Log home move. Weather happens. A good caulking job has to handle both. Learn how to do it the right way.
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When it comes to caulking a log home, the product is only part of the equation. Joint design, prep, backer rod, application and tooling all matter. In our Caulking 101 series, we’re breaking it all down.
Ready to stain? Don’t guess! Sample. Testing stain colors on your actual logs before committing ensures that you get the exact look you want and helps prevent “oops” moments later. Snag your free samples here.
Ready to get your log home looking great and protected the right way? We’ve got everything you need to know to get started.
WATCH TO SEE!
Ready to stain? Don’t guess! Sample. Testing stain colors on your actual logs before committing ensures that you get the exact look you want and helps prevent “oops” moments later. Snag your free samples here.
Choosing a stain for your log home or weekend cabin can be difficult. Opinions are as many and varied as there are people! In this webinar, Sashco partnered with Log Home Living Magazine to help folks sort through the pros and cons of different stains types (oil-based, water-based, and everything in between).
What kind of prep is necessary? What will maintenance look like? What’s better for the deck vs. the log walls? You’ll get a good foundation upon which to base decisions.
Ready to stain? Don’t guess! Sample. Testing stain colors on your actual logs before committing ensures that you get the exact look you want and helps prevent “oops” moments later. Snag your free samples here.
Heads up, homeowners! Don’t let summer bugs move into your log home.
Summer isn’t over yet, and neither are the bugs. Before the season winds down, take a few minutes to walk around your log home to see what’s going on. You’re just looking for the little things that can give wood-loving pests an opportunity to move in. A new crack in a log. A soft spot. Wood that stays damp. A little pile of sawdust that definitely wasn’t there last time you looked. Those things are worth paying attention to.
We are proud to work alongside applicators who share our commitment to craftsmanship and quality. This month, we’re featuring218 Painting & Log Restoration LLC of Britt, Minnesota, a company that has built its reputation on comprehensive log home restoration services and a team-first approach.
Some log homes have a story that goes far beyond the logs themselves. This North Idaho cabin is one of those homes.
For Randy and Kelli, the story began when they were looking to purchase a home in North Idaho. Their realtor sent them pictures of a unique log cabin, and they immediately took an interest. They made an offer and purchased the home.
It wasn’t long before they met their new neighbors and discovered something remarkable about the cabin they had just purchased.
When it comes to restoring a log home, the difference between simply doing the work and truly specializing in it comes down to preparation, quality products, and a commitment to doing things the right way.
For Derek Prince, owner of Pro Property Services in Waynesville, North Carolina, log home restoration became a natural specialty. We talked with Derek about how he got started, what keeps him passionate about the work, and the recent project that brought everything together for his company.
For nearly five decades, Norlog Building Systems Ltd. has been helping homeowners navigate the unique world of log homes with a combination of experience, passion, and customer-first service. Based in Ontario, Canada, the family-owned company has spent the last 47 years building a reputation rooted in education, quality products, and long-term support for log homeowners.
Some homes are built on land. Others are built on stories.
Before a single log was stacked, before stain colors were debated or chinking lines were planned, this property already mattered. A lot. It’s where Jerry Fekete spent his younger years training as a competitive road bike racer, pedaling the roads that wind through the countryside. Years later, after life took him to other states, he returned with his wife, Jennifer, showed her the land, and she fell in love with it too.
They didn’t just choose this property for their future log home. They chose it for their wedding.
They were married right there on the land, before the house existed, and then decided to build a log home that honored the place, the past, and the future they were creating together.
Jeffus was first contacted by the homeowners in 2023, referred by Sashco’s own Paul Peebles. The home had already been stacked. Unfortunately, Mother Nature didn’t get the memo about timelines.
Monsoon-like weather delays meant the roofing crew couldn’t get the roof on in time, leaving the logs exposed to prolonged rain and heat. As you can imagine, that combination led to staining and mildew, inside and out.
