Nadia
Restacking History: Expert Chinking Brings a Reclaimed Cabin Back to Life
Tucked into its natural surroundings, a small cabin built from reclaimed wood was given new life with a thoughtful addition – blending old character with new craftsmanship. The cabin was dismantled and restacked in Wauconda WA, a very remote location 4 hour drive from Seattle near the Canadian border.
The project was completed by Jeff Kyger of Northwest Log Home Care, who brought his experience and attention to detail to every stage of the finish.
Working with reclaimed materials can be challenging, especially when it comes to irregular corners and joints. Chinking the corners of the cabin required patience and precision, but Jeff handled it with skill and confidence. Using Perma Chink® chinking in his favorite color, Medium Gray #224, he achieved clean, consistent lines that complemented the cabin’s rustic charm while providing long lasting protection.
The result is a beautifully finished cabin that honors its past while embracing modern performance – proof that with the right products and expertise, even the most challenging details can shine.
Protect Your Log Home with a Finish System Built to Last. Perma-Chink Systems offers one of the longest-lasting stain and finish systems in the industry – backed by a limited 5-year warranty.
Your stain and finish system is more than just color – it’s your home’s first line of defense against the elements.
How Long Should a Log Home Finish Last?
One of the most common questions we hear from homeowners and industry professionals is:
“How long do your stains and finish last?”
It’s an important question because your stain and finish system protects one of your biggest investments – your log or timber home.
Here’s the short answer:
👉 Our system is among the longest-lasting in the industry.
We stand behind it with confidence by offering a limited 5-year warranty on our stain and finish system.
Why Longevity Matters
A high-quality stain and finish system does more than enhance appearance – it protects your home from:
- UV damage
- Rain and moisture intrusion
- Premature weathering
- Loss of beauty and curb appeal
Without proper protection, sunlight and water can break down the wood surface over time – affecting both the look and structural performance of your home.
Proper Prep = Maximum Longevity
To achieve the best results and qualify for warranty coverage, proper surface preparation is essential.
REQUIREMENT: Before applying stain, the wood surface must be:
- Clean
- Free of contaminants and residual chemicals
- Completely dry
Proper preparation is one of the most important steps in ensuring a long-lasting, beautiful finish.
Use the Right Products for Surface Prep
For best results, always use products specifically formulated for log homes.
Log Wash™
Ideal for general cleaning and maintenance. In most cases, this is all you need to prepare your logs before staining.
Wood ReNew™ or Oxcon™
If your wood has experienced UV damage or weathering, these products help remove damaged wood fibers and restore a brighter, healthier surface before staining.
Important:
Rinse thoroughly after cleaning. If unsure, use pH strips to confirm the surface is within a normal range of 6.5–7.5 pH.
The Lifeline™ System Advantage
Perma-Chink Systems’ Lifeline™ wood finish system is designed to deliver long-term performance and beauty.
Step 1: Stain
Lifeline stains provide rich, natural color while allowing the wood grain to show through – even after years of reapplication.
Step 2: Topcoat
Lifeline Advance™ clear topcoat enhances durability, reduces maintenance, and adds depth and luster to your finish.
Available in:
- Satin
- Gloss
Benefits of Lifeline Advance™:
- Superior UV protection
- Enhanced durability
- Improved water resistance
- Longer coating life
- Extremely high coverage
- Environmentally friendly
Flexible. Breathable. Built to Perform.
All Lifeline products are designed to be flexible and breathable, allowing moisture vapor to escape while helping prevent water from penetrating the wood.
Think of it like high-performance fabric for your home – durable, protective, and built to move with the natural expansion and contraction of wood.
Why Choose Perma-Chink Systems?
Homeowners and professionals trust Perma-Chink Systems because our products deliver:
- Proven long-term performance
- Beautiful, natural finishes
- Reduced maintenance over time
- A complete, compatible system approach
- Confidence backed by warranty
Protect Your Investment
Your log or timber home deserves more than just a finish – it deserves long-term protection.
Choose a system designed for durability, beauty, and performance.
Need Help Getting Started?
Not sure which products you need or how to begin?
Our team is here to help you choose the right system for your project.
Call us 1-800-548-3554
Perma-Chink Systems, Inc., a long-standing provider of wood care solutions for log and timber homes, is celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2026. Since its founding in 1981, the company has focused on helping homeowners, contractors, builders, and manufacturers protect and preserve wood structures through purpose-built products and practical expertise.
In its early years, Perma-Chink Systems introduced the industry’s first flexible chinking – an innovation that addressed long standing challenges in making log homes energy efficient. That early work helped establish a foundation for continued product development and long-term relationships throughout the log and timber home community.
Over the decades, the company has expanded its offerings to include a comprehensive range of specialty sealants, high-performance finishes, preservatives, and cleaners, all designed specifically for the unique demands of log and timber homes. Today, these products are used on a wide range of structures, from cozy cabins to expansive log and timber-frame residences.
