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High Country Restoration Frequently Asked Questions

1. How far do you travel to do projects?

High Country Restoration is proud to serve all of Montana! Depending on the level of service needed, our team is happy to travel throughout the Bozeman, Big Sky, West Yellowstone, Ennis and Gallatin Gateway radius. Please contact us with any inquiries and we’d be happy to accommodate you.

2. Is corn or media blasting harmful to the surface of my log home?

When done properly, media blasting with corncob husks or glass beads does not damage the surface of logs. Our experienced team is skilled at removing old finish, mold, and discoloration without eating into the logs, leaving a fresh surface on which to apply a coat of stain and sealant. For more detail on this process, visit our Media Blasting page.

3. How often should I have my log home cleaned?

Annual inspections are crucial to identifying areas that have been adversely effected by weather, excessive water run-off or pests. Pay careful attention to log corners where exposure to rain and snow/ice can start weakening the surface and begin to allow rot or pests to enter. Dry logs are healthy logs!

We recommend a SoftWash at least every two years along with a stain, chink and caulk touch up where is it needed. In some cases, your home may require an annual cleaning due to excessive weather exposure and age. Check our Maintenance page for more details on the SoftWash cleaning and see the results of our work.

4. If I need to replace rotted sections of my home, how can I be sure they match the original logs?

Don’t worry — this is a common concern with older log homes. We have been crafting replacement logs for years and are successful in blending them into the existing home. While in some cases we purchase logs that match, in others we hand-craft the logs ourselves, identifying the species and carefully shaping them to match the style and profile of the remaining logs. We then re-stain the entire section. Look at our Rot Repair page for more detail and pictures of our work. Our clients have always been pleased with our work.

5. How do I protect my home from insects?

To protect it from insects, your home needs to be sealed with a high quality stain, have chinking and caulking in good shape, be kept it free from mold and mildew, and have adequate airflow around the exterior of the home. If all of these conditions are in place, you are well-armed against pests. Carpenter ants and wood beetles need soft wood to allow them to take up residence. If logs get too wet, too dry, or become “punky” then insects are not far behind. An annual inspection and proper maintenance will avoid many of these situations.

When we media blast a home and remove the surface finish, we apply a treatment of Borate (Disodium Octaborate Tetrathydrate), an environmentally-safe preservative, to the entire log surface to protect them from a wide spectrum of pests.

6. Are there environmental issues associated with media blasting my home?

No. Both corncob and glass bead blasting mediums present no dangers to humans or vegetation. Blasting is much safer than using harsh, highly-toxic stripping chemicals employed by some to remove the surface stain on a log home. Those chemicals, combined with pressurized water, can cause problems by injecting water into the logs and allowing harmful chemicals to seep into the ground around your home. Be aware of companies that promote chemical stripping as a cheap alternative.

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Testimonials

From start to finish, Ryan and his men were professional in every sense of the word. Hard working, knowledgable, friendly, respectful of our home and surrounding gardens. Just an easy group to work with. We couldn’t be happier with the job they did and highly recommend them. Our home looks fabulous and the chinking of the logs has had a positive impact on our heating bill.
Ted and Anne Castle - Charlotte, VT

Ryan and his entire High Country Restoration team were wonderful! He worked closely with us to solve a number of complex problems and to develop a suitable repair timeframe. The entire work team was not only highly skilled, but friendly and well mannered. There were no unanswered questions and Ryan made great suggestions. We could not be happier with how our home looks and we know it is structurally sound.
Carol and Tim Merrihew - Tupper Lake, NY

We couldn't believe the transformation of our old log home in Vermont after High Country Restoration completed the job....our home turned from old to new like it was just built.
Francis and Marilyn - VT

The cabin was black with age. We hired HCR based upon your expertise and were thrilled with the results. The cabin looks like it was built last week not years ago.
Nancy and Les - VT

 

High Country Restoration did a superb job restoring my Connecticut log home to pristine condition. They repaired the chinking throughout the house and applied a rich honey colored stain which made our 20 year old home look like new.
B. P., CT

This spring we had High Country Restoration blast, treat, stain and caulk our log home in Central Vermont. Built in 1986 with logs cut from the property, the home had great character with knots and cambium, but after thirty years of sun and rain the logs needed help. There were places where we could see daylight between the logs, and others with bad sun bleaching. In other areas the logs were stained different colors. Ryan McDonald and his crew came when scheduled, and in two short weeks the job was done. There were never any delays, and when they were done, the detritus was quickly cleaned up. The final result was spectacular as evidenced by the compliments of everyone who everyone who comes up the driveway. For anyone who wants to restore their log home that needs to its original beauty, I highly recommend that they get in touch with High Country Restoration. You will not be disappointed.
Dan - Central Vermont

High Country Restoration Montana