Blog & News
It’s time to close up remote and vacation cabins for the winter. For most vacation homes, the close-up process usually occurs after Labor Day, but we all try to squeeze out a few more weekends as the weather allows.
Depending on where the home is, the “living” season might be longer, or year-round, especially if the property doubles as a seasonal rental. If you’re lucky enough to live in a mild climate that doesn’t require much seasonal “changeover,” it’s still a good idea to inspect your home for potential issues. We have available information on Fall maintenance and landscaping tips to keep homes maintained.
For those homes that get buttoned-up for the winter, the folks at Cabin Life compiled a checklist of tasks to ensure a protected home for the duration of the winter season.
Preparing for Winter Checklist
(Adjust as needed for your climate and your frequency of winter use.)
Outside Duties
- Waterfront homes: Clean and store boats, dock ornaments, ladder, life jackets and ski equipment.
- Mow the lawn one last time (if you have a lawn at your place).
- Clean and winterize lawnmower and other gas-powered yard equipment.
- Rake and remove leaves within at least 30 feet from your cabin.
- Store fire pit decorations, emptied flower pots, drained hoses and sprinklers, and deflated water toys.
- Keep firewood more than 30 feet away from home.
- Look for air leaks around electrical wiring, dryer vents, pipes, windows and doors; then seal leaks with caulk or insulation to keep out cold air and pests.
- Insulate pipes in crawl spaces by wrapping them with heat tape or thermostatically-controlled heat cables; also open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to un-insulated pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls.
- Clean out gutters and inspect roof for shingles that are raised or cracked; leaking roofs and clogged gutters can lead to significant water damage.
- If your lake is prone to ice movement, take in dock and boat hoists. Remove hoist motor and electric line.
- Turn off outside pump breaker, hoist motor breaker, dock light breaker.
- If you are in the snow belt, store outdoor furniture, picnic tables and hammocks.
- Make sure your winter sports gear is ready to go. Snowmobile and ATV tuned up? Skis waxed? Where are those snowshoes?
Inside Duties
- Ensure that the power and water are in the proper mode for vacancy.
- Set thermostat at the appropriate temperature for the region. If you heat your place in the winter, set the thermostat no lower than 55 degrees; if you keep the A/C on when you are gone, set it to 80 degrees.
- Clean furnace filter to maintain an efficient heating and cooling system and reduce the risk of fire.
- If you are shutting off the refrigerator, leave the door cracked open to prevent musty smells from developing.
- Unplug computers and major appliances to protect them from power surges and lightning strikes.
- Pull shades, or cover furniture to keep it from being bleached by the sun.
- Put mothballs or dryer sheets near linens.
- Restock and store first-aid kit.
- Take out all perishable foods; store those that remain in air-tight/critter-tight containers. If you don’t heat the cabin in winter, carry out canned goods so they don’t freeze.
- Turn off dehumidifier and water heater.
- Close damper for fireplace. Seal box to prevent critters from entering cabin.
- If you don’t heat in winter, drain the pipes by attaching a hose to the lowest point in the plumbing, then blow out all water with an air compressor.
- Winterize washing machine; kitchen appliances.
Perma-Chink was designed to eliminate the undesirable results often obtained by using older less successful methods of wood slabs, mud, and cement types of chinking, as basically they did not work well over the long haul. So it became a constant worry or job to re-chink or repair the failing products. Most of the products used did not have any degree of flexibility or they did not adhere to wood that well. The results were cracking cement caused by the stress of the logs shifting or shrinking. The resulting failure often allowed separation between the chinking and the log surface allowing water intrusion, and possibly early wood decay.
So as for a particular type of home, yes Perma-Chink is designed for any home that incorporates a specific joint design where it could be employed. For example; the large timber square logs that use a dovetail system as seen throughout the Eastern United States, as well as the large handcrafted round logs from the Western part of the United States. These homes were designed to be chinked from the start.
I think it’s important to interject another fact regarding log homes. Not only has the formulations of Perma-Chink changed over the years, so has the entire log home industry. Many people think log homes are still being cut by someone with a pickup truck and a chainsaw, working from a drawing on piece of cardboard. Today’s log home are engineered structures designed and approved by architects and require approval by various build codes in given areas. They are high-quality structures designed and manufactured by professionals using computer programmed tools and equipment to create structures that are built to stringent specifications. These homes are designed to require less maintenance, last longer and to provide a sound investment for your money. They are not just log cabins anymore, they are log homes.
