The charm and attraction of a hand-peeled log is due to the presence of varying amounts of cambium and bark that remain on the log surface. Ultimately, both the cambium and the bark will erode away and peel off. In addition to their temporary nature, cambium and bark do not provide a good surface profile for a wood stain to stick to.
The proper maintenance of this type of surface does require a greater degree of attention due to the fact that unprotected wood will be exposed as the cambium and bark peel off the surface. The time frame for the completion of this "shedding" process will vary.
To begin your maintenance cycle on your new logs, it is recommended to first lightly clean and condition the logs . Once the log surfaces are cleaned and dried, a single brush coat application of WeatherSeal™ Natural Wood Finish should be applied. Coated logs will require 1 to 2 years of weathering before proceeding with the next step. At this stage, cleaning the wood surfaces once again is recommended.
Still keep in mind that some bark and cambium may still remain and as it continues to peel off the surface, the exposed bare wood beneath should be touched-up with WeatherSeal� as soon as possible.