Let's get Chinking!!

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Step 4- Chinking or Sealing your Log Home

You have reached the final step in your finishing or restoration project. Now it's time to make sure the water, wind and bugs stay on the outside of the home. It's also very important to make sure large checks are sealed up to prevent water from causing rot. Speak with a specialist to help decide on the best size joint for your home as well as different options you may have to make the job simpler and less expensive.

WARNING: Ensure Stain Compatibility with other Coatings/Chinking/Caulking

Did you know that some coatings that you use may contain non-drying oils or waxes and may prevent you from using chinking and caulking in the future? If you are not certain, ask a specialist about our compatibility testing, database of various stains and chemical ingredient review service.

CAUTION: Only use Log Products on Log Homes

We receive phone calls daily from people disappointed they bought a deck/fence /wood stain at a big box or hardware store and it failed early. Log's Ain't Wood and they behave much differently. You don't treat a 2x4 the same you way treat a log. You want a product specifically engineered to perform properly for your home. Would you rather save a hundred dollars on product? Or do the job twice as often??

Log Jam Chinking Canada

Log Jam Chinking Canada- The chink that holds tough year after year even in our Canadian winters. Its superior elasticity means that it moves with your logs without cracking. Log Jam chink seals your log cabin from vermin, pollen, dust, rain, and wind alike. Explore the chinking calculator below to determine the quantities required.

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Chinking Calculator & More Info  
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Sashco Conceal Caulking

Conceal’s 7 colors blend in with the most popular stains used on log and wood homes, and its light texture simulates the natural roughness of wood.

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**5 gallon pails are a special order. Sealant Calculator & More Info    
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Sashco Log Builder Caulking

Log Builder sealant is specifically formulated to absorb most log movement.

In the 1970s, log home owners everywhere were discovering that logs are in constant dynamic motion. They came to Sashco for help, and a few years later, Log Builder® sealant was born. It’s the sealant specifically formulated to absorb most log movement. For over 20 years, Log Builder® has been the trusted sealant included in many manufacturer’s log home kits and packages. Its superior elasticity creates a tight seal that keeps out water, dust, bugs, and wind. **5 gallon pails are a special order

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Sealant Calculator & More Info    
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Perma-Chink Chinking

Since 1981, Perma-Chink Log Home Sealant has proven itself on thousands of chinked and chinkless style homes to become the most widely applied chinking in the world. It's simply the best log home chinking by every measure: longevity, appearance, performance and ease of application. Revolutionizing the log home industry from inception, we have improved Perma-Chink throughout the decades to offer a log home sealant with unparalled adhesion, elasticity, easy tooling, and is blister-proof and slump-free. Our improvement efforts is why Perma-Chink is the leading choice of log homeowners who want to seal and protect their investments for generations.

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Sealant Calculator & More Info
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Energy Seal Textured Log Caulking

Energy Seal is one of the most popular members of our sealant family, and is sometimes referred to as a textured log caulk. Our sealants are specifically designed for use on log and timber homes, where most caulking is multi-purpose and ill-suited for the harsh enviroment of exterior use. Energy Seal was created to seal milled or scribed log homes, log siding homes and around joinery such as butt-joints, window trim, door trim and corners. One application makes any log wall completely weather-tight, which increases energy efficiency of your home.

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Caulking Calculator & More Info  
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Chink Paint

$139.99$629.99
Textured Latex Paint for Perma-Chink Log Chinking
Chink-Paint is an elastomeric, textured coating for renewing or changing the color of chinking. This makes it ideal for giving a facelift to your home by brightening the appearance of old, dirty chinking or altering the color of existing chinking. Chink-Paint’s elasticity enables it to expand and contract with Perma-Chink or Energy Seal without cracking or peeling. Chink Paint can't freeze. Please contact us directly to figure out winter shipping 

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Sealant Calculator & More Info
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Check Mate 2

Log Check Sealant
Check Mate 2 is an outstanding water resistant sealant that prevents water and air infiltration through pronounced cracks (called checks) in logs, timbers and wood siding. Caulking is an obvious solution to this problem, but caulking does not work because of limits in adhesion and weatherability.