How has log home chinking changed over the past few decades?
Perma-Chink was the first synthetic chinking produced in 1981, there have been many significant changes made in formulations to improve the adhesion, flexibility, and longevity. Early formulations were lacking in elongation and freeze-thaw stability which resulted in performance issues and storage and application concerns. Today’s Perma-Chink offers excellent qualities in all areas to meet the needs of the industry. Application can be accomplished in a much wider range of temperature extremes with little or no worries about product performance. There have also been additions to the color palette of the products keep up with the homeowner’s desire to mix and match shades and hues of today’s finishes.
Who can apply log chinking properly? A DIYer or a Pro?
Basically anyone can apply Perma-Chink properly if they follow instructions. Some homeowners attend workshops or seminars to learn how to apply Perma-Chink, if they decide to DIY. But in today’s busy environments, some homeowners choose to use the services of trained contractors as the design of their dream home may require the use of specialized equipment such as lifts or scaffolding, and a trained contractor can usually shorten the time required to accomplish the job. Therefore the homeowner can tend to the other necessities involved to get moved in, and sometimes there are just not enough hours in the day for the homeowner to do this.
Visit our Find A Contractor tool to find a professional log home chinking contractor near you.
If you’re looking for some ideas this Thankgiving to partner with your baked, smoked, or deep-fried turkey (I’ve done all three and prefer smoked), we’ve compiled a list of recipes that you might find new and interesting to serve this year.
Side Dishes
Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Not everyone’s favorite, but for those that love Brussels sprouts, this is a winner.
Click here for the recipe from AllRecipes.com
Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes
Click here for the recipe from AllRecipes.com
Succotash
The list of ingredients for this Southern succotash recipe – including fresh corn, tomatoes, lima beans, and okra – are practically synonymous with summer (something we’re thankful for). And the combination of these five complementary flavors is only heightened with the additions of crumbled bacon and fresh basil.
Click here for recipe from Southern Living
Individual Sweet Potato Casserole
This recipe has all the flavors of the Thanksgiving classic, just in smaller form. Honey, I shrunk the sweet potato casserole! Mini marshmallows ensure you get lots of charred edges, which are pretty much the best part of sweet potato casserole anyhow. For ease, you can assemble the ramekins on a baking sheet when toasting the marshmallows.
Click here for recipe from Food Network
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon
Bacon makes everything better, doesn’t it? A new addition to the sides could be this delicious dish.
Click here for recipe from Food Network
Awesome Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffing
This Thanksgiving apple sausage stuffing is fantastic! It is very flavorful and fresh-tasting. This recipe will stuff a 10-pound turkey (which serves six) plus extra. I replaced the usual pork sausage with much healthier turkey sausage. Other dried fruits may also be used in place of cranberries.
Click here for recipe from All Recipes
Desserts
Mini Apple Pies
For me, one apple pie is mini… I think I could eat two or three apple pies. But, if you want to pace yourself this holiday, these bite-sized treats will be a winner!
Click here for recipe from The Pioneer Woman
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Dark chocolate chips take this traditional Thanksgiving pie to a whole new level of fudgy. Even pecan pie skeptics will love it!
Click here for recipe from The Pioneer Woman
Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies
These cookies are fantastic for Fall! Shortbread and maple together make this cookie a sweet treat and a great alternative for those who aren’t a fan of pumpkin pie.
Click here for recipe from Taste of Home
Drinks
Cranberry Fizz (non-alcoholic)
We serve a version of this at our holiday gatherings and there’s never enough!
Click here for recipe from Taste of Home
Bourbon Slush
A drink customizable with your favorite tea.
Click here for the recipe on TasteofHome.com
Spiced Bourbon with Red Wine
Liven up the party with a creative cocktail.
Click here for recipe from Food Network
Pear Aperol Spritz Cocktail
An Aperol Spritz with an autumn twist is basically the cocktail equivalent of a puffy vest: It’s the perfect transition piece from summer to fall.
Beauty is a Duty.
