Last summer the historic lodge was 88 years old. Over the decades, its logs have been covered in multiple layers of stain and thick paint. The paint had begun to crack and flake leaving the logs exposed to the elements. A sealer that had been put on to protect the wood had instead created a barrier preventing moisture from escaping. This exposure had left some logs too rotten for simple refinishing.

After getting a 6-figure bid to restore the logs, we decided to tackle the job ourselves. Since beginning the process we have learned a lot. We started by applying paint stripper, waiting just the right amount of time so that it would sink in but not dry hard, then scraping each log by hand. This phase took most of last summer. After letting the logs dry out for a few weeks we started experimenting with sanding materials. We sanded….and sanded some more. When the winds of winter began to blow last fall, we had sanded most of the outside of the lodge.

Now as the temperatures begin to warm, we are hoping to finish sanding the porch and cleaning up the second story.  If weather permits, we plan to begin staining by the end May.

Also, as part of our renovation on the stairs, we were surprised to find these vintage artifacts….little remnants of guests to Clearwater over the last century.