Rent A Scaffold To Repair Woodpecker Holes And Restain The Exterior Of Your Two-Story Log Home
If you have a log house, then you know that there are two major issues that you need to deal with. The first is that you will need to stain the logs every few years. You can't paint the logs because the logs need to breathe. However, if you have not cleaned the stain every year, you can't stain over the current stain because it will be dirty and deteriorated. It will need to be completely removed. The second problem you will have to deal with is woodpecker holes. Woodpeckers will land on the logs and tap into wood. These holes need to be repaired when you are getting ready to stain. Below is what you will need to do it.
Scaffolding
Anytime you're working on the second story of a home, you want to have a secure place to stand and move around on. A ladder is not a good choice for this sort of work because it can tip over, plus you will constantly have to get off the ladder and reposition it. A scaffolding can be set up and allow you to walk back and forth. Scaffolding is also much sturdier than a simple ladder. This equipment has four legs and is heavily weighted so it won't sway around. Also, the scaffolding has a platform which not only allows you to move back and forth, but it also allows you a place to put your tools. Climbing a ladder with a bucket of stain is a dicey situation.
You can rent the scaffolding from a company like Savage Scaffold & Equipment Co. for a few days, which should be enough time to complete the job. The company will deliver the scaffolding and set it up, and when it's time to remove it they will come and disassemble it.
Stain Remover and Wood Putty
After the scaffolding is assembled, you want to strip the old stain off using a stain remover. Get a paste that can be applied with a brush. Leave the paste on for the amount of time the container says, then clean it off using a hose. If you can't get a hose to reach up to the second floor, you should rent a pump action power sprayer. You can fill these with water and carry them up to the top of the scaffold. You manually pump them and then they will spray out water with force.
Once you've washed the stain removal paste off with water, let the logs dry overnight. The next day you should go back to the top and fill in the woodpecker holes with wood putty. Let the putty dry and then sand it down so that the fill is flush with the logs. At this point you are ready to apply fresh stain to the logs.
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