Your log home manufacturer built you a beautiful home. Now it is your duty to finish it with the best log home products to highlight and preserve that beauty. Let Perma-Chink Systems offer you the world-class stain and finish brand: Lifeline Ultra.
Simply Unmatched.
The benefits of Lifeline Ultra are endless, but here are some points that differentiate the Lifeline brand from others.
Not just Beautiful, but also Durable!
In addition to building a strong home, you want to build a beautiful home, too, which is why the finished appearance of your logs is so important. No doubt that high-quality finishes will save you time and money in the long run. Longer lasting finishes equates to less labor expense over the life of the finish.
Top 5 Benefits of The Lifeline Ultra brand:
1. Unsurpassed Adhesion to Wood
The secret behind its durability is Lifeline’s state-of-the-art resin that creates a flexible and tough seal on your home’s logs. Perhaps more importantly than the seal’s strength, the resin ensures a continuous seal, providing protection from holes and gaps that might otherwise develop with an inferior finish.
2. More Resistant to UV Degradation and Color Fading
The transparent iron oxides protect your logs without resulting in a “painted” look that hides the natural texture and beauty of the wood grain. Plus, these pigments provide superior UV protection, blocking the fading and bleaching effects of the sun for a much longer period of time.
3. Water-Resistant and Breathable
All Lifeline finishes form water-resistant film that breathes just like Gore-Tex® to allow trapped moisture to evaporate while protecting the wood.
4. 5-Year Warranty
We are so confident in the performance of Ultra-7 and Ultra-2 that it comes with a 5-year warranty against UV exposure when applied to bare wood and covered with an initial coat of Advance clear topcoat.
5. Meets and Exceeds all Standards for low-VOC
Water-based finishes lack the chemicals in oil-based finishes that are harmful to the environment and difficult to clean up.
UNLIMITED COLOR CHOICES
I think we have already convinced you that Lifeline Ultra brand is the best there is in the industry for any wood home. Now here is the icing on the cake – you can choose any color your heart desires!
Choose from any colors below or send us your desired color chip. Then let us know what base you want the color to be in – Lifeline Ultra-7, Lifeline Ultra-2, Lifeline Accents or Lifeline Exterior.
If you’re looking for a different color than what we offer, we will make a custom stain color for you the same day. Don’t wait, call us today for your custom color at 1-800-548-3554.
Just A Sample Of Available Colors
Most people are accustomed to spring cleaning, but if you are a home owner, you know that your house needs attention year-round. Fall maintenance is much like spring house-cleaning, but more preventative and less “cleaning.” And it’s much easier to do it now rather than wait until the weather turns nasty.
From The Top
Fall means leaves—and plenty of them. You will certainly need to clean out your gutters. A word of caution: most of the automatic guard systems only screen out large leaves while allowing gunk and small sediment to accumulate. You still will have to routinely clean the nasty rotting gunk out of your gutters! So an alternative is to have your roofer regularly come and clean your gutters every fall. You should make sure that the drainage area around the downspout is functioning properly as well. The roof area should also be checked for any leaks around the flashing at the chimney and around the vents for the heating or sewer system.
While inspecting the roof area it’s important to check for any holes or access spots where squirrels, raccoons, or bats can enter your home and make themselves a vacation home for the winter. Clear away all debris from around the foundation of the house.
Caulking around all exterior areas is a must. You probably won’t find but a few areas where the caulk needs replacing, and it’s not a big job to replace old caulking with a fresh bead where needed. Weather stripping also should be examined and replaced if you find any that is curled or coming loose. Neither the caulking nor weather stripping replacement is a heavy job. It just takes some care and close examination. This can usually be done in a day for a moderate-sized home.
A Quick Scrub
Your exterior walls should get a good cleaning. In addition to making your home look great, a wash-down with Log Wash will get rid of the dust, dirt, and grime. Freezing weather is especially hard on log exteriors and a little bit of upkeep now may prevent costly repairs next spring.
Once your walls are clean, go around your home looking for signs of worn stain and failing sealant. If the stain looks faded or dingily, you should consider applying another coat of Lifeline stain and Lifeline Advance topcoat. Don’t forget the topcoat is an integral part of the system and will help protect your home and extend the life of your stain.
