A young boy and his dad. Hours spent tucked away together fishing the trout streams of New Hampshire’s quiet woods. In those quiet woods, a dream took root in Nicholas Martin’s heart. As he and his father fished, they would imagine and dream together of one day having a cabin of their very own to visit.
In 2012, an old, 1940’s cabin built from wood harvested on the very property Nicholas had spent so many years visiting became available for purchase. The old cabin was terribly rundown and, in Nicholas’ wife’s opinion, seemed more like a nightmare than a dream come true. The amount of work the cabin would require in order to be habitable, much less their dream cabin, was daunting. Nicholas wondered, could a novice homeowner with no log home restoration experience manage such an overwhelming project? Despite the tattered condition, Nicolas knew he could not pass it up.
Homeowner Insight: At our first visit to the cabin, all I could think was, “What have I gotten myself into?”
What Did I Get Myself Into?
The initial euphoria Nicholas felt was tempered slightly as he began to realize the size of the project he’d just taken on. The rustic little dream cabin was in serious need of TLC after years of being boarded up and uncared for. The home was badly deteriorated on the exterior with significant rot, completely black walls covered with mold, and a leaking roof. Inside, things were no better. The interior was completely infested with mice and carpenter ants, along with a completely rotted out floor.
Wisely, Nicholas knew one thing for certain: before he ever touched his new cabin, he needed to thoroughly research how to refinish such a severely deteriorated log structure.
The Transformation Begins
Nicholas knew that he wanted to do the bulk of the refinishing work himself, but understanding just what that required would be one of the most important steps in the restoration process. Research and education provided Nicholas the “know how” he’d been searching for. He was confident and ready to begin transforming his tattered cabin into the getaway of his childhood dreams.
First up, a new roof! The first priority was to keep more water from getting into the cabin.
Second, get rid of rot. Nicolas wanted to be sure he thoroughly addressed the rot issue. He was not willing to skimp on this important step. He decided to hire an expert to reface the rotten logs.
Application Tip: Some refinishing work is more technical than others. Severely rotted logs may require an expert to ensure safety, structural stability, and a lasting repair.
With a strong foundation in place, it was time for an aggressive blasting method using glass
media to get down to bare, sound wood. An Osborn® brush eliminated any wood “fuzz,” and checks were filled with Backer Rod and Sashco’s Conceal®. Nicholas’ cabin was already beginning to look years younger. Properly prepped, the cabin was ready to be stained.
Homeowner Insight: “I immediately beganresearching the finishingprocess like crazy. I wanted todo it right, because if I missed a step I’d be the one to have to live with it. As I researched, Sashco® products andTransformation Stain® just kept coming up as the best — not just for good looks, butalso for the best protection.”
The Stain Decision: When in Doubt, Go Dark!
The cabin’s transformation was well underway. Now it was time to make one of his most important decisions. After prepping the cabin so thoroughly, Nicholas was very particular about which stain he would use choose to protect his dream cabin. He spent hours researching stain with two ultimate requirements in mind — beauty and, more importantly, protection. His research kept pointing him back to two things:
Dark stain provides better protection
Transformation Stain® Log & Timber provided both stunning beauty and unparalleled protection
Ultimately, Nicholas decided on Transformation Stain® Log & Timber in Red Tone Dark. With a mildewcide added, Nicholas brushed on three coats of stain.
Application Tip: It’s true — darker colors tend to last longer because they have more pigment to prevent UV degradation. Thoroughly brushing stain into the logs is also necessary to get proper penetration of the stain, which improves durability.
Homeowner Insight:“I was shocked at the results after media blasting. It was a truly amazing and effective improvement I could see right away.”
The Happy Ending
So, you might be wondering, was Nicolas’ big risk on this small cabin worth it? Did the childhood dream come true? We’ll let him answer for himself.
“Oh my gosh, I love it! My wife went from being nervous to sleep there to asking when we could go back. We go as often as we can. I believed the cabin could get better, but I never dreamed it could get as good as it is.”
How could a cabin that seemed almost unsalvageable exceed Nicholas’ expectations? They say, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Nicholas combined the “will” with a commitment to education, solid research, and proper application techniques, and it resulted in his dream cabin. That will, education, and high-performance products worked in concert to make this intimidating restoration project possible.
A dream between dad and son over the casts of fishing poles is now the place where real life memories are being created.
Homeowner Insight: “Transformation Stain in Red Tone Dark was the perfect choice. I can’t believe how beautiful it looks. There was a huge difference between the first and final coat. It ended up so rich and glossy looking. I sent a picture of the finished product to the previous owner and he couldn’t even believe it was the same cabin.”
Don’t compromise at the end of a long and arduous journey by using an inferior stain not designed for logs. Capture and Cascade deliver performance worthy of the journey that got you here.
Moves with your logs and timbers
Won't hide the wood grain
Easy clear coat maintenance with Cascade(R) exterior clear coat
Backer Materials that Seal Things Right the First Time Backer Rod, Grip Strip, and Log Gap Cap all help you create the ideal joint desing for a long-lasting, durable seal
Logs are in constant dynamic motion. That's why there's Log Builder®, the sealant made for log structures. Stretches up to 500% of original size, while still maintaining tenacious adhesion to the wood.
When other chinking pulls away, Log Jam holds its seal With Log Jam chinking, you can keep the cozy feel and rustic look of a log home without compromising comfort and performance.
Easy to Use - Hard to See Keep out weather, bugs, and moisture without seeing it. Conceal disappears into the woodwork so you don't know the wood starts and the caulk begins.
It's Music to the Eyes Symphony works in harmony with the unique character of your logs and wood to reflect an atmosphere or cozy warmth and elegance while creating and scuff-resistant and durable surface that's easy to dust.
Right Color. Right Quantity. Right Now. Never run out of stain at the jobsite again. Stock exactly what you need in your truck or trailer at the jobsite.
Easy to mix
The same color, durability, and application you've come to expect from Capture Log Stain and Transformation Log & Timber
Maintenance Made Easy Now that Capture® Log Stain is applied, it’s time for Cascade® Clear Topcoat to bring out the depth and character of your unique woodgrain while protecting it against moisture, mildew, and algae. Predictable and affordable routine maintenance with Cascade throughout the years means your home stays protected and beautiful. Easy!
Keep the Color the Color Colorfast delivers the ideal canvas for stain application and leaves behind the strong foundation necessary for long-lasting color. It’s color confidence for your log home.
Rot, weather, insects, fungi all pose a serious threat to your logs. Protect your investment—treat your logs first to make them last. Tim-bor® helps protect your home from the costly damage caused by rot and insect infestation.
Bugs don't stand a chance
Easy to mix and apply
Prevents decay fungi
Costs 5 times less than glycol-based borate products
Remove Wood Felting and Raised Grain Remove wood fuzz (called felting) after power washing or media blasting, and knock down excessive raised grain with Sashco's finish sanding tools
Clean and brighten bare logs and wood, remove surface dirt, pollen, and kill mold for maintenance, and keep your logs looking fresh with CPR Log Cleaner and Brightener