Perma-Chink Systems, Inc
Log & Timber Home Care Experts
Finishes & Stains
Calling our pigmented finishes “stains” can be a bit confusing, but we understand how finishes can be called a stain. The term “stain” implies that the wood fibers are stained with the colorants contained in the products. However, in the case of film-forming water-based finishes, like our LIFELINE™ family of finishes, the wood fibers are not impregnated with the colorants. Our LIFELINE finishes behave more like latex paints than penetrating oil-based stains. Yet we can refer to our finishes as stains or varnish since that is what the market is used to. Our newest finish, Log & Timber Defense, is a semi-transparent finish that penetrates like oils, but without the negative effects of oil-based stains.
When I was growing up, I was fascinated with forts. I would often get together with friends from the neighborhood, and we would combine our resources and construct some rather elaborate fortresses. To test our handiwork we would end our session with a great battle to decide whose fort was superior. Fast forward nearly forty years and I am still helping design forts! At Perma-Chink Systems the forts we are building are designed to protect your home against the forces of nature such as sunlight, wind, rain, dust, insects, and microorganisms. Let us take a closer look at what our fort looks like.
Why do my choices regarding surface prep, stain, and color matter?
When it comes to choosing a finish system for your log home exterior, there are many factors to consider. Depending on what choices you make, it will have a significant impact on the longevity of the finish system. For example, some of these choices include surface preparation, type of stain, and color choice. Let us take a closer look at each one of these factors and discover how they each contribute to a systems performance.
Wood Renew™ - To pre-wet or not to pre-wet?
Fairly often we get questions about Wood Renew™ with reference to whether or not to wet the surface before application. First, I would refer to the label directions as to use and application. There is no mention of the need to wet the surface prior to application. However, there is mention of proper pre-mixing and allowing a bit of “dwell” time prior to application. This dwell time allows the thickeners to activate and aid in helping it to stay on the wall so it can do its work for better results.
Spring Cleaning! Steps to Prolong the Life of Your Log Home
Every Spring life begins anew. Flowers bloom, trees blossom, and the grass grows thick and green. And somehow we've decided the springtime is the perfect time to clean! Log homes have their own cycles of maintenance, slightly different than a stick-built home. We have found that in the springtime, it's an excellent time to get things ready for the summer and shake off the wet fall and winter.
We will walk you through our recommended process for making sure your home keeps looking great for a long time. From cleaning, to inspection, to evaluating your log home's finish, we'll prepare you with a system that's easy to follow.
Looking At Refinishing Your Log Home?
One of the facts of life in preserving the beautiful look of natural logs is that they eventually need to be refinished. Conventional homes are repainted, but log homes are restained. There is a lot more to consider with the latter: Is the existing finish intact enough to simply restain? Do you want to restain in a different color? Has the home been a little neglected in the past? Are there water stains or you want a lighter color, what do you do?
If the stain is aged or has water stains, or the logs look quite weathered, returning the logs to a consistent natural appearance is necessary in the restaining process. But what options do you have for getting those logs back to their natural look before applying the stain? We have listed the options for finish removal below, to help you determine which method is the best choice for your situation.
Perma-Chink Systems History Over 40 Years
The Beginning
In 1980 my neighbor told me about building a log home in Eastern Washington. He said that he loved the home and the lifestyle but was disappointed that with the wind constantly blowing and harsh cold winters, there was no real effective way to seal the gaps between the logs. The house leaked air and heat, and wind-driven rain literally came right through the walls.
He tried various caulking materials with little success. Caulking around a bathtub or sink was significantly different from ‘caulking’ literally miles of seams between logs in a log house. After a number of conversations and experiments, it became apparent that there was no readily available product that could seal the gaps, look like authentic chinking, and last more than a few months.
After literally months of trial and error, it became apparent that if we were going to design a material that would be acceptable, we would have to design it ourselves.
More than 20 years has passed since NASCAR's Mike Helton announced to the world, "we lost Dale Earnhardt." Arguably one of the greatest racers ever, Earnhardt both divided and united fans with his on-track persona as "The Intimidator" and his relationship with his fans and fellow drivers. After two decades since his death, his loss is still felt within the racing community. In rememberance of Earnhardt on the anniversary of his death at the end of the 2001 Daytona 500, our own Tony Huddleston conveys working with Earnhardt on his log home years earlier.
THE LEGEND LIVED IN A LOG HOME
My first meeting with Dale Earnhardt happened at the Knoxville airport as he flew in to meet with me regarding the color choices on his new home. I took stain samples with me for the meeting and he and I applied what we currently had, and he was very clear that he wanted it darker and felt I should travel to the jobsite so we could work out the colors.
Lifeline Ultra-7 turns ten in 2021!
Introduced ten years ago, Lifeline Ultra-7 quickly became the premier finish for log and timber homes. Upon introduction, Ultra-7 improved coverage rates and added even more color options for the Lifeline family. Today, the best-selling Ultra-7 remains the go-to finish for exceptional longevity and color retention for log and timber homes. Paired with Lifeline Advance topcoat, Ultra-7 keeps your log home looking beautiful for years and years.
There are many great things about log homes that make them appealing to the owners and future owners. Usually at the top is the look and design of the log home, capturing the spirit of the frontier and settling the wild west. Sometimes a custom home, sometimes an ordered home from a builder, but definitely a chosen home for the owners. Achieving this look is completed with the final design choice - the color of the log stain and log sealant. The two main options are contrasting colors or blended colors. Our stains and finishes pair with our sealants to make sure your home looks the best, no matter what you decide.