Seal Up New Checks
While you are at it look for any new checks that may have opened up, especially on the top half of round logs where water can enter. Our Check Mate 2 comes in a variety of colors and is the perfect solution for closing up those potentially damaging checks.
Properly sealed joints and gaps go a long way in preventing cold drafts during the winter months. In these days of rapidly rising fuel prices it is important to keep cold air from entering your home. Energy Seal is specifically designed for this purpose. Pay special attention to places where wood meets masonry. Reseal with Energy Seal. In addition to saving you money on heating bills, it will help to keep your home warm and comfortable.
Firewood Storage
Many log home owners have fireplaces or wood stoves that they use to create an attractive atmosphere or as a source of heat. Typically fall is the time of year that most people build their inventory of firewood to carry them through the winter. Here are a few things to keep in mind when storing firewood: Never store firewood on your porch or deck or next to your home. One thing is for certain, along with the firewood comes a whole community of insect pests. Although some like wood roaches, pill bugs, centipedes and ground beetles are harmless, infestations of wood boring beetles, termites, and frequently carpenter ants, can start from stored firewood piles.
Store your firewood at least two feet away from the side of your home and keep it off of the ground. This helps keep the firewood dry and allows air to circulate throughout the wood pile. When you bring firewood inside, only bring in as much as you plan to burn in a day. Firewood stored by the fireplace may look attractive but once the logs warm up and the bugs start to emerge, you may think otherwise.
Preparing your home for winter in the fall can make life so much easier for you in the cold, dark winter weeks ahead. You’ll rest easier knowing that you won’t have to fight the elements when the inevitable emergency or problem crops up, as it always does. You can sit back in front of your fireplace with your family and enjoy those cold months secure in your well-protected home!
Log homes and autumn leaves seem to go together. Enjoy the season and don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-800-548-3554 or by email at techservice@permachink.com if you have any questions about maintaining your log home.
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.
The dwell time also needs to extend to the wall surfaces to allow the product to clean and brighten the wood as best it can. Now, not all stains are easily removed, and it may require a bit of old-fashioned elbow grease with a stiff bristle brush to get at the stubborn stains. Try not to allow the product to dry on the surfaces as this will make it a bit more difficult to rinse away.
The best recommendations are to follow the label directions as to mixing and application, and there is no need to pre-wet the surface prior to application.
Application of Wood ReNew
Step 1: Use Wood ReNew to remove grayed surface wood.
Step 2: Only measure out enough Wood ReNew to add to a few gallons of water (0.8 cups per gallon) at a time. You need to use whatever you mix up within 1 to 2 hours.
Step 3: Pour the Wood ReNew into a pail that contains the water. Do not mix Wood ReNew in a sprayer.
Step 4: Mix the Wood ReNew with the water using a paint mixer and an electric drill.
Step 5: Stir for about five minutes or until no undissolved granules are visible. Allow the solution to thicken for 10 minutes before using.
Step 6: Apply the Wood ReNew solution to the wall with a mop, broom, or car wash brush. Start at the bottom of the wall and work up. Allow the solution to remain on the wall for 10 minutes.
Step 7: Pressure wash starting at the bottom of the wall. Work on 2 or 3 courses of logs at a time. Hold the wand at a 30 to 45 degree angle to avoid feathering the wood.
Step 8: Once the entire wall is pressure washed, rinse the wall starting at the top and work down. At this stage water volume is more important than pressure.
Step 9: Never judge the effectiveness of Wood ReNew or any other cleaner while the wood is still wet.
Step 10: Once the wood dries, many of the dark discolorations will disappear. This is the same wall that appears in the previous step after drying for three hours.
Should any questions arise please contact one of our product specialist via our toll-free number (1-800-548-3554) or visit our website at www.permachink.com and we will be happy to help you.
Many people are under the impression that the winter months are hard on their logs and finishes. To some extent that’s true. In cold climates where the exterior log surfaces may be covered with ice and snow for several months can be damaging if the logs aren’t properly finished. But even then, the most damaging effects of weather on wood and coatings actually occur during the hot summer months. Once homeowners understand the main causes of surface weathering, the better equipped they will be in choosing the right products to protect the home from weathering.