Perma-Chink Systems’ progress has been shaped by the experience of its team, whose combined decades of hands-on work in log home care inform both product development and customer support. That practical knowledge continues to guide the company’s approach to research, technical assistance, and education.
“Reaching 45 years is a reflection of the relationships we’ve built and the trust our customers have placed in us through the years,” said Terry Knight, CEO of Perma-Chink Systems. “Our founder, Rich Dunstan, believed strongly in doing things the right way—listening to customers, standing behind our products, and acting with integrity. Those values continue to guide how we operate today.”
As the log and timber home industry has evolved, Perma-Chink Systems has remained focused on supporting those who build, maintain, and live in wood homes. The company’s emphasis on technical guidance, customer service, and thoughtfully engineered products has made it a consistent resource for professionals and homeowners alike.
Looking ahead, Perma-Chink Systems remains committed to building on its experience while continuing to improve how log and timber homes are cared for. Through ongoing product development, service, and education, the company aims to support the long-term durability and beauty of wood homes for years to come.
About Perma-Chink Systems, Inc.
Perma-Chink Systems, Inc. manufactures wood care products formulated specifically for log and timber homes, including chinking, sealants, stains, finishes, cleaners, and restoration systems. Founded in 1981, the company serves homeowners, builders, and contractors with specialized products and technical support grounded in decades of industry experience.
Read about the invention of first log home chinking: Perma-Chink Systems History – The Invention of the First Log Home Sealant – Perma-Chink Systems
Homeowners almost always have a list of projects they want to complete around their home. As a contractor who has worked on the exterior, winter is a great time to reconnect with your customers and check whether they have interior projects they’d like to address during the colder months.
There are several winter indoor maintenance and upgrade projects that are ideal for winter months. Help homeowners improve the look of their home now while keeping you productively booked during the off-season.
1. Freshen Wood Trim and Moldings, Doors and Window Frames, Cabinets, etc.
Freshening wood trims, cabinets, doors and window frames are perfect indoor maintenance projects for winter. Winter is the best time to stain inside because the air is drier than humid summer air and helps the finishes dry more quickly. You also can crack a few windows in winter to provide proper ventilation without worrying about bugs flying inside. Another reason to stain in winter is that you will get your inside projects done and have more time to do exterior projects when the weather improves.
Keep in mind that you do things a little differently when staining interior trim than when staining walls. You’ll need to sand your trim, clean the dust, and then apply finish. You can apply color stain before you finish it with a clear topcoat, or just apply a clear primer like Lifeline Prelude directly to wood and then topcoat it with clear Acrylic Gloss or Satin, or PCS Clear Shield finish. If you would like to add more gloss to your wood trim, PCS Clear Shield is your best choice. Click here for application instructions.
2. Check for Air Leaks
Many indoor winter maintenance projects also help homeowners save money. In fact, one of the best money-saving maintenance tasks is checking for air leaks. According to HomeAdvisor you can “stop energy-sucking, money-wasting air leaks by caulking, sealing and weather-stripping all of the gaps, seams, cracks, and openings in your home.”
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, reducing air leaks cuts heating and cooling costs, improves durability, increases comfort, and creates a healthier indoor environment. It’s especially important to check for air leaks if you have a log-style home since builders intentionally leave room for settling.
What does an energy audit do? Energy audit is the first step in the process; it finds the source of any air leaks and determines how bad those air leaks are.
The three basic tools used for an energy audit are a blower door, a thermal imaging camera and a computer loaded with the appropriate software. The blower door in conjunction with the computer measures the cumulative air leakage within the home and provides a negative internal air pressure, so the thermal imaging camera can better locate air leaks. The thermal imaging camera takes actual pictures of the air leaks, so you’ll have a record of exactly where they are located. Read more about the thermal imaging and blower door testing here.
After you identified the leaks, sealing or caulking and weather-stripping are two common solutions. Seal and weather-strip doors and windows that leak air. You also should caulk and seal air leaks where plumbing, ducting, or electrical wiring enters through walls, floors, ceilings, and soffits. Seal air leaks around chimney, furnace, and gas-fired water heater vents.
Sealing the leak with Energy Seal or Perma-Chink prevents water penetration along with air infiltration. General purpose caulks and sealants found at local hardware stores and DIY outlets just don’t offer the performance that’s required for the unique needs associated with log or timber homes.
Give us a call at 1‑800‑548‑3554 with any questions about the proper application of our products or any technical information you may need. We’re here to help.
Yes! Pantone has officially announced the Color of the Year for 2026, and it’s Cloud Dancer (PANTONE 11-4201) – a soft, balanced shade of white.
This marks a historic first: it’s the first time Pantone has chosen a white hue for its annual selection. The Pantone Color Institute describes Cloud Dancer as:
- Designed to evoke serenity and mindfulness in an era of digital overload
Pantone says the choice represents simplicity, clarity, and a fresh start, and it’s intended to serve as a “blank canvas” for creativity.
What does this trend mean for our customers?
