Log homes are beautiful timber structures that provide a truly unique place to call home.
From small cabins to full houses there are a wide variety of floor plans and designs to get you started on building your very own log home.
But log homes are not your ordinary buildings and it takes careful and thorough maintenance to preserve and protect the lumber of your log home.
  To keep your log home or log cabin looking great and well protected from UV rays and weather conditions providing a few coats of a high quality exterior stain will go a long way in treating your log timber.
Stains not only offer a rich and polished look the specially mixed formulas can actually prove a layer of protection for wood to combat excessive exposure to UV light and a number of harsh weather conditions including rain, sleet and high winds.
Other stains are specially formulated mixtures that can also repel insects and prevent mildew.
  Before staining any wood surface including a log home or log cabin make sure to clean all the wood surfaces so it is free from dust, debris and loose wood fibers.
You can use a pressure washer, sander or corn cob media blaster to strip older logs of built up debris.
Next you'll want to mask off all windows, doors, light fixtures and concrete footings with plastic and tape.
Prep work can seem tedious and time consuming but the steps you take prior to the staining project will actually save you time in the long run.
Once all the wood is clean and the openings of the home or cabin are well sealed you're ready to choose your wood stain.
A pigmented or semi-transparent stain is recommended for log homes and log cabins but there is a huge selection of high quality stains and wood finishes from which to select from.
You can find terrific log stains in a wide variety of natural wood colors including mahogany, walnut, oak and white pine.
It is best to use a sprayer rather than a brush when applying wood stains since it tends to distribute the stain more evenly.
You can use a brush when doing brush backs and touch up work but for the majority of paneling and log siding you're better off using a high quality sprayer.
Apply a thick and heavy coat when spraying and make sure you cover all areas of the log exterior.
  After applying the first stain coat you will want brush back the layer by using a stain brush and forcing the stain mix to soak into the wood and leave a smooth, even finish.
This is usually a two-person job where one person will apply the stain and the second carefully moves over the coating with a brush to even out the stain.
Allow the stain a day or two to dry and then if needed apply a second coat of stain to the log home or log cabin exterior walls and paneling.
You can add as many coats as you desire but make sure the previous coat has dried before applying more stain.