Understanding The Causes of Weathering
One component of sunlight is ultraviolet light, commonly referred to as UV light, or UV rays. UV light is responsible for most damage to exposed wood because it changes or destroys the wood’s lignin, a component of wood that hardens and strengthens the cell walls. In more scientific terms, this process is called photo-oxidation.
Lifeline™ finish systems help retard this photo-oxidation process through three distinct mechanisms: reflection, absorption, and chemical reaction. Our Advance Gloss and Advance Satin topcoats help reflect the sun’s rays, thus reducing the amount of UV light hitting the color coats and the underlying wood.
Glossy surfaces are better reflectors than dull surfaces, which is why our Advance Gloss provides a bit more protection than Advance Satin. However, an accumulation of dirt on the finish will significantly reduce the reflective properties of the topcoat, one reason why a home should be routinely cleaned with Log Wash™. Advance topcoats also help protect the color coats and wood from the abrading effects of wind, rain, ice, and snow.
The profile of the logs has a significant impact on the weathering characteristics of a wall. The effect of sunlight and the weather on round logs is altogether different than on square logs or flat, vertical siding.
ROUND LOGS
The top third of a round log is subjected to much more intense weathering than the bottom third. In cold weather climates snow and ice can accumulate on the upper third while the bottom third remains somewhat protected. Upward facing checks that have formed in the top section of the log will funnel rainwater directly into the interior of the log where it can soak into the surrounding wood. But most damaging of all is the angle of the top third of a round log towards the sun. The top third of round logs catches many times more UV light than the bottom third. Besides exposing the wood to more UV exposure, the UV inhibitors in the upper third may become used up, whereas in the lower third they may still be active. Over time this can result in a noticeable difference in color and signs of weathering between the upper and lower sections of the logs. Providing some maintenance to the upper sections of round logs without creating lap marks or color differences can be accomplished, but it may be a bit of a challenge. The key is to do the maintenance before the wood becomes gray due to photo-oxidation.
SQUARED LOGS
Squared logs and vertical flat siding are easier to maintain since the sun hits the logs at the same angle, and the UV light is evenly distributed over the entire surface. In addition, the flat vertical surfaces cannot accumulate snow and ice and even upward facing checks are not as prone to rainwater entering the logs. Although squared logs are subject to the same weathering parameters as round logs, and since the weathering is mostly uniform over the entire exposed surface, maintenance is easier to accomplish without worrying about lap marks and color differentiation.
LOG SIDING
Round log siding probably presents the greatest challenge to forestalling the effects of weathering. Typically used in high exposure locations such as dormers and gable ends, in addition to suffering the same weathering characteristics as round logs, log siding has some features which makes it even more difficult to protect from the effects of the weather. Siding is often manufactured from lower quality wood than logs, frequently using green wood. This makes it more susceptible to twisting, warping and cracking. Since siding does not have the high thermal mass of full logs, during the summer months their temperature can range from 80ºF to 160ºF – or higher – during the course of one day. This puts a lot of mechanical stress on both the siding and its finish system resulting in small fissures forming on the surface. Rainwater can then enter these fissures and get behind the finish.
FISSURING OF LOG SIDING
Round log siding is typically milled quite smooth. The extreme smoothness presents a challenge applying the proper thickness of pigmented film necessary for adequate protection of the underlying wood. Smooth log siding should be coarse sanded or pressure washed using Wood ReNew™ before the application of the pigmented stain.
Protect From Weathering
There are two basic ways to combat the effects of weathering. The most effective method is to keep log walls and siding in the shade by extending roof overhangs or constructing roofed porches around the home. In conjunction with using a high quality finish system like Lifeline™ Ultra-7 and Advance Topcoat, this will be the most effective measure to prevent excessive weathering. If unable to protect by structural shade, the next best way is to apply the best finish system – Lifeline™ Ultra-7 and Advance Topcoat. But the overall performance of even the best finish system is dependent upon proper surface preparation and application technique. Avoiding the use of chlorine bleach will preserve the wood and finish, and back-brushing all coats of finish to assure adequate film thickness is crucial for long-term protection of the wood.
Log home living is a tradition that never loses its charm, the warmth of its country ambiance unmatched. And with all the modern innovation, this cozy way of life is more comfortable than ever.
