Will Shell-Guard eliminate all pests?
Shell-Guard (probably the most popular glycol based log preservative in the industry) will kill carpenter ants, termites and beetles that bite into treated wood. After the Shell-Guard and stain have dried, small critters won’t be effected if there are cracks or open seams that allow them access. Once they bite into the wood, the borate solution disrupts their digestive system causing them to starve to death. Unlike powder / water mixtures which are topical (yet effective) treatments, Shell-Guard penetrates deep into the wood. This isn’t a process you need to repeat. Once treated, your log is protected for good as long as its kept sealed and stained. Shell-Guard only effects critters that chew into the wood. It is not effective against carpenter bees or woodpeckers. It will, however, help kill fungus and dry rot which are wood ingesting parasites.
Why do I still have bugs in my home or newly formed termite holes in my logs since I recently applied a borate preservative?
There could be a few reasons. Keep in mind, once the Shell-Guard soaks in and cures, it only effects critters that chew into the wood. It is not a contact killer (unless it’s still wet). Even though carpenter ants don’t eat wood, they do chew through it in order to make their tunnels, so they too are effected. Also, it could take years for beetle larvae to hatch and chew their way out of your logs so even though you may see some new holes, the culprits will die after creating these exit holes.
I have some wood rot and log deterioration. What can be done?
If the rot seems severe and if you’re concerned with what true damage can result from it, have it looked at by a structural engineer. Small areas of rot can be very easily fixed with M-Balm and E-Wood. There may be cases where logs need to be replaced, but these are very rare and generally only take place on homes that have been totally neglected for many, many years. When patching areas of rot, it’s always a good idea to apply Shell-Guard, especially if the rot is still wet and active. M-Balm is a 2 part liquid epoxy which is mixed together and brushed in place on the rotted wood. This mixture will absorb in to the soft, rotted wood while solidifying/hardening it. The next step is to apply the E-Wood which is a 2 part solid wood replacement. Once mixed, it can be formed in place to build up the rotted area of the log.
My logs are already chinked. Can I apply Perma-Chink over it or does the old chinking need to be removed?
You can usually go either way. There’s no doubt that chinking over foam backing rod vs. existing mortar will leave you with a much cleaner, crisper, newer look. It can be very difficult and time consuming chinking over rough mortar. The decision usually depends on how pristine or rustic of a chink joint you want. Old mortar often can be pulled out in chucks very easily. At times you may need to chisel it out. When removing mortar, you’ll probably find thousands of staples or small nails within the concrete that you’ll need to pull out. You’ll also usually have (depending on the log radius) a much smaller chink joint if the mortar is removed. If keeping it in place, your new chink joint will be wider than what you have now considering you’ll need to apply your Perma-Chink beyond what’s already there to make sure you get new adhesion on the log.
I have a Swedish cope, tongue in groove, notched log or my logs had a piece of foam or caulk applied between them as it was stacked. Do I still need chinking?
In many cases your logs still need to be chinked. In some cases, they don’t. While a good sealant (foam tape, caulk or backing rod) applied between the logs when stacked will help cut down on moisture and drafts, it can’t take the place of what a permanent exterior sealant, such as Perma-Chink, will do. Without this sealant, moisture could possibly still get to the internal gasket and while it may not reach your living room, it could sit there and cause the early stages of rot, or possibly filter down into a crack. An exterior sealant will help prevent water from even getting to this point. If you have a chinkless style home, keep an eye on it. I’ve seen some I can stick my hand through a year after being built, and I’ve seen some stay weather-tight after several years.
I need to clean my logs. What do I use?