At the same time, Jerry and Jennifer were living in another home while slowly completing this one themselves, carefully working within a yearly budget and doing as much hands-on work as possible. (Both engineers, both extremely detail-oriented, and yes, every bit as meticulous as you’d expect.)
The goal wasn’t just to “fix” the damage. It was to do it right.
Prep, Patience, and a Custom Vision
The homeowners had a clear vision: A custom color blend using Capture Log Stain in Chestnut and Hazelnut, paired with Log Jam Woodtone Cedar chinking. Rich, warm, timeless, but precise.
Every non-log wood surface was sanded with 60-grit to remove mill glaze and properly prep for stain. The logs were treated with CPR Log Cleaner, pressure-washed and then treated with borates for long-term protection.
From there, Jeffus applied Colorfast Pre-Stain Base Coat, followed by a first coat of Chestnut Capture Log Stain and a second coat in Hazelnut. Window trim, fascia, rafters, and deck railings were stained to match the logs, while the board-and-batten siding was finished in Capture Log Stain Natural. Cascade Semi-Gloss went on last to protect all exterior wood surfaces, including the T&G soffits, and Conceal was used to address checking and cracks.
This was about restoring confidence in the home and setting it up to last.
Bringing the Story Inside
In 2024, the Jeffus crew returned to focus on the interior. Upper-level log-look siding was installed, sanded to 80-grit, along with the upstairs tongue & groove ceilings and beams. Interior logs were carefully sanded to remove mildew damage and prepped for stain.
The interior color choice (it deserves a pause, yes, it’s that beautiful), Capture Autumn Aspen,completely transformed the space. Warm, inviting, and perfectly balanced. All interior wood surfaces were sealed with Symphony Interior Clear Coat for durability and depth.
That same year, the deck was sanded and stained using Transformation Stain Siding & Trim in Woodtone Cedar, tying the outdoor spaces seamlessly into the home’s natural surroundings.
The Details That Matter (Especially to Engineers)
By 2025, it was time for exterior chinking. Log Jam was installed, followed by stain correction, touch-ups, and a fresh, clear coat to seal and protect everything, including the chinking itself.
Interior work continued with first-floor log-look siding, and plans were set to stain the downstairs interior walls to match the rest of the home. Window trim and additional interior details are still ahead.
Over the coming winter, oak flooring will be installed, more interior siding added, and Jeffus will continue helping Jerry and Jennifer tackle the remaining projects with one shared goal in mind: moving in by spring of 2026.
A Home Rooted in Place
Jeffrey Jeffus, owner of Jeffus Log Home Stain & Service, told us, “One of the best parts of working on this home is how connected it is to its surroundings. Harmony Hill Market at Bryant-Thomas Ranch sits just next door, and when we’re on site, we grab beef, pork, and chicken from their little ranch store. All grass-fed, humanely raised, and literally within walking distance of the driveway. It feels right. Like the house belongs here.”
This isn’t just a log home. It’s a lifetime of memories coming full circle. Built with intention, patience, and a whole lot of care.
Jerry and Jennifer, we’re honored to be part of your story.
Ready to stain? Don’t guess! Sample. Testing stain colors on your actual logs before committing ensures that you get the exact look you want and helps prevent “oops” moments later. Snag your free samples here.
When it comes to protecting and beautifying your log home, Sashco isn’t just another stain on the market — it’s the high-performancechoice for serious log lovers. With industry-leading products like Capture, Cascade, and Transformation, Sashco combines cutting-edge technology and rugged durability to keep your logs looking stunning and standing strong year after year. Whether you’re chasing that perfect finish or just want to avoid the heartbreak of costly repairs, Sashco’s got your back. Because your log home deserves more than “good enough,” it deserves Sashco. Made for logs. Made to last. Made to make your neighbors jealous.
What do ladders, sandpaper, and love have in common? For Joseph Smidt and his family, they were the unlikely trio behind a complete log home restoration and transformation. Read the full “Restoration Possible” story and hear every step, challenge, and triumph along the way.
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
