Got Rot? Knock rot out of the park with M-Balm and E-Wood

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Got Rot? Knock rot out of the park with M-Balm and E-Wood

What can you fit inside a log? A hollowed out piece of timber on your home might make a convenient storage space for sports equipment or toys, but it's a problem. Before you panic and list your home up on Zillow or Redfin, let's take a look at the situation.

How much decay have you found? If it's not halfway deep through the log, or less than a couple of feet lengthwise, odds are it can be repaired easily. M-Balm and E-Wood from Perma-Chink Systems are specially-formulated epoxies designed to repair decay and soft spots in homes.

The biggest threat to log homes is decay damage, caused by moisture-loving fungi. The three basic categories of wood-destroying fungi are soft rot, brown rot, and white rot. Preventing rot begins with preventing as much contact as possible with moisture, which breeds fungi. The best prevention is using borate preservatives, which destroy wood fungi and protect against decay.

If you do discover decay in your logs during inspections, most likely it can be mitigated and eliminated, without the need for a costly log replacement. If the decay does not exceed more than half the depth of the log, or only a few feet lengthwise, using M-Balm and E-Wood products can replace the decayed wood with an epoxy replacement that can be cut, sanded, and finished like real wood.

E-Wood and M-Balm Jeff Kyger of Northwest Log Home Care showed us a decay issue and the resolution utilizing M-Balm and E-Wood to repair the log. While it is a handy storage space for sports equipment, the decay could have progressed deep in the wood and compromised the home. With M-Balm and E-Wood, the two products that work together to repair decay damage, Jeff was able to repair the end of the log.

Filling the space with material and E-Wood Finish filling the void with material and E-Wood Restored log end

The first step in repair is to clean out the decay and get the log dry. We recommend applying Shell-Guard RTU to the cleaned area to eliminate any decay fungi and prevent future infestation. Once the decay cavity has dried, coat the exposed wood with M-Balm, bonding loose fibers and creating a solid bonding area for the filler agent, E-Wood.

Next, fill the treated void with E-Wood, our epoxy putty, to repair the log. Large voids, like what Jeff repaired, can be filled with pieces of construction material to help fill the volume. Low expansion urethane foam can be used as well, as it does not out-gas like other foam. E-Wood epoxy can be stained with Lifeline stains during mixing or after application to match your log home color.

Regularly inspect your home for rot and stop it from spreading and causing an expensive repair. With Perma-Chink System’s wood restoration products M-Balm and E-Wood, decay can be repaired and your home restored to like-new condition.

Check out our tech tip on repairing large voids and other tech tips on Permachink.com for more in-depth instructions on maintaining and repairing your log home. Perma-Chink Systems – Your Wood Care Resource.

Last modified on Wednesday, 08 August 2018 21:42