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Paul, as addressed in the previous post, is tackling a major rebuilding and restoration of an outstanding hand hewn log home that he disassembled and moved from Pennsylvania to his property in West Virginia.

Disassembling a log home is a long laborious process. Each log, its position and adjoining logs must me marked properly before dismantling so that the pieces fit back together when reassembled.

Paul says that he is not exactly sure of the age of the original log home. “the logs are apparently old growth yellow pine and heavy as heck” he writes.

Replacement of some of the logs was necessary as over the years there had been some modifications with the addition of doors and windows leaving a structure that he felt was a bit unstable.

He attended a log home building school a number of years ago held by Master Log Builder Don Chapman in Fancy Gap, Virginia. He learned from one of the best. (Don Chapman 1948-2003)

At the school he learned the art (torture) of hand hewing logs with a broad axe do that he could make replacement logs that would match the originals. His new logs are of white pine. He says he got pretty good at hewing “… but don’t advertise that fact as it’s hard work.”

Eventually Paul is planning on adding a wrap around porch and a metal roof. The addition, he believes will be clapboard but he is he is chewing on some options for the siding.

Paul is currently installing windows and running his wiring and will soon begin (this spring) the chinking using the recipe found here.

He has treated all the logs with the borate solution as discussed in previous articles and is looking for what to use for the final weather proofing and would like to use a transparent.

As far as weather proofing I recommend to Paul a product called UV Guard by Weatherall I believe it to be the best stuff on the market. It is a water-based stain and seal. They make a number of colors and yes, transparent as well. Transparent does not provide the same protection as using the product with both a stain and seal. I have used that here on the lodge and recommend its use on any log home.

I will provide updates as to Paul’s progress over time.