Just about the only drawback has been maintaining its exterior. Log home owners dread with a passion the mighty job of refinishing that inevitably must be done to preserve the beautiful look of their natural logs. But you have come to the right place. There are plenty of reasons you’ll never have to give it a second thought again.
Wood Surface Preparation Methods
Traditionally, we dread using any kind of chemical strippers to soften the surface due to the environmental impact. Since chemical strippers only soften an existing finish, they must be used along with a pressure washer to actually remove the finish from the wall. We offer two types of environmentally-friendly wood finish removers that specifically designed for log homes: S-100 and StripIt. Both products are water-based solvents that remove most oil, water-based stains and topcoats. They contain no-harsh chemicals, are bio-degradable and non-flammable, and unlike caustic strippers will not discolor the wood. As opposed to media blasting, chemical stripping is much more user-friendly since all it takes is a general purpose pressure washer.
Check out this video on chemical stripping the finish
Round logs are a pain to sand with a flat belt. Getting to every corner and crevice takes hours, and the dust is not so great on our lungs in the meantime. Well, now you can file all those inconveniences under ancient memory. It might sound crazy at first, but the latest and greatest dry method around is blasting that aging, discolored finish off with new age glass media. Glass media is lighter than sand, so while it strikes your home with necessary force, it has less weight – this allows it to remove the stain without harming the wood. There is also no risk of blowing water into your house because the media is dry, and you can re-stain immediately.
Check out this video on media blasting the finish.
Of course, you can hire someone to do it for you. If you prefer, call us and we can find you a contractor near you, or visit https://www.permachink.com/contractors/ for a list of contractors in your area.
Either way, you can rest assured you are making the right decision for the environment, your home, your budget and your family.
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.
Color Choices
On occasion, our team is asked “What color should I choose?” While it’s up to you as the log home owner, our color selection is unmatched and we can give recommendations. Then owners have the follow-up question: “What color of log home sealant goes with this?” There are so many different combinations possible, it’s hard for us to answer for the owners.
The first decision to make is the choice between wanting a contrasting sealant to the stain or a blending or matching the sealant to the log stain. Our photo galleries reflect the many different combinations of stains and sealant, and, in the humble opinion of this author, all of them look fantastic on log homes.
Samples of Contrasting and Blended Colors
It tends to be personal preference how the home looks at the end of the day. Perma-Chink Systems’ photo galleries offer great visualizations of the possible combinations, both contrasting and blending. Our staff is more than willing to help you find that perfect combination, and we offer free color samples to make sure you like the color.
Being green isn’t being the color green – although we make a family of bold colors like this green finish in the picture above. Our standard and custom colors aside, being “green” is how our products are produced to be safe for the environment.
We know that in today’s environment being “green” is considered an important factor in the decision process of many of our customers. Being “green” – environmentally friendly – is one reason why log homes are so popular. But what about the finishes used on log homes, can they be “green” as well? The answer depends on the criteria used to define “green.”
For example, there are several manufacturers of oil-based finishes that claim their products are “green” since they contain linseed or soybean oil which are considered renewable resources. What they don’t say is that their products also contain large amounts of petroleum-based solvents and the only way to clean-up these products is to use turpentine or mineral spirits, products that fall under regulated disposal requirements due to their toxicity and high, negative environmental impact.
One standard for being “green” is the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOC) contained in a product. Both state and federal agencies regulate the amount of allowable VOCs contained in coatings, since VOCs have been implicated in both depletion of the ozone layer and global warming. These regulations have had a serious impact on oil-based products forcing manufactures to reduce solvent content by adding fillers and other solids with a subsequent reduction in attractiveness and performance.
All of Perma-Chink Systems’ LIFELINE-brand stains are water-based products that contain no petroleum distillates and comply with all state and federal regulations for contained volatile organic compounds (VOC). Ever since our inception in 1981, we at Perma-Chink Systems, Inc. have always tried to formulate our products to have the least impact on our environment. In addition, we’ve targeted healthy living areas with our specifically-formulated interior finishes by meeting the highest interior air quality standards. Through our testing, we’ve found that solvent or petroleum based finishes don’t perform as well in exposure testing compared to our water-based LIFELINE finishes. In case you doubt testing, here are some real customer testimonials:
I have been very impressed with how well your product has preserved my home for nearly three decades. – Greg D.
