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The resource center

Log home answers, written by log home people

The same questions we answer on the phone every day — staining windows, gap sealing, profile numbers, cabin kits — written down, season by season.

Start with the cornerstones

building

The Complete Guide to Building with Logs & Timber

Full logs, log siding, posts and beams — what each one is for, how to choose profiles, and how to order the right amounts for a log build or addition.

renovating

Renovating a Log Home: Repair, Replace, Refinish

How to assess log damage, match replacement profiles, and sequence a log home renovation — from rot repair to refinishing.

maintaining

The Log Home Maintenance Guide, Season by Season

What to inspect, clean, seal and stain on a log home in spring, summer, fall and winter — the maintenance calendar that keeps small jobs from becoming big ones.

cabins

Tiny Cabin Kits: From Order to Move-In

What's actually in a log cabin kit, how freight delivery works, what you build vs. what you hire out, and how long it really takes.

Seasonal & how-to guides

maintaining · spring

When to Stain Your Log Home (and When to Wait)

Temperature, moisture and timing rules for staining a log home — plus the simple water test that tells you whether your walls are ready.

maintaining · fall

How to Seal Gaps Between Logs: Caulk, Chinking & Backer Rod

Stop air and water leaks in log walls: when to use caulk vs. chinking, why backer rod goes in first, and how to size the bead.

building · all

Which Log Profile Do I Need? #143, #135, #132 and #139 Explained

LogHomeMart's log profiles in plain English — round, D-profile, double tongue & groove and beveled square — with cross-sections and where each is used.

finishing · all

How Much Tongue & Groove Do I Need? (Worked Examples)

Calculate tongue & groove board counts for walls and ceilings: coverage face, waste allowance, and worked examples — or let the calculator do it.

finishing · summer

Log Railing Spacing & Code Basics: Posts, Rails and Spindles

How far apart railing posts go, the 4-inch sphere rule for spindles, and how to count parts for a deck or loft log railing.

maintaining · fall

Preparing Your Log Home for Winter: The Fall Checklist

A fall walk-around checklist for log homes: gap sealing, gutter and grade checks, snow-line protection and the last good staining window.

renovating · summer

Cleaning & Restoring Weathered Logs: Strip, Brighten, Refinish

How to take gray, weathered or failing log walls back to clean wood: cleaners vs. strippers vs. brighteners, and when media blasting earns its cost.

maintaining · all

Caulk vs. Chinking: What's the Difference, and Which Do You Need?

Caulk and chinking both seal log joints — but they look different, move differently and suit different homes. How to choose, with product examples.

maintaining · spring

Do I Need to Wash My Log Home? (Yes — Here's the Gentle Way)

Annual log home washing: why dirt shortens stain life, what to use instead of a pressure washer, and the 30-minute spring wash-down routine.

Free download

The Log Home Maintenance Calendar

When to stain, when to re-caulk, what to inspect each season — one page, on your fridge, no guesswork. Plus occasional deals. No spam, ever.

📞 Talk to a Log Home Pro