Am I Allergic to my House? (aka Cleaning logs)

We received our final load of logs, so barring any problems with any of them we should be all set as far as logs go.

Now that the unexpectedly difficult part of getting the logs is settled, our next difficulty is removing the bark. Luckily, the logs were dead-standing when they were cut down so a lot of the bark has already fallen off. We've taken lots of suggestions from the LHBA forums and have been using a spud (scraper looking thing) and a pressure washer to try to get the bark off.

Although it looks like I'm the only one working, trust me that wasn't the case! In addition to the bark you have to remove a layer underneath the bark to get to the wood. Below you can see the difference between a totally clean log and one with the bark off but the underlayer still on.

Here's what we learned - it takes a really long time to get the log completely clean. So, once again, following advice and others' experiences from the forums, we decided to remove the bark but come back after the walls are up and sand off the cambium layer, the pressure washer can create splinters that would need to be sanded anyway. The main reason for skipping these steps is that we are in a race against the snow due to our log delays.

I am the official expert pressure washer user. Unfortunately, the pressure that you need to get the bark off is strong and bark and water fly everywhere. So, I was constantly covered in dirt, bark, and water. Luckily, we had an unseasonably long summer so I wasn't too cold. (The picture doesn't show how my face and hat were also covered in grime!)

I started noticing that I was getting hives all over during this step. So, after an incredibly uncomfortable 6 days, I finally went to the doctor, who confirmed I was having some type of allergic reaction. The doctor and I had a lengthy discussion, and we just can't come up with many other ideas other than the fact that I am allergic to the bark. So, apparently, I'm allergic to my house. In an effort to think positively, we're going to assume that the reaction is actually to a bee sting I had gotten the week prior, or at the very least, something that was on the bark, not the actual bark. I guess only time will tell!

Once the bark is removed, we had to treat the logs with chemicals to prevent insects and mold.

Getting closer!