There are many techniques and products that can be used to return that “new log look” to your home. Dry media blasting, chemical strippers, pressure washing, sanding, grinding, log cleaners, bleach and buffers are all used, depending on precisely the condition of your logs, what stain has been applied, how long it’s been since it was last coated, how many coats are applied, how much mildew has accumulated and how much of the original stain is still on the logs. Combine these variables with the results you want. Perhaps you want to strip everything off and get down to clean light, bare wood. Perhaps a little soap and water will give you the results you can live with. Keep in mind, don’t stain over mildew as it could continue to spread either underneath the stain or within the stain itself. On an older home that hasn’t been cared for in several years, it’s not unusual to spend more time prepping the logs for stain than the time spent staining.
What can be done with the exposed ends of my logs?
Log End Seal, a product specifically designed to seal the porous ends of logs is usually applied. It is brush applied somewhat heavily (it’s a VERY thick product) over the stain, it dries clear and can be applied on smooth ends or rough cut. If rough, the Log End Seal will take a bit longer to dry clear.
For new construction, do I need my house to settle a year before chinking it?
There are different thoughts on this. Most homeowners do not wait a year, particularly on a chink style log home. In doing so you could have an enormous amount of air (and possibly water) infiltration, depending on the type of construction you have. If you have a chinkless style home, your logs are quite a bit tighter fit and it may not be as critical. If you chink your home immediately after its built to cut down on water & air infiltration, you may observe some splits in the chinking the following year. This is sometimes caused by not using enough chinking (width or thickness). While Perma-Chink has tremendous elasticity, every product has its limitations and most of the settling of your logs will take place the first 4 years after being built. Remember, on round logs the rule of thumb is to apply a band 1 inch wide for every 6 inches of log diameter. If you have 18 inch logs and chink them with a 3/8” wide chink joint, splitting is almost guaranteed which is not to be considered a product or application fault. The larger the logs the more strength they possess when contracting, expanding, twisting, etc. Regardless of the width of the chink joint, the thickness should always be the same….3/8” to 1/2” (max). If you have a chinkless style log home with a Swedish Cope fit, less chinking can often be used.
What do I put on first, Perma-Chink or stain?
Technically, it doesn’t matter. Most will stain first and chink second. With latex stains, chinking can often be done in a matter of hours after staining, depending on temperature while still assuring adhesion. Some (although not many) will choose to chink first then stain on top of the chinking. While chinking will accept a stain, you’ll be left with a chink joint that simply doesn’t look as clean and crisp as most homeowners prefer. This also depends on the color of chinking and stain you choose. Some stain colors will blend in better on certain colors of chinking than others. If we chink first, while you don’t need to wait for the chinking to cure prior to staining, we do need to wait for it to skin over enough so that when brushing the stain, we won’t create a mess with the freshly applied chinking. If you are looking to have your house stained which has existing chinking, you have a decision to make. It can be sprayed and back-brushed, in which case the chinking gets stained, or just brushed. If brushed, either the chinking gets stained as well, or, the hand brushing can be more delicate and have the stain applied only between the chinking, which takes enormously longer.
Can I add pigment to my clearcoat finish?
Positively not. Pigments don’t mix properly in Lifeline Advance clearcoat. The pigments in the stain protect the wood while the clear coat finish does a good job at protecting the pigments from Mother Nature. They are 2 completely different products.
Will a pressure washing cause water to leak into my house?
It’s possible, just like it is on non-log homes, but not always. It depends on how tight your seams are. Pressure washing can be a very cost effective method to clean your logs without needing to go to the more expensive (yet effective) media blasting or chemical stripping. When possible, we’ll have someone inside the house when pressure washing the exterior to catch any water infiltration.
Why is my stain weathered (faded, dirty, etc.) in only some areas?
This is not unusual at all; rather, its expected. The western and southern walls take a beating from the elements much quicker than the eastern and northern walls. You may find more mildew, however, on the eastern and northern areas and you’ll usually find more mildew on your deck than on your walls due to the pooling of water, that conditions under which molds and mildew thrive. The tops of the logs will also weather quicker than the lower areas of the logs.
Can a roller be used to apply stain?
We never apply any stain on a log with a roller nor should this be done by any contractor. We use commercial spray equipment and always brush in after we spray. ALL stains need to be back-brushed after being sprayed. We’ll often brush by hand as well, depending on the wall.
