Grand Lake Log HomeRestoration Experts

Grand Lake's historic boardwalk is lined with original log structures, and the cabins that climb the hillsides toward Shadow Mountain Reservoir and Lake Granby carry that same tradition forward. As Colorado's highest incorporated town on a natural lake, Grand Lake holds one of the densest collections of log homes in the state — everything from century-old homestead cabins to modern lakefront retreats. Many of these older logs are irreplaceable, so our work here leans toward preservation: stabilizing sound wood, replacing only what has truly failed, and keeping the rustic character that gives the town its charm.

Sitting at the edge of Colorado's largest natural lake means Grand Lake log homes live in constant humidity. Cool morning air coming off the water keeps lake-facing and north-facing walls damp far longer than walls that get afternoon sun, and that lingering moisture is exactly what mold and rot need to take hold. We almost always find the worst deterioration on the elevations closest to the water.

Our approach pairs breathable, moisture-tolerant finishes with chinking that seals out liquid water while still letting the logs release trapped vapor. On a lakeshore home, a finish that traps moisture inside the wood does more harm than no finish at all.

Grand Lake combines a punishing one-two punch for log finishes: thin high-altitude air that lets far more UV reach the wood, plus glare bouncing up off the lake and the surrounding snowpack. That reflected light hits the underside of log courses, fascia, and eaves — spots that finishes at lower elevations rarely have to defend. We specify maximum-UV stain systems and plan more frequent maintenance touch-ups on the most exposed faces so the finish fails gracefully instead of all at once.