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Here we discuss the basics of chinking, caulks, gaskets, and coatings and sealants for log buildings. We provide links to product sources for log homes. Our page top photo shows a Pennsylvania log home that was left to the elements. Ultimately the roof failure, leaks at the chimney, and a bottom course of logs in ground contact were the three areas of failure on this structure. Other, nearly identical cabins in this location along the Susquehanna river were in good condition where basic roof and wall maintenance had been kept up.

This series of articles provides information on the inspection and diagnosis of damage to new and older log homes and includes description of log house and log siding insulation values and alternatives, and also a description of the characteristics of slab-sided log homes as well as all other types of log home construction. We include illustrations of log structures from several very different areas and climates in both the United States and Norway.

© Copyright 2009 - 1991 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

Quick Guide to Log Sealants, Log Chinking Products & Log Home Log Wall Coatings

A traditional log home constructed of individually-cut rough (and varying-in size and shape) logs is shown in our photo at left. Concrete chinking was used, here painted white, to fill in the irregularities between the mating horizontal logs to stop drafts and water from entering the structure.

Some of the really unfortunate disasters we've seen on log home exteriors were caused by use of a log coating or sealant which was not recommended by the log manufacturer. Use of the wrong sealant can lead to peeling and ugly surfaces that can be very costly to correct.

Here are some Log Home special sealants and caulking or chinking products. But before applying anything to the logs on your home, inside or out, find out what products your log manufacturer recommends.

• Geocel Caulk or other GE^TM caulking products specifically designed for log buildings
• Compriband^TM, an impenetrable sealant made by Secoa Corporation, Warminster PA
• Log Home Foam^TM, Norton Sealant Operations, Granville, NY

• Perma-Chink™, a flexible log chinking material that looks just like concrete, remains flexible, from PermaChink Systems, Knoxville TN 800-548-1231 (Photo at left was taken by the author of a sample provided courtesy of Perma-Chink) permachink.com. Our sample has remained flexible and un-damaged since PermaChink sent it to us more than 20 years ago.
  
• Lifeline^TM Natural Wood Finish (acrylic polymer) is also from Perma-Chink Corp.
  
• PR-5636^TM, poltyurethane sealant, Products Rersearch & Chemical Corp., Glendale CA
• Traditional mortar log chinking (we do not recommend this approach as it falls out, leaks, requires frequent repair)
• Preservative stains, pigmented, penetrating type: we've used these with success on slab log siding on log homes; a good practice for maximum durability and insect resistance of slab log siding is to seal all surfaces of the log siding before it is installed.

Our photo (left) shows concrete chinking on an antique log home in Pennsylvania along the Susquehanna River. Click to enlarge and you can see the exposed log mating surfaces where chinking has fallen away from between the second and third logs near the corner of this wall.

Also note that the bottom logs were placed on flat stones set right on ground level. Original growth first-cut timber that grew in the United States produced trees that grew slowly and produced wood that was quite durable, resisting rot and insects for decades.

The growth rings in these logs were close together and the wood dense. But even first growth timber eventually rots when left on or close to the ground, exposed to ground moisture and splash-up from roof spillage during rainstorms.

Producers of products for the construction, maintenance, repair or protection of log homes are welcome to submit product data for inclusion; there is no fee; our website has no financial relationship with any of the products or materials discussed here. Contact Us with any suggestions.

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• Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

LOG HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY
LOG HOME GUIDE
  Antique & Old Log Cabins
  Cracks, Checking or Splitting Beams & Log Homes
  Condensation &Moisture in Log Homes
  Energy Efficiency of Log Homes
  Leak Diagnosis & Cure for Log Houses
  Log Wall Height Changes
  R-Values of Log Homes
  Sealants, Caulks, & Coatings for Log Homes
  Shrinkage In Log Home Walls
  Slab Log Cabin Siding
  Spline & Gasket Designs for Log Buildings
  Spline Gaps & Gasket Omissions
  Types of Log Houses - Log Choices
  Vertical Log Walls on Cabins & Homes
  Wall Insulation Values in Log Homes
LOG HOME WALL INSULATION VALUES

• Thanks to Arlene Puentes for the photograph of a checked log in a log home exterior. Arlene Puentes, a licensed home inspector, educator, and building failures researcher in Kingston, NY. Photographs © Arlene Puentes 2006 All Rights Reserved. Text © Daniel Friedman Arlene Puentes 2008 All Rights Reserved.
• "The Logless Log Home," Jim Robbins, New York Times, 02/25/2010 Home section, p. D1 & D6.
• "Shop Talk," Martin Mintz, AIA, Builder Magazine, April 1986, detailed solutions for log shrinkage movement by using a "T" jamb at windows and doors. A January 1986 Builder Magazine article shows window installation details in 8" thick log walls.
• "Caulking, Chinking, Insulators, Sealants - which System works Best," Log Home and Alternative Housing Builder, Nov-Dec 1983.
• Lincoln Log Homes Marketing, Inc., 6000 Lumber Lane, Kannapolis NC 28081 704-932-6151
• Insulating Characteristics of log homes were neatly summarized by Roger Rawlings in "Log Homes in a New Light," Rodale's New Shelter, April 1983, p. 28
• Merrimac Log Homes, Henniker, NH, sells log home products, milled log home kits, log siding, and log home plans and log home construction accessories. 866-637-7462 or logs@mlhnh.com - merrimacloghomes.com
• PermaChink Systems, Knoxville TN 800-548-1231 provides a range of log chinking products, coatings, and sealants for log and other wood buildings.

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
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