Log Home Restoration in Pensacola, FL

Log Homes in Pensacola and Escambia County

Pensacola Bay's European history starts in 1559, when Tristán de Luna y Arellano set up a colony here. A hurricane destroyed his fleet, and the colony was abandoned two years later. Spain came back in 1698 and built Presidio Santa María de Galve, with a wooden fort, San Carlos de Austria, that local histories describe as built of pine stakes, logs and sand, because the area had no good building stone and no brick kilns. The port's first recorded commercial export, in 1743, was a load of pine and pitch products.

Pine made Pensacola's fortune. From 1817 to 1855, the Arcadia Mill complex in nearby Milton ran water-powered sawmills, a shingle mill and a textile mill; the University of West Florida calls it the first and largest early American water-powered industrial complex in Florida. Later, Pensacola became known as the "Yellow Pine Capital of the World," and the yellow pine trade peaked in 1913. Log homes around Pensacola today carry on that long history of building with local pine.

What Pensacola's Climate Does to a Log Home

• A lot of rain. Pensacola Regional Airport averages about 68 inches a year, more than the official averages for Miami, Orlando, Tampa or Jacksonville.
• Wet summers. July averages 7.89 inches and August 7.50.
• Heat. About 68 days a year reach 90°F or hotter.
• Mild winters. Only about 11 nights a year drop to freezing.
• Hurricane history. Ivan (2004) pushed a 10.2-foot storm tide into Pensacola Bay, and NAS Pensacola recorded a 107 mph gust. Opal (1995) came ashore at Pensacola Beach as a Category 3.
• Flooding rain. Hurricane Sally (2020) dropped 22.25 inches just northeast of Pensacola and brought the city's third-highest water level on record.
• Formosan termites. In 2016, UF/IFAS swarm traps caught Formosan termites at Pensacola Beach. Native subterranean termites live throughout Florida.

What That Means for Your Log Home

Here, water is the main thing to manage, from both steady rain and storms. Wash the logs once a year with soft brushes and a low-pressure rinse, never a pressure washer, and every third year, as appropriate, add a UV protective coat so the finish keeps shedding water. Keep the bottom logs dry and off the soil, with good gutters and grading. After any named storm, walk around the house and check the lower logs, corners and window openings for soaked wood or wind-driven leaks. We repair termite damage and rot, and can apply a Borate preventive treatment; active infestations go to a licensed pest control company.

Related services: Maintenance Plans · Log Rot Repair · Termite & Insect Damage Repair

Climate figures: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Pensacola Regional Airport. Storm details: NWS Mobile. History: University of West Florida. Termites: UF/IFAS Okaloosa County Extension.