Anyone intending to refurbish an old house has many elements to consider when choosing a contractor. Having these ancient dwellings returned to their original condition requires the builders to have a familiarity with the building styles used. If one needs them to use those old techniques, they need to find professional log home restoration contractors.
Checking the logs for rot is a fairly straight-forward technique, but will need to be the first step taken. Piercing the logs with a screwdriver or ice pick can tell you whether or not there is soft or spongy wood on the inside. The presence of holes from many years of carpenter bee intrusion is also a good indicator that there may be damage unseen, and this condition must be addressed.
When rot is found, the logs must be either replaced or the problem remedied with a modern approach. There is epoxy which can be used as a filler for any soft or punky logs that are found. By filling these logs with this epoxy, the structure itself can be completely preserved, and the logs are successfully restored to better than their original strength.
If the original structure was made of pine, oak, or cedar, then the contractor is strongly encouraged to find the same kind of logs to use. The older the structure, the more important it will be to use the same materials. Preservation of original construction, along with attention to the use of time-appropriate materials and techniques is key to successfully restoring the house.
A great deal can be learned about the building style if one is familiar with the people who most likely built their cabin originally. Immigrants from different parts of Europe had their own building styles, and within a certain period they probably kept to it. In order to truly recreate the home as it was, the owner might want to find out who the original builders were and what style of structure they were most notable for.
One good clue owners can identify to determine what style the original house was, is by noting the corner notching technique. This can vary depending on the ethnicity of its original builders, as well as what time period the structure was erected. Corner notches established rigidity and stability of the house, and the techniques improved through the centuries.
A century ago people used whatever materials were around to chink and daub the outer walls of their homes. Unfortunately, it may be impossible to find an example of this on the structure itself since that would have been the first thing to deteriorate. Simply knowing if there is lime available, or if they may have been known to use mud and animal droppings can help.
For the owner who really gets into discovering the dynamic history of their house and the property that surrounds it, they might want to visit a local historical society or join an Internet group that specializes in historical records for the area. If they are really lucky, they might even be able to find a photograph of their original structure, or some hand-drawn pictures and blue prints.
Checking the logs for rot is a fairly straight-forward technique, but will need to be the first step taken. Piercing the logs with a screwdriver or ice pick can tell you whether or not there is soft or spongy wood on the inside. The presence of holes from many years of carpenter bee intrusion is also a good indicator that there may be damage unseen, and this condition must be addressed.
When rot is found, the logs must be either replaced or the problem remedied with a modern approach. There is epoxy which can be used as a filler for any soft or punky logs that are found. By filling these logs with this epoxy, the structure itself can be completely preserved, and the logs are successfully restored to better than their original strength.
If the original structure was made of pine, oak, or cedar, then the contractor is strongly encouraged to find the same kind of logs to use. The older the structure, the more important it will be to use the same materials. Preservation of original construction, along with attention to the use of time-appropriate materials and techniques is key to successfully restoring the house.
A great deal can be learned about the building style if one is familiar with the people who most likely built their cabin originally. Immigrants from different parts of Europe had their own building styles, and within a certain period they probably kept to it. In order to truly recreate the home as it was, the owner might want to find out who the original builders were and what style of structure they were most notable for.
One good clue owners can identify to determine what style the original house was, is by noting the corner notching technique. This can vary depending on the ethnicity of its original builders, as well as what time period the structure was erected. Corner notches established rigidity and stability of the house, and the techniques improved through the centuries.
A century ago people used whatever materials were around to chink and daub the outer walls of their homes. Unfortunately, it may be impossible to find an example of this on the structure itself since that would have been the first thing to deteriorate. Simply knowing if there is lime available, or if they may have been known to use mud and animal droppings can help.
For the owner who really gets into discovering the dynamic history of their house and the property that surrounds it, they might want to visit a local historical society or join an Internet group that specializes in historical records for the area. If they are really lucky, they might even be able to find a photograph of their original structure, or some hand-drawn pictures and blue prints.
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You can get valuable tips for choosing log home restoration contractors and more information about a reputable contractor at http://www.loghomecare.com/restoration now.
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