Maintaining Your Log Home
Color Selection
Here is a list of “must-do’s’ for assurance that you achieve the correct color on your home:
Order a liquid sample of the color you have targeted, plus one that is a little lighter and one that is a little darker. You never know how color will come out on your logs, ordering these three may save you some time.
Apply the stain to a sample log from your home, use the exact application method that you are going to use when you apply the stain to your home; so, if you are going to spray and then brush, that’s how you need to do your sample log.
Make certain that the sample log has been prepped in the same method as your home. If you are power washing your home before staining, your sample log has to be powered washed too. You want the sample log to be as close as possible in surface texture as the logs on your home. Let’s say that you do power wash your home, but not the sample log, that means that the sample log will have tighter grain and won’t absorb as much stain, so the likelihood is that the power washed logs of your home will take on more stain and your home will come out darker than the sample log.
Use the same number of coats on the sample log as you are going to apply to your home; follow the manufacturer’s recommended number of coats.
Allow the sample to dry at least 24 hours for full color development.
Don’t allow the contractor to stain until you have thoroughly discussed and demonstrated the look you want. Give him the sample to match.
Don’t spray the entire home before you verify that you’re achieving the look you want. Stop if there is a discrepancy in color and call the stain manufacturer for guidance.