Very pleased with Perma-Chink products. They are easy to use and they brightened up our 35-year old cabin with a warmth of color, couldn’t be happier! – Valerie K.
I am a ticketed carpenter and a ticketed log builder. I believe that if you build with wood you must protect it. I believe that Perma-Chink provides you with the best line of products to do so. They are environmentally friendly and if you apply them as they recommend then they will perform as you expect them to. I use only Perma-Chink products and I recommend you do so as well! – Dave B.
Our stains and sealants are recognized by environmental organizations as being truly “green” since they have minimum impact on the ecosystem. And since clean-up requires only soap and water, they do not contribute any toxicants or pollutants to our surroundings.
It’s a sad fact that being “green” has become a meaningless term used by companies’ marketing departments to help promote and sell their products. We are proud to say that our technical staff will continue to produce and develop superior products that do not damage our environment and have no adverse health effects on either the people applying our products or individuals who live in log homes stained or sealed with materials supplied by Perma-Chink Systems, Inc.
In fact, our chemists evaluate all the components that go into our products to ensure they are the safest for our employees, product applicators, the homeowner, and the environment. Our sealants are completely free of petroleum distillates which has improved the sealant’s performance as well as made it safer for people and the environment.
This Custom Luxury Timber Home Is Draped In Perma-Chink Systems Ultra-7 And Advance Satin
This extraordinary custom timber frame home was designed by Jan Donelson with Timberland Design and Hearthstone Homes, in TN. Hearthstone Homes feature an unmatched ability to create any imaginable style of custom, luxury, handcrafted Heavy-Timber or Log-Based Home. Timber framing is a noble type of construction that utilizes exacting variations of mortise-and-tenon type joinery and massive timbers to form the framework of a building. Note Hearthstone’s signature ‘antique weathered’ texturing on the Doug Fir Timbers
Log Home Care crew did the staining and energy seal application in 2018.
Picture Gallery
“Thompson Thrift Construction has been a national residential and commercial builder since 1986 with over 500 employees operating in 21 states. Being asked to complete the interior and exterior stain application on the owner’s personal new build residence was an honor. This client set high standards for every facet of the planning and execution of the build process, including the finish work, and after extensive product testing Perma-Chink Systems LIFELINE Ultra-7 Smoke and LIFELINE Advance Satin were selected for the project. The surfaces were treated with Log Wash, and some areas with Wood ReNew, and the stain/topcoat applied as specified by the manufacturer. The results are stunning.”
Wayne Bell, Owner Log Home Care, www.LogHomeCareOnline.com
For more images of this home visit:https://hearthstonehomes.com/photo_gallery/paris-il-timber-frame/
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.
Defining a New Industry Standard
The product we were designing was to be a replacement for what was known in the Log Home Industry as chinking – the sealant that historically provided the seal between the logs. A “chink” is a gap – as in Biblical Times, “A chink in his armor’. Therefore, chinking is a material to fill a gap. Throughout the centuries of constructing dwellings out of logs, a number of methods were used to seal in between them. Early builders used pretty much anything they could get their hands on – mud, straw and mud, cow manure, mixtures of cement and mortar, and a method I discovered in Russia that was a particular type of moss that, when pounded into the gap, excreted a compound that delayed wood rot.
During our investigation we determined that in order to be a true solution the sealant must meet most important requirements.
- It had to be textured to look like authentic mortar chinking.
- It had to ‘look like it belonged there’.
- It had to be able to expand and contract in order to follow perpetual log movement.
As logs dry out in the summer, they shrink in diameter – in the winter and rainy months they absorb moisture and swell, increasing in diameter.
- The sealant had to adhere tightly to the logs and form a continuous watertight seal that would not separate from the wood.
- It had to be easy to apply – in some cases, gaps up to 4 and 5 inches, and not slump or wash out.
- And most importantly, it had to LAST for decades.
Common caulking materials were quickly ruled out. Everyone has seen thin caulking beads applied to exterior trim that inevitably separate, peel off, flake, crack, and ultimately fail.