Good news — you don’t need to rush to Home Depot for a can of white paint. Perma-Chink Systems has you covered.
We’ve developed stain colors specifically formulated for large logs and timbers — allowing the wood to breathe while the finish flexes and moves with it. And we have the perfect match for this emerging trend: Pickled White in our Lifeline brand. It’s available for both interior and exterior use, and several of our log and timber home manufacturers are already using it on their own homes — you could say they’re ahead of the trend!
Just look at Honest Abe Homes below, for example. Their stunning white-toned finishes show exactly how beautiful this shade can be. The name Cloud Dancer fits our Pickled White stain perfectly. Its semi-transparent finish allows the natural wood hues to shine through, adding depth, character, and a soft, modern elegance. It truly feels as if the color is dancing across the logs.
Pickled White also pairs beautifully with a wide range of colors — from Dark Walnut to Midnight to Barn Red — creating a versatile canvas of design possibilities.
Ready to explore the new trend?
Order your free samples here for your interior or exterior project.
A collection of beautifully decorated log and timber homes to inspire you this season. Enjoy – and may your holidays be warm, joyful, and full of light.
Beautiful decorations by Honest Abe Log Homes, Hearthstone Homes, Appalachian Log Homes, Satterwhite Log Homes, Beaver Mountain Custom Homes, Timberhaven Log and Timber Homes and StoneMill Log Homes.
My grandfather, Sophus Johnson, once gave me $2,500 to finish college in 1975. Instead of tuition, I asked if I could use it to buy land and build a house out of an old barn. He laughed, said yes, and made me promise I’d finish college after the house was done — which I did.
Forty-eight years later, I’m rebuilding his log home on the very same land he helped me buy. That’s why we call it Sophus’ House.
Reusing and reclaiming materials has been my way of life ever since I built that first home in 1976. So it’s no surprise to anyone who knows me that my current project combines my grandparents’ 135-year-old log cabin from Denmark, Wisconsin with a historic log barn from Montgomery, Minnesota.
The real push to start came when the producer of Restoration Road called asking if we had any unique projects for 2022. After hearing my idea, they loved it — until they realized filming meant sending a crew to Minnesota in January to watch me dismantle a log barn. Even after I offered to buy them snowmobile suits, they passed!
They were right about the schedule being ambitious, but just before my 70th birthday, it felt like a sign: It’s now or never. I had told so many people about the opportunity that I knew I had to move forward, with or without TV cameras.
And so the build began — using reclaimed materials from all over Minnesota.
- Floor framing from a barn in Sanborn and an old bar in Eveleth
- Second-floor beams from a bank in Albert Lea and logs from Good Thunder
- Insulation and stair timbers salvaged from Fergus Falls
- Basement studs milled from beams taken from a demolished motel in Gilbert
- Soffit, fascia, and trim from a barn near the Mankato airport
- Garage siding from a barn in Mapleton
- And flooring made from black walnut trees we harvested in Mankato three years ago
- All restoration, repairs, chinking, and finishes were completed using Perma-Chink Systems products.
This home is more than a building — it’s a living scrapbook of places, memories, and people who shaped my life. And most importantly, it all started with my grandfather’s gift.
The barn was transformed into the two-story section of the house, while my grandparents’ home became the bedroom wing on the left.
This is now a 4,500 sq. ft. model home, and Mark invites anyone who would like to see a great example of his work to check it out – either in person or virtually. Mark’s website is listed below.
The full restoration video is here:
🎥 How I used Perma-Chink products to restore my grandparents log cabin
Story by Mark Johnson
Artisan Restoration
The exceptional quality of Perma-Chink Systems’ log and timber home wood care products has always been vibrant, and Lifeline Accents line takes that philosophy quite literally. Lifeline Accents, the extensive interior/exterior stain product line, boasts a variety of features that everyone from professional applicators to the do-it-yourselfer find irresistible, and the most obvious is color.
Bold hues such as jade, garnet and midnight catch the eye, while more traditional tones, such as sand, umber and charcoal, round out the 18-color palette. Each vibrant color is designed to allow the wood’s grain to emerge, so the color complements the wood, rather than covering it.
And unlike many other tinted stains, the color endures, meaning fewer touchups over time. Our Lifeline Accents high-performance semi-transparent stains are designed utilizing our proprietary technology to highlight and protect both interior and exterior surfaces.
Creates a wonderful accent for your wood trim,
interior and exterior walls, millwork, timber, furniture and
other elements of your home.
The combination of exciting colors and ease of application will expand choices and add value for both homeowners and applicators. As a leader and innovator in wood-finishing products, Perma-Chink Systems offers a complete line of specialized sealers, stains, finishes, preservatives and cleaners made for the unique needs of log, timber and wood-trimmed homes. Order your free samples here.
If you’d like some guidance for a more substantial home restoration, or you’re interested in trying a new color this year, please reach out today 1-800-548-3554. Just pick your colors and order FREE samples to try it on your wood. Custom colors are available upon request.