Wife wants to put stones over logs

[Richard]

I'm guessing this won't be as easy as it sounds?

I live in a log house. Logs are 12x6 square cut. We're both sick & tired of the annual attack of the carpenter bees in the spring. She is now saying she'd like to put a stone facia on the logs.

Will that be enough to combat the bees? Will they worm their way through the crevaces to the wood?

What all is involved with a project like that? (doubt we'd do it ourselves, I'm just trying to get my brain around the size/scope of the project)

 

[EddieWalker]

Real stone will need a footing under the rock the same way brick is done. It doesn't actually touch the wall, but is held in place with ties that are screwed or nailed to the wall, and set in the mortar between the rock. This leaves a gap between the rock and the wall to allow for movement, expansion or whatever else the wall does over time.

Fake rock is attached just like tile. You can either put up lathe and a scratch coat of mortar to attach it, or install something like Hardie board to the wall and then mortar it on. I personally prefer using half in Hardie Backer Board and grey thinset mortar, but that's more expensive then using regular brick mortar and lathe.

 

[bigdeano]

I don't know anything about carpenter bees, but could they bee deterred with some kind of clear coating? Stone sounds like a huge job.

 

[oosik]

I was wondering the same thing. I would seriously seek advice at a reputable paint store - RE: some type of repellant treatment that could be brushed/sprayed on the logs. Stone work would be a huge/expensive job. Knowing the way carpenter ants, yellow jackets etc are, I'm certain it wouldn't be long for them to find some kind of chink in the stonework.

 

[comancheflight]

I have cedar. Stained for 20 years...about 7 years ago had bees set up camp. To many and to high to kill. So read up and bought highest rated exterior paint I could buy based on consumer reports and based on what I read about these pests. I filled all their holes with silicone then painted. I then had to use my .12ga do deal with the woodpeckers wanting the larva. ..next year they were much much less.. had a few that insisted on drilling through paint...repeated the process for just the holes including a few woodpeckers. This year I made some traps and only caught a couple...and ZERO holes this year.. (that I saw - woodpeckers will knock if I missed any). Bang

 

[Richard]

Yeah, hard to reach the buggers when they're on the 3rd floor level. Dozens and dozens of them (if not hundreds)

The house was sprayed with some kind of Borate (sp) when built....I think they call it Penetreat or something like that.

House is stained. Wife doesn't want to paint the logs (which is a bit ironic since she's painted every other exposed piece of wood inside the house)

It really is frustrating watching them eat your place up.

I set some traps last year, probably caught 20/30 of them. Wife likes to take a tennis racket to them and usually gets a couple dozen using that method.

Aside from all that, she's also simply thinking she'd like to change the look of the house.

(turns out, I married the queen of change things just for the sake of spending money to change them)

 

[teejk]

The concrete faux stone should work but might test your religion on the install. If your surface is relatively flat then use a diamond mesh and mortar to attach the stones. Then fill the joints with a grout bag. You might be pleasantly surprised at how cheap the materials will be. Labor is a different matter! I listen to a radio show on Sundays (won't bother with the name because he is a hawker and probably gets paid) but I've heard him hawk a panelized faux stone product "GemStone". If it works as described then it might be something to look at. Key would seem to be a flat surface to start with...bees will find any opening they can I think.

 

[Stimw]

I would treat it again with the latest and greatest pest preventative.
Use a pump sprayer and mix the chemical with mineral spirits. The spirits lets the treatment soak in like water will not do.
You can go to "Do it yourself Pest control" for the proper insecticide at a reasonable cost.
If you can get rock 3 stories high spray would be easy!

 

[Deere Dude]

I had thousands of carpenter bees infesting my open type horse barn. I got a lot with a tennis racket which was fun until the wrist started hurting.

Someone turned me on to a do it yourself pest control company over the internet. Somehow I ended up with "Bifen IT" It is a termicide that kills any bugs and termites I have and I am in bug heaven Tennessee.

I mix 2 oz. concentrate per gallon of water. I think it costs about $25 for 3/4 gallon of concentrate. I use a tank sprayer on my garden tractor and spray all exposed wood in and out, my wood piles, my vinyl sided house and garage. I spray inside the garage with a sprayer that puts more of a mist on, but the barn goes on pretty heavy.

A gallon or maybe a little more would cover it I would guess. I would do all your stuff. I go through about 50 gallongs of spray once or twice a year, but the little rascals stay away.

I would spray it twice a year, spring and maybe 3 or 4 months later. The bees will come back to where they were born so you need to break the cycle and keep on spraying often.

If you ever pressure wash your house I would spray this on after it is dry because this keeps spiders and ants off the product to.

 

[Redlands Okie]

Not sure on all the variables of your project but perhaps checking into a EFIS say system would be a idea. It's almost all trowel work. Synergy would be a good brand name in the south. Dryvet is another common brand name. Basically attach foam or wafer board or Hardi board Underlayment. Thin coat of cement then a mesh then another then coat of cement. Then a thin coat of colored cement, done. You would need to check in on it for more details but that's the general process and idea. Windows and doors need a bit more care to prevent water penetration but still not a complicated process. No grout joints no seams no painting