How to Install Log Siding

log siding
  • 40-80 hours
  • Intermediate
  • 1,00-6,000
What You'll Need
Log siding
Saw
Nails
Screwdriver
Hammer or nail gun
Putty knife
Putty paste or compound
3 inch lag screws
Tape measure
Level
Shims
Wooden block
2.5-inch nails
Sandpaper
What You'll Need
Log siding
Saw
Nails
Screwdriver
Hammer or nail gun
Putty knife
Putty paste or compound
3 inch lag screws
Tape measure
Level
Shims
Wooden block
2.5-inch nails
Sandpaper

Log siding is used as a siding material made from logs that are placed on the walls of a cabin. Installing log siding can add a rustic charm to your home. There are different types of log siding from quarter round logs to half-round logs.

Step 1. Measure the Walls

Measure the walls of your home to determine how much log siding you will need. You can use a half-round log siding, a quarter round, or a log siding with tongue and groove edges.

Step 2. Cut and Install Corner Log Sidings

After measuring the walls and purchasing the amount of log siding you need, you need to install the corner log sidings first. Cut the corner log sidings to fit the corners of your walls. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to cut and install the corner log sidings. Leave a ½ inch space between the floor and the log siding as well as the ceiling and the log siding. Attach the log sidings to your studs using the 3-inch lag screws.

Step 3. Cut and Install the Foundation Log

Cut the foundation log sidings to fit between the corner logs. Make sure you install the foundation log along the bottom of the wall. Level the log sidings. Keep the log sidings approximately ½-inch from the floor by using shims. Use the lag screws to hold the bottom log sidings in place. Each lag screw should be 24 inches apart making sure the screw is attached to the studs on the wall.

Step 4. Installing the Succeeding Log Sidings

Measure and cut the next log sidings according to the manufacturer’s instruction. Put the log siding on top of the foundation log. With the hammer and wooden block, tap the tongue of lower log siding into the groove of the log siding you are installing. Make sure that you tap the tongue for it to fit properly. With the hammer or nail gun, nail each side of the log siding making sure the nails are 45 degrees under the tongue. Doing this will hide the nail when you install the next log. Repeat these steps for all the logs until you reach the top of the wall.

Step 5. Check for Level

Every few rows of logs you install check to make sure they are level. Just place the level on top of the logs as well as the side. If your foundation log is level, then the rows of logs you have installed should be level as well.

Step 6. Tap the Logs in Place

Make sure that you tap each new level of the wall in place. Again, use the hammer and woodblock for this. After tightly tapping the logs in place, secure it using the 2.5-inch nails.

Step 7. Finishing

After you have installed all the logs, apply some putty paste on the areas where you place some nails and screws. Let the putty dry and then sand it smooth.