Guild Log and Timber Guild Log & Timber

Log Home Maintenance

The cheapest work we do is the most valuable: maintenance that keeps small problems from becoming restoration projects.

The Math

Maintenance costs cents. Restoration costs dollars.

A maintenance clear coat with inspection runs $2.30–$4.00 per square foot. Full finish removal and restain runs $20–$45. Rot repair runs $125–$450 per linear foot. Every year of deferred maintenance slides you down that list.

A maintenance visit from us covers:

  • Inspection: moisture readings, probing suspect areas, checking chink lines, sealant, and flashing
  • Log washing: removing mildew, dust, and pollen that break down finishes (see our guide on removing log home mold)
  • Clear coat: a fresh sacrificial topcoat that keeps UV off your stain
  • Minor repair: small fixes handled on the spot, before they grow
Well-maintained chinked log walls on a Texas log home
When

Every 2–3 years beats every 15

Texas sun is merciless on south and west walls. Most stain systems here want a maintenance coat every two to three years. That rhythm can stretch a full stain job's life past a decade. If you can't remember the last time your logs were coated, that's the sign.

Also worth reading: why roof overhangs matter more than any coating and 5 signs your log home has rot.

Swedish cope log home repair and maintenance
Straight Answers

Maintenance pricing

General figures. The inspection tells us the real number.

Maintenance Clear Coat & Inspection

$2.30–$4.00 / sq ft of surface area, some minor repair included.

Log Washing

Quoted per job often bundled with the clear coat visit.

Full Restain (when maintenance was skipped)

$20–$45 / sq ft the number maintenance is protecting you from.

Have a log home that needs work?

Call or text the main number. JD answers from the field. Or send photos of your project and we'll take a look.