It is not a secret that wooden houses become a very popular way to spend free time during
the summer season. However, when the weather gets colder, the doors of residential cabins
are usually closed until spring. According to the team of maestrocbins.co.uk, which specializes in the production of wooden houses, such an approach can cause significant
damage to your property. In order to make residential log cabins stay in excellent condition
for many years, it is necessary to take care of them constantly.
Therefore, the specialists of wooden houses agreed to share their advice on how to ensure
the constant professional maintain of log cabins and how to prepare wooden buildings for
the winter.
Residential cabins: how often do they need to be serviced?
In terms of the frequency, log cabins maintenance works could be divided into several
categories: works that need to be done regularly, works that need to be done every few
years, and the last – works that usually need to be done only when the condition is
deteriorating.
1. Ongoing maintenance works
Inspection of the general condition of a log cabin
Specialists emphasize that to make residential cabins remain in a good condition for many
years, high-quality maintenance is necessary regularly. Regular inspections and regular
assessment of the condition of the wooden house will help to ensure such maintenance. The full inspection of the general condition should be done once or twice a year with regular house cleaning.
Professionals are often asked the question: what to look for during a regular home
inspection if you have not noticed any problems or irregularities while living in your log
cabin? The team of maestrocbins.co.uk advises paying special attention to damaged or
loose boards and roof tiles. Deformed or leaky areas of the house can be avoided by small
repairs done in time. Pay sufficient attention to the chimney as well as possible damage to
the chimney pipes of the house, possible cracks between the chimney pipe and the chimney or chimney and roof.
Pest control and sealing
You don’ t have to be a specialist to understand that probably the main reason why wooden
houses face the problem of pests is the excess of moisture that occurs at the time and place.
Therefore, to protect your residential log cabins from various pests such as mold, mildew, or other easily breeding bacteria, you have to ensure a high level of tightness in your wooden summer house. When inspecting the walls, try to find and evaluate every single crack in the wood, faded stains, possible signs of powdery mildew or mold, which often help to find problematic areas of the house.
Unsecured insulation of windows and doors installed in residential cabins have a significant
impact on both the tightness of the house and the amount of excess moisture. For this
reason, it is necessary to choose not only high-quality doors and windows but also to check
them regularly – to adjust the sash properly, to ensure that the window gasket is well
pressed to the window frame.
In experts’ opinion, even the latest plastic windows have to be prepared for winter. Ensuring quality insulation will prevent excess moisture, which often leads to the accumulation of moisture and mold inside the house. Sealed wooden houses will also have much lower heat loss during the cold season. According to the maestrocbins.co.uk team, during the winter it becomes possible to check whether the plastic windows in your wooden house have been installed well.
How to find out if the window insulation is sufficient? Probably the easiest way is to swipe
your hand near the sash to the frame and check for the slightest wind. Another additional
test can help to make sure the windows are tight: insert a sheet of paper between the
window sash and the frame and try to pull it out after closing the window. Depending on how easily you pulled out the sheet of paper, you will find out if there is a large gap in this area.
Regular care of walls
It is also important to emphasize that residential log cabins are usually characterized by
particularly easy maintenance of walls and floors. Although cleaning of wooden walls with
water is often avoided, there is no point to worry that the wood will get wet and eventually
start to rot. It is because when cleaning the surface of the walls we do not clean the wood
itself, just the top protective layer. For this reason, the wall wood itself remains intact what
means you should not hesitate to take action if you notice more dust, dirt, or fingerprints on the walls.
Dust that has accumulated on the wooden walls of the log cabin can be easily removed with
a vacuum cleaner or a soft cloth. Wooden walls are usually covered with dust near open
windows (it is mostly how the dust gets inside), therefore, more frequent cleaning of walls
next to windows can reduce the need for general cleaning of wooden walls. If there are still
more pronounced stains on the walls, you can use a solution of your production: mix warm
water with dishwashing detergent or soap and wash the walls thoroughly.
