joints and corner openings provide ideal wintering sites for these insects. If any opening leads to the inside of the home, they can become a real nuisance, especially if they enter in large numbers. An effective method to handle them inside is with a vacuum cleaner. Spraying them with pesticides is unnecessary and unhealthy.

The best way to keep them out of your home is to block their entry points with a sealant, screening and weather stripping. Using high quality sealants like Energy Seal™ or Woodsman™ will help prevent these and other insects from entering your home for years to come. When sealing, pay special attention to window and door frames. That's where openings typically appear as a home settles and logs season.

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