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Chinking Calculator & More Info  
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Bulk Loading Guns

$119.99$167.99
Bulk loading guns are great for applying caulking or chinking from a 5-gal. pail. These guns slide directly onto the Albion Follow Plates or can be screwed on to the older style follow plates. Quality construction means smooth, consistent beads each time and no plunger blow-out. Teflon®-coated (option) for easier cleaning and long-term storage. Available in traditional manual drive and Milwaukee's cordless electric M18 with Albion conversion kit. View More Info
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Bulk Loading Gun Follow Plate

Original price was: $109.99.Current price is: $89.99.

Albion® slip-on follow plate makes loading the bulk loading guns easier. No threading makes for easy on and off Threaded rod makes removing the follow plate easy. Rubber gasket at outside rim works with both straight-sided and tapered pails.

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Bulk Loading Gun Conversion Kit for M18 Cordless

$289.99
Converts any Albion or Milwaukee 18V cordless gun to a DL-59-T13E 30oz cordless bulk gun.

Milwaukee M18 Quart (30oz) Carriage Conversion Kit

$69.99
Milwaukee 48-08-1095 Quart Carriage Conversion Kit is used with M18 Cordless Caulk and Adhesive Guns. For larger jobs, the Quart Carriage Conversion Kit accepts all standard Quart caulking tubes and cartridges. This kit includes all the necessary components to convert material types from the 2641-21CT, 2642-21CT, and 2643-21CT Cordless Caulk and Adhesive Guns to be able to dispense Quart-sized tubes.

Backer Rod

$6.99$299.99
Backer Rod is a bond breaker used to make sure that your caulking makes a 2 point connection (to the top and bottom of the check). This is very important to allow the caulking to stretch. If you don't use Backer Rod, it makes a 3 point connection and creates an anchor point where the caulking will tear when the logs move. It also prevents you from using too much caulking or chink and keeps your costs way down View More Info
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Grip Strip

$399.99$489.99

Grip Strip is a bond breaker used to make sure that your caulking makes a 2 point connection (to the top and bottom of the check). This is very important to allow the caulking to stretch. If you don't use Grip Strip, it makes a 3 point connection and creates an anchor point where the caulking will tear when the logs move. It also prevents you from using too much caulking or chink and keeps your costs way down.

**Grip Strip is a special order and may have a short lead time** Want less than a case? Call (855) 915-4405
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Log Gap Cap

$16.99$17.99
Cut from 3/4" closed cell flexible foam, Log Gap Caps are unique backer pieces designed to reduce air infiltration where round logs meet window and door trim.
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Bulk Loading Gun Loader

$1,389.99
Doing lots of chinking or caulking? Tired of fighting to get it in the bulk loading gun?  Introducing your best friend. This bulk loading gun loader takes the work out of getting the chinking or caulking out of the pail and into the gun. Simply turn the crank on top and watch as 5000lbs of force pushes down to fill your gun with ease.

Chink Pump Machine

$7,549.99
Professional Chink Machine Used by commercial applicators, chink pumps are easily wheeled around the perimeter of a home. The 25-foot applicator reinforced hose makes the chinking process quicker and easier around gable ends, intricate corners and covered entrance ways.

Spatulas

Original price was: $89.99.Current price is: $79.99.
  • Comfortable curved handles
  • Use to create proper concave joint profile & ensure good adhesion to substrates
  • Precision ground for optimum flexibility for perfectly finished joints
  • No plastic components for easy solvent clean-up
  • Premium grade stainless steel, ground and tapered for optimum flex
  • Rounded tips for standard applications, yet easy to modify for unique applications
  • Spatula tip widths from 3/8” to 1-1/2”
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Bulk Loading Gun Nozzles

$2.99$37.99
Now that you have a bulk loading gun you will want to put it to the best use. Interchangeable nozzles allow you to lay down a much more precise caulking or chink joint. View More Info
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Bulk Loading Gun Ring Cap

$13.99
On the older TL-59-13 bulk loading guns they came with a fixed 1/2" round metal nozzle. These ring caps allow you to also use the plastic nozzles with that gun. View More Info

Bulk Loading Gun Pull Hook

$24.99
This little hook makes it so you can hang your gun and also makes it easier to load product into the gun. Replaces your standard T-pull. Works on our Consumer, Professional or Electric guns. View More Info

Caulking Guns

$18.99$44.99
Albion makes some of the finest caulking guns, accessories and tools on the planet. From a great Homeowner caulking gun to a daily use Professional gun for the contractors, these tools will exceed expectations.
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Albion Bulk Gun Loading Cleaning Brush

$39.99
Albion's bulk loading gun cleaning brush makes quick work of clean up after the job is done. Save time, improve productivity with this cleaning brush. View More Info

Albion Bulk Loading Gun Repair Kit-Leather

$19.99
This leather repair bulk loading gun replacement kit is the parts that wear out on a bulk loading chinking gun. Make your old gun new again! View More Info

Bulk Loading Gun Sleeve

$24.99
Albion's loading sleeve makes transferring chinking or caulking from your 5 gallon pail into the gun a much simpler and cleaner job. View More Info

GATHER TOOLS

01.