When using chemical cleaning products for the walls of a wooden house, your should also
try to avoid solvents, as that type of cleaners can penetrate the wood and damage it through the slightest cracks. The experts of log cabins maestrocbins.co.uk also advise testing all the products in a small area first. Apply a small amount of cleaning product to a clean cloth and start cleaning the wall from below – this will not only check the cleaner but also prevent lines from forming.
2. Less frequently performed maintenance works
Renewing of walls
Wood is particularly valued in the construction sector not only for its properties, such as
natural air circulation or good heat and sound but also for its relatively simple maintenance.
Residential cabins with natural wooden walls are considered to be a particularly practical
choice, as walls only need to be refurbished after losing the protective function – every 2-3
years on average.
Perhaps the most popular walls protection products nowadays are oil-based products.
Whether you need to protect your wooden floor or walls, this type of protector helps maintain natural wood materials for a long time. In many cases, these protective measures are combined with a special varnish for the walls, which protects from external factors and more serious scratches additionally.
Wooden walls covering with wax is also possible due to the new simple process – wax is
applied using a special roller, which must be ensured as a more even distribution of wax on
the walls. Although waxed walls used to be glossy, today a wide variety of products for
painting allow the walls of a cottage to be made completely matte or semi-matte with the
help of wax.
According to the specialists of wooden houses maestrocbins.co.uk, the biggest mistake is
the decision to leave walls, floor, or ceiling of your residential cabin without any protective
layer. Although this practice is still common in the case of wooden walls, it is worth mentioning that such a decision will allow you to enjoy the natural appearance of the walls
for a much shorter time.
General renovation of the log cabin
A need for log cabins renovation comes as well as a need to renew our permanent homes.
Therefore, construction experts advise that repainting the interior walls of a wooden house or simply moving the furniture can be a great solution that does not require high expenses. In this way, you will not only create a new space for your free time, but will also have the
opportunity to assess the general condition of the cottage and the household: the floor,
walls, ceiling, furniture, and maybe even the household appliances purchased earlier. New
decor elements, carpets, and perhaps even larger plants can also bring vitality and
innovation to your recreation area, creating a pleasant environment for your rest.
3. Rarely performed maintenance works
Roof renovation
It is not difficult to understand that both metaphorically and in practice, the roof of a house is a part that protects the house from all misfortunes. When it comes to high-quality
maintenance of wooden houses, the main focus should be put on regular roof inspection and maintenance. According to maestrocbins.co.uk specialists, it is also especially important to emphasize the right choice of roof for the general condition of the house. The truth is that a high-quality roof will serve not only you but for future generations as well.
There are many types of roofing, designed to perform essentially the same function of
protecting the house from external environmental factors such as wind, rain, snow, or
temperature changes. For this reason, other inherent features of roofing can help you to
decide which type to choose for your residential log cabins.
Firstly, it could be the ecology, thanks to which we can protect not only our summer houses
but also nature. Such type of roofing is considered to be ecological tiles that maintain the
highest position in the roofing market for a while. Another feature that has a significant
impact on the choice of roofing is the acoustics of the roof that protects the house from any
ambient sounds. Given the particularly large supply of the latter material on the roofing
market, the choice of a reliable manufacturer that has been specializing in roofing for many
years may help to make the final decision. Experienced specialists usually carefully evaluate each project and help to ensure that log cabins meet all the expectations of the owners.
Renovation of foundations
According to experts, the foundation of the house, as well as the roof, is another important
part that requires renovation after reaching a certain age. Since transferring a wooden house to a new foundation is not only a complicated but also a particularly expensive process, it is much more common to replace the lower crowns of the house’s foundation. In this case, the residential cabins are caused by special jacks and supported by blocks until the crown of the log house is dismantled and replaced.
At the end of this stage, pits of the required depth are dug in the corners of the house, which are filled with concrete. According to the specialists, concrete foundations or bricks can be poured instead of the removed log crown. When the new masonry dries, the blocks are removed and the wooden house is laid on a new foundation. If the foundation of the house is not severely damaged, it can be strengthened by pouring a 10-20 cm high layer of reinforced concrete on top. After the reinforcement work, the outside of the foundation is neatly plastered or tiled.