Wally,

I used to own a log home and the last thing I wanted near it was carpenter ants or any ants for that matter. My weapon of choice was Diatomaceous Earth. It is an all natural product. I bought mine at Canadian Tire but it should be available at most stores which sell garden products. It is basically a powder from fossils which acts like glass on insects with outer skeletons such as ants there by 'cutting' them and then dehydrating them. Ants will carry it on their bodies back to the nest and since they 'clean' each other the powder will affect other ants and hopefully the queen. The death of the queen is the death of the nest and usually the death of the colony.

Look it up. It's a good solution for areas in and around the home. Be persistant and always have some on hand for following years as ants will move into new territories each spring and the earlier you detect them, the earlier you can control them.