One of the chinking/sealants listed above:

  • A bond breaker such as Backer Rod, Grip Strip or packing tape
  • Bulk Loading Gun and Follow Plate or Loading Sleeve if you are using the 5 gallon pails. 
  • Utility knife & caulking gun to open if you are using Tubes 
  • Foam brushes or trowels for smoothing the chinking
  • Denatured alcohol if chinking during hot temps (above 27⁰C)
  • Damp rags for clean up
  • Some flannel to help you feel very Daniel Boone-ish
log jam chinking canada

PRO TIP

We often get asked the difference between the three chinking/caulking products. In many cases, they can be used interchangeably. 

Log Jam Chinking– Mortar like finish. Often used as a contrasting colour look, but can be blended as well. 
Perma-Chink Chinking– Mortar like finish. Often used as a contrasting colour look, but can be blended as well. 
Conceal Textured Log Caulking– Wood grain finish. Often used when you don’t want to see the caulking.  Good for joints up to 2″
Energy Seal Textured Log Caulking– Wood grain finish. Often used when you don’t want to see the caulking.  Good for joints up to 2″
Log Builder Caulking– Smooth silicone like finish. 
Check Mate2 Caulking– Smooth silicone like finish. 

CLEAN THE JOINTS

02.

If chinking for the first time

  • Make sure the logs are stained with a compatible finish. All of Canada’s Log Home Store’s stains work with our chinking.
  • Clean off any dust, pollen, bird poo, etc. The chinking needs to be applied to a clean surface in order to adhere properly and last for years to come.

If repairing or replacing old chinking

  • Remove any crumbling or cracked mortar. Mortar that’s still intact can stay as long as it looks good and there’s no rot under it.
  • Sand down the joints to remove loose, unsound wood fibers. Those wood fibers will interfere with adhesion of other products (stains and chinking) that are applied.
  • Stain the joints with a compatible finish. Again, all of our stains work with our chinking. (We were thinking ahead!)

USE A BOND BREAKER

03.

Why? Because your chinking job will last longer and you’ll use less chinking. (We’re sure your hands and wallet will thank us.)

  • In joints 1/2” deep or more, use Backer Rod or Grip Strip
  • In going over top of existing mortar, you can use clear packing tape in the back of the joint.
  •  For joints less than 1/4”, do not use caulking.  Instead, be sure to back brush the stain into the check. This will provide better water protection than chink or caulking will for joints less than 1/4″ 

PRO TIP

A bond breaker allows the chink or caulking to make a 2 point connection and stretch properly. If you don’t use it, a 3 point connection gets made with an anchor point at the intersection of the logs. Then when it should stretch as designed, instead you may get tearing. 

APPLYING THE CHINKING

04.

If chinking for the first time

  • A steady hand is imperative, so lay off the caffeine for a bit. Apply no more than 2-3 feet at a time. On wider joints, apply 3 separate beads – one on either side of the joint, and one down the middle – or use a ribbon nozzle to apply one wide bead at a time.

SMOOTH (TOOL) THE CHINKING

05.

Tool it in

  • As you go along, use a damp foam brush or a spray bottle with a trowel to smooth (tool) the chinking. This ensures proper adhesion and long-term performance. Don’t apply too much at a time! You don’t want the chinking to skin over before you get a chance to smooth it. In hotter temps (above 80⁰), a 25% denatured alcohol/water mixture will help slow down the drying to give you more time to smooth the chinking.
spraying log home chink Canada while applying
smoothing log chinking Canada with a spatula

PRO TIP

We recommend not chinking or caulking a raw log. The water that runs down the wall when you tool it stains a raw log and you have to sand it out. If you stain/clear  first, you just wipe away with a rag instead of sanding. 

For more general info on chink please visit our chinking page

SIMPLE WATER CLEAN UP

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