The Log Home Maintenance Calendar

Free · printable

The Log Home Maintenance Calendar

When to stain, when to seal, what to inspect — season by season. Print it, stick it on the fridge, and small jobs stay small.

Spring — Wash & Inspect

Gentle wash-down of all walls (garden sprayer, log cleaner — never high pressure) — shop
Splash test on south and west walls: if water soaks in instead of beading, plan a stain coat — shop
Walk every caulk and chinking line; mark cracks and gaps with painter's tape — shop
Check the lowest log courses for winter splash-back damage — shop
Inspect deck and loft railings: loose spindles, post wobble — shop

Summer — Stain Season

Re-stain walls that failed the splash test (watch temperature windows; avoid hot direct sun) — shop
Re-seal the gaps you taped in spring: backer rod first in deep gaps, then caulk or chinking — shop
Look for insect activity: fresh sawdust piles, carpenter bee holes — shop
Trim vegetation back 18 inches from walls — plants hold moisture against logs

Fall — Seal & Winterize

Final gap-sealing pass before the freeze — sealants need above ~40°F to cure — shop
Clean gutters and check downspout discharge runs away from the foundation
Check grade and splash zones: snow piled against logs = spring rot — shop
Last staining window on any wall you didn't reach in summer — shop
Inspect and treat any bare or freshly repaired wood before winter — shop

Winter — Watch & Plan

Keep snow shoveled away from the lowest log courses
Watch interior humidity in heating season — check window condensation and interior finish
Walk the interior: check T&G, trim and stairs for seasonal movement — shop
Plan next year's projects while lead times are short — additions, railings, that staircase — shop

Want the reminders, not just the list?

Subscribe and we'll email you at the start of each season with exactly what to check — tuned to what you've bought and calculated here.