My log home was just completed. Do I need to stain now or can I wait until Spring?
The sooner you stain after your home is built, the less you need to be concerned with cleaning it. It’s not at all unusual for clean, new logs to discolor a bit once exposed to the elements in just a few weeks or months. Keep in mind that “UV damage”, or the graying effect sun has on wood, does not damage your logs; it’s simply considered unsightly.
I don’t want to “stain” my logs; I just want to use a clear sealer. What do I use?
Some (but very few) log homeowners choose to go simply with a clear sealer and no stain (pigment). If you do this, your logs will definitely darken much quicker. For the most part, clear sealers do not offer UV protection. Pigment (color) is what offers UV protection. Perma-Chink System’s Lifeline Advance clearcoat finish is designed to be applied over stain, not on bare wood.
My stain is supposed to have a mildewcide in it, so why is there mold/mildew on my logs?
No stain will totally prevent mildew or mold, regardless whether they have a mildewcide mixed in or not. Dry wood is what helps prevents mildew. Without moisture, you can’t have mildew or mold. We can add an additional dose of mildewcide to the stain which will make it that much more difficult for mildew to thrive. But it’s no guarantee it won’t ever appear. There are 4 mandated conditions needed to allow for the growth of mildew. They are: the presence of food, moisture, oxygen and temperature. If any of these 4 conditions are eliminated, so will the conditions needed for mildew to grow. The wood is the food source. We have no control over the temperature and we need oxygen. A piece of wood kept submerged in water won’t accumulate mildew (no oxygen). The only condition we can alter is moisture. If you keep your wood dry, mildew shouldn’t be a problem (how often do you find mildew on the INSIDE of your home, where its dry?). A quality stain AND clear coat finish will help eliminate your logs from absorbing moisture. The target number for moisture content in your logs is 19% or less. At 20% or higher, mildew can accumulate.
What does the temperature need to be for stain or chinking to be applied?
40 degrees Fahrenheit is a safe temperature. Warmer is better. However, if the temperature is 90 degrees (when the wall temperature can be over 110) the stain could dry too quickly and before it has a chance to properly bond to the fibers of the wood. Also, we won’t apply any stain or sealant on wood that may have a fine layer of frost or ice which will cause interference when adhering to the wood.
What are the differences between oil (solvent) based stains and water (latex / acrylic) based stains?
Not many years ago oil based stains were the majority of what was used on log homes. Things have changed substantially. Today, latex stains are MUCH more widely used on log homes. Recently, oil stains have improved a bit over the years, however, the technological advances they have made pale in comparison to the improvements that water based stains have demonstrated. Regarding the differences, there are many. Latex easily cleans up with soap and water while oils require a solvent based cleaner. There are no lingering odors with latex stains which can be very apparent with oils. Latex stains dry much faster (often drying to the touch in 2 hours or less). Some oils dry relatively quickly (in a day or so), while some will remain tacky for weeks, and in some cases, years, at which time they are prone to attract pollens, dust and dirt until they dry. One needs to wait a longer period of time before chinking over oils than they do over latex. You wouldn’t want to chink over a sticky, greasy log, which could inhibit adhesion. Independent university studies have been conducted that show oils can be an attractant to insects as well. Some oils will soak in a bit deeper than latex, although this isn’t noticeable with the naked eye. An acrylic is more of a protective film forming finish and keeps the surface area of the log protected, where protection is most needed. Labels of some oil based stains require 3 or 4 coats, which triple the cost when comparing dollars vs. 1 coat with some waterborne stains.
How often do I need to have my house re-stained?
There are well too many factors that will determine the longevity of stain including but not limited to: brand of stain, application technique, moisture content of wood when applied, wall exposure, temperature during application, how often (and how) your log walls are cleaned and species of wood. If you’re reapplying your stain every year it may be a hardware store grade product that just isn’t designed for longevity.