Log garages are practical and lucrative features of your property. These are functional structures that serve as a carport or parking space for your vehicles. Moreover, you can maximize the space and convert the garage into a more liveable space. Nowadays, wooden garages are becoming the trend but they also need the right upkeep and maintenance to remain in top shape and condition. How do you maintain the beautiful aesthetics and function of your wooden garage?
Top Tips for Maintenance of Log Garages
A timber garage or carport goes beyond its usual function, which is to provide shelter and protection for your valued car or other vehicle. Wooden garages accentuate the looks and aesthetics of your property, boosting its curb appeal and market value over the long run. However, this wood structure may also become an eyesore in just the wink of an eye if you are not careful about its maintenance and upkeep.
These are some of the most important maintenance tips that could ensure the longevity and quality of log garages:
The Key is Wood Treatment
It is possible for you to lengthen and increase the lifespan of your log garage or carport by 10 to 25 years. How? You make sure that you secure the basics particularly in the treatment of the wood or logs that will be used for the garage construction. The initial wood treatment could significantly increase the life and durability of the log and the garage in general. Wood must also be treated not just during the initial stage but on a periodic basis right after the installation of the structure.
Wood Treatment Tips
Always go for high-quality wood treatment so that the effects will last for years to come. The wood must be treated while the installation or construction phase is on-going. Moreover, the wood coating should also be taken into careful consideration. The coating should be secured and done in specific places that are prone to getting frequently wet or exposed to the elements. Coat the wood areas or parts which are interlocking because these spaces are the most susceptible to wear and tear.
Treat the doors of log garages, specifically the area that usually touches the garage walls. Wood treatment is not a one-time task because periodic treatment is highly recommended for best results. When do you treat your garage? Certain factors such as the prevailing weather conditions should determine the treatment schedule you need to follow and religiously observe.
Wood treatment not only protects log garages from the possibility of wear and tear but also from insects that could damage the structural integrity as well. Treating the wood also protects it from fungal infections and moisture that may lead to rotting and other similar degradation of the structural value. Wood treatment preserves the wood quality and guarantees longer duration and lifespan.
The Importance of Sealant Application
Log garages are most prone to rotting and other types of degradation due to factors such as water leakage or water logging. How do you avoid these problems? The application of sealants prevents damage on the wood due to water leakage and logging and this method also helps with proper insulation. However, if the sealant application is not carefully and properly carried out, it would also greatly affect the appropriate ventilation within the garage. There are several areas where the sealant could be applied, particularly the garage’s concrete base as well as the floor barriers. Sealant application on these areas prevents the entry of water and moisture into the garage specifically through lower floor levels.
About Ventilation and Insulation
Proper maintenance of log garages will always touch on the issues of ventilation and insulation because these are important factors that could affect the overall quality of the wooden structure. Ensure the proper ventilation of your timber garage in order to prevent a humid interior that could encourage the growth of moulds and mildew. These factors significantly shorten the lifespan of the wooden garage but they could be prevented by installing the right indoor ventilation. If there is already the growth of moulds and mildew, it is best to have pest control look into the venue and address the problem as soon as possible.
Insulation is another important point in the proper maintenance of log garages. Although wood is considered a natural insulator that maintains the internal temperature in the garage, there could be factors that affect the indoor insulation. For instance, gaps that occur in the columns and beams of the wooden structure greatly affect the internal temperature and the lifespan of the garage.
In most cases, polystyrene or fibreglass insulation material could solve the problem and prevent insulation issues for log garages. These materials are effectively applied in between the framing members that are vulnerable to gaps. Nevertheless, it is also imperative that the gaps are not fully and completely closed because the ventilation will also be affected. Moreover, there should be space left in between the gaps to accommodate wood changes such as the inevitable shrinking and expansion tendencies of the wood.
Clean, Clean, and Clean
When it comes to maintenance of log garages, upkeep, and regular cleaning is essential. Clean the garage on a regular basis in order to get rid of the debris and dirt accumulated over time. This allows you to check and inspect potential problems along the way, not to mention reviving a new and clean look of the place. Check for leaks, water clogging, rotting, and build-up of the elements in certain areas of the log garage. Organize the garage and get rid of clutter and unwanted stuff that only make the garage overcrowded and cramped. A functional garage is not only without damage but also clean, tidied up, and aesthetically appealing.
Log garages serve a prominent role in keeping your vehicle safe and sound regardless of the outside weather. It is important to learn, understand, and follow the important maintenance tips to keep your wooden carport or garage in its best shape for years to come.
