When Dave and Linda called, they'd already had three contractors out. All three gave the same verdict: tear it down and start fresh. The south wall had active rot running through four courses of logs, the chinking had failed across the west face, and UV graying had turned what was once a warm amber exterior into dull gray. The cabin had been in Linda's family for 26 years.
Our diagnosis took 20 minutes on-site. The rot was localized, advanced at the surface but hadn't penetrated the structural core on five of the six affected logs. One log needed full replacement; the rest could be treated, dried, and stabilized. We walked Dave and Linda through the probe test so they could see the difference themselves.
Nine days later the cabin looked better than the photos from its first decade. The south wall was structurally sound, new chinking sealed every course cleanly, and the two-coat restorative stain brought the amber back. Dave sent us a note two months later saying their grandkids had started calling it "the new cabin."
BEFORE
AFTER