Monday, October 18, 2010

Necessary Time Off

My log home, last stained Summer 2007.
My log home was last washed and stained during Summer 2007.  Wind, rain, and snow take their toll on logs, and means temporarily settng fibers aside again, and taking care of my home, not only because it is needed, but in preparation of putting it up for sale in the spring.

Lakeside porch, time to clean out between boards.
 First, I needed to clean dust, seeds, pine needles, leaves out from between the porch boards, using a putty knife and whisk broom.  50 boards meant 48 spaces to clean out which took some time in September.  Yes, that is my wool washing area further down.

Before cleaning,...
Dirt, pollen, pine needles, leaves, and birdseed caught in the gaps between boards, and needing to be cleaned out before stain is applied.

and after cleaning!

A rental "lift" was used...  
to reach the second story areas, both because I refuse to go that high on a shaky ladder, and to save time.

                 Second story area newly stained.
I'm very thankful for the help of Lanny, husband of a friend Nancy, for his bringing the lift over and giving up nearly three days of his time off so we could stain the east, north, and west sides of my home.   Thank you, Lanny, you were a blessing!

Before & After
Prior to staining, every log was scrubbed, one at a time using a bucket, cleaner, and brush, then rinsed three times, then allowed to dry at least three days before staining began.  Above, the lower log cleaned, upper log freshly stained. 

On October 13, 2009,...

we had snow,...
hence the sense of urgency to get this big project finished, as I'm doing the rest of the house alone.  It is exhausting, and it seems I am either working on it or sleeping.  

At this point, I am feeling VERY FIBER DEPRIVED, so stay tuned, hopefully, it won't be too much longer and I'll be back in the weaving studio.

No comments: