The most important factors when you go to stain your log home are:

Weather

Timing

Diligence

Whether you do it yourself or hire a skilled professional, log home staining is a process that needs to be followed meticulously to ensure the protection of your log home.  

Having recently finished staining our log home in northern Michigan, let me share with you what to expect when you apply log home stain to your log cabin.

Your log home is built, the weather is right, and now it’s time for the exterior of your log home to be stained. 

Greg and I are currently at this phase in our log home building process. So let's review the steps leading up to log home staining and what you need to know.

In my opinion, one of the best showcase items for your log home is the log staircase.  In fact, I think it's a “must have”.

When we went to visit Hiawatha Log Homes in Munising, Michigan, we were struck by the log staircase they had in their model log home.  It was comprised of half logs for steps and fit perfectly into the home's layout.  I fell in love with it and had to have it. 

We set out to get one just like it. So we researched the cost, and compared the various log staircases that were available. Here's what we've learned about log staircases...

Finalists for the "Green Log Awards" were recently announced.

The GREEN LOG Home & Lifestyle Awards were created in response to the growing demand for green building solutions.

The goal of the awards is to locate and shine a spotlight on those companies and individuals who are enabling healthier homes and lifestyles. -- GREEN LOG Home & Lifestyle Awards

What this means for people like you and me is... a great list of environmentally-friendly log home products and suppliers!

So, if you're trying to make your currently log home more "green" or you'll soon be building your very own green log home, here are some companies that will make your life easier!

The Weatherall company provides a number of log home products, include stain and chinking.

In 1982 the Weatherall Company became the first company to develop an all-acrylic, elastomeric chinking for log homes. This revolutionary new product was known as Weatherall 1010 Chinking. Shortly thereafter Weatherall Company developed a new log finish that was compatible with the chinking. Next a unique backer-rod was engineered to complete the first true Log Home Sealant System-a total system that would provide the ultimate protection against the harsh elements of weather: sunlight, moisture and wind. Source

Now, they're offering a fun (and FREE!) downloadable program that lets you see what your log home would look like with different color schemes.

People have been asking if we made a decision yet about using composite decking on our new log home. Here are some of the questions we've received from Jim, from Jeffrey, and from Ron.

Well, we've actually decided against composite decking at this time. Here's why...

Well here's something I just learned...

Reasons to buy paint-grade exterior doors versus stain-grade exterior doors.

When we first started designing our log home with Honest Abe Log Homes (about a year ago), Jim and I both gravitated toward the D-Log for some reason.

So naturally, we've been thinking all along that our log home would be built with D-Logs, right?

Well, fast-forward one year, and now we're considering a switch to Genesis Logs!

See why below... plus a listing of some of the differences between Genesis Logs and D-Logs.

This was definitely the most FUN house on the Honest Abe Log Home Tour.

Lonnie and Sherry built this house from scratch themselves. It took them 2 years, and they have a lot to be proud of.

Check out all of these one-of-a-kind features...

I would venture to guess that those who buy (or build) log homes are typically people who have a greater appreciation for -- and involvement with -- the outdoors.

There's just something about a rustic cabin-type abode that appeals to outdoorsy people.

But did you ever stop to think that Mother Nature is both a log home owner's friend... and enemy?