Log Home Problem – Rot on Bottom of Posts

What’s a log home without a lovely deck to bask in the surrounding views? But with decks on log homes come problems, and one of the most common problems is rot on the bottom of posts. Rails and posts may need to be replaced due to rot. Here’s how to prevent rot at the bottom of posts and address replacements if needed.

Log Homes and Rot on Bottom of Posts

Log homes are often built with decks, and builders sink the posts directly into the ground. Whenever wood comes into contact with soil, it provides the opportunity for moisture and rot to form.

If you’re building a new deck, consider the following tips to prevent rot. And, if you have to replace a failing or aging deck, also consider using these tips to prevent rot from forming on your replacement posts or deck.

Tips for Preventing Rot on the Bottom of Posts

1. Provide adequate airflow under and around your log columns or posts. This is the best way to protect log posts from absorbing water and eventually rotting.
2. Use kiln-dried cedar logs for posts. Cedar is the most rot-resistant wood for logs that are directly exposed to the weather. Edmunds & Company uses various techniques to prevent decay in these exposed and vulnerable posts, including:
   – A stand-off base to allow airflow around the base of the post
   – A borate treatment on particularly rot-susceptible areas of the posts to further ensure against decay
   
   The standoff base allows airflow, preventing moisture buildup. Borate prevents decay. Together, this can make your posts last much longer than if you sink them directly into the ground.

Repair Existing Rot from the Bottom of Posts

What if you have to repair an existing deck? Log cabin repair projects often include replacing the posts that support the decks and railings. Although we do not build decks ourselves, we try to help homeowners understand how to repair their decks and prevent damage to their log cabins or homes.

Wood decks need protection, just as your log home needs protection to prevent rot. Copper caps at the ends of posts and banisters on deck railings are attractive and help prevent moisture from entering the unprotected cut ends of the logs. This prevents rot from starting inside the posts on a deck.

The bottoms of deck posts, particularly on elevated decks, are often unprotected. Protect the ends of posts with a stand-off base. This keeps wood from coming into contact with the soil surface. Whenever logs come into contact with soil, rot can start, including in log homes and decks.

As part of your log cabin repair and seasonal maintenance, pay as much attention to your deck as your home. Scrub your deck annually to keep it clean and prevent mildew from accumulating and rot from starting.

Decks add an outdoor living space to log homes and cabins, but can also create problems. If you add a deck to your log home, ensure it’s done right. Decks must be properly flashed to prevent water from seeping between the logs and the deck. Experts should handle repairs to log homes and log cabins.

The team at Edmunds & Company has over 40 years of experience in log home and cabin repair, restoration, and maintenance. Call us at 715-373-5744 for an appointment to prevent or repair rot at the bottom of your deck posts.