Full log or Half Log?
If you are confused about many different opinions from contractors, read this entire page and check out the pictures at the bottom of the page, you will know the right answer.
In our years of being in business, we have had to rework quite a few jobs where someone just removed enough of rotted wood to apply wood siding or a half-log. Wood rot is a bacteria that will continuously spread if covered and not completely removed.
To properly repair decaying logs, they often have to be fully removed and replaced. Restoration products such as Wood Epoxy/Impel Rods and Wood Putty may work in some cases if the damage is close to the surface and very insignificant. But for the most part, it is a band aid for the problem and the damage eventually continues spreading. Watch out for people claiming to be miracle "Rot Doctors". They are working very hard to sell their products but not losing any sleep that your biggest investment may be slowly biodegrading. There is a place for every product on the market, but the above products are not guaranteed to be a permanent fix.
Be careful when choosing a contractor for repairs. If they only offer siding and half-logs – watch out! Your home may look good on the exterior for awhile but by the time the logs rot all the way, it will become a costly mistake.
Half-logging is a very common practice in the repair industry and works fine when refacing a log or two, providing one is able to completely remove all the damaged wood. But when it comes to refacing 4 or 5 courses of logs in a row or even an entire wall, it will significantly affect the structural integrity of the log wall.
We take pride in our work as doing repairs properly has never failed us. If you have any questions or concerns about repairs that need to be done or have been done to your home, feel free to contact us 1-866-564-2213.
Half-Logs or Veneers
Here is a classic example of a home that someone “repaired” with a half log. Everything behind it is thoroughly rotted. So this damage will continue to spread.
Just a few years after these log repairs were finished, we were called to repair it again, this time with a full log.
Half logging for the most part is just covering the damage.
There are cases where 1 or 2 half logs can be used providing the contractor gets into completely good wood to attach the half log to. But not to repair 4-5 logs in a row that affects the structural integrity of a log home wall.
More Examples
This is a typical way of how rot spreads. The top log is damaged so badly there is no wood epoxy, impell rod or rot doctor that can fix this without doing a full log replacement.