No ‘caulk’ could adhere to the wood well enough, could not be applied to the thickness and height required without slumping and running out of the joint, and all caulks had that smooth, artificial look that frankly, of course, looked like caulk! It’s okay for around the tub or sink, but not for my log home, thank you.
Creating the Industry Standard
So, after months of experimentation and learning a tremendous amount of the chemistry of what are called polymers (the chemical building blocks of literally everything that we commonly call paint, plastic, vinyl, glue, etc.), we designed a unique sealant that met all of the most important requirements.
During the design phase we located an innovative small company south of Seattle that manufactured a synthetic stucco. They had experience and machinery that helped us scale up lab designs to large-scale production. We began selling early product in 1981, and the first house we did was in Sun Valley, Idaho – in the middle of winter.
Soon after we had a saleable product that met every design requirement, I did a little market research and discovered that the larger part of the national market for log homes was in the eastern part of the United States, and in particular, the southeast. I also discovered that of the numerous styles of log homes, the three largest manufactures of ‘Dovetail’ log homes were within 100 miles of Knoxville, Tennessee. I liked the Dovetail design because the nature of the structure, and the way the logs are stacked resulted in a chinking gap of up to 4 inches! In some cases, almost 25% of the wall area was chinking!
So, we set up a manufacturing plant in Knoxville, Tennessee. Timing was right because as soon as log home owners and log home manufacturers discovered that we could finally provide a dramatic solution to one of the most significant and perplexing aspects of a log home – the business grew rapidly.
Winning the Manufacturers
Early adopters such as Hearthstone, Honest Abe, Stone Mill, and Appalachian Log Homes helped pave the way for essentially all others to follow. As a matter of fact, one of the earliest applications for any manufacturer was Appalachian. Turns out they had a contract with the US Forest Service to build an outhouse. The location was remote, and the house needed to be completely assembled and transported via helicopter. Obviously, mortar chinking could not withstand that type of stress, so they tried Perma-Chink. That outhouse is still standing today and is weather tight – some applications simply CANNOT fail!
The development of synthetic chinking solved one of the most serious and vexing aspects of the Log Home Industry. The chinking formulation is unique and not simply ‘caulk with sand in it’ as others have offered.
Rick Denton, Honest Abe Log Homes President Emeritus said, “Perhaps the invention of Perma-Chink kept Honest Abe in business, as well as every other log home company using a chinked product line.” Read his story here https://www.honestabe.com/blog/perma-chink/.
What started out as an idea has revolutionized the entire industry. Worldwide, every log structure uses synthetic chinking, and the largest supplier of the most authentic and highest-performance log home chinking is Perma-Chink.
Expanding the Preservation of Log Homes
The next vexing challenge was with log home stains and finishes. Every log home owner wants a log home that looks like an outdoor piece of furniture. One that blends in with the rustic back to nature look and feel of the surroundings. No one would consider painting a log house. That would be like painting a beautiful hand rubbed antique! Log home owners tend to start down the following path after stains start failing: That beautiful stain we applied only lasted a year or maybe two and after two recoats, we may as well paint it. Why can’t someone develop a stain that looks like a furniture grade finish and LASTS?
We began to have literally thousands of people say, ‘You solved my sealant dilemma – now do you have a solution to the stain and finish dilemma?’ So challenge number two was tackled.
Creating the Best Log Home Stains
We used the knowledge and expertise we developed in formulating Perma-Chink Chinking (remember the polymers?) to design the longest lasting semi- transparent stain in the Industry. The formulation is also unique, provides that ‘furniture grade’ appearance, and outlasts any exterior stain on the market. Also, with a Clear Coat (which Perma-Chink Systems also introduced), when the finish is finally starting to “wear” out, all that is needed is a cleaning and application of an additional clear coat. That eliminates the tint buildup and subsequent hiding of the wood and completely eliminates the phrase ‘After two re-coats, I may just as well paint it.’
I personally require hands-on experience with every product Perma-Chink Systems offers. We are dedicated to providing the best products available for the care and maintenance of Log and Timber Frame Homes. As history has shown, and something we take pride in, is ‘Whenever a log home owner becomes aware of a concern, whether it be sealing, staining, or preservation or maintenance, we already have a solution.’
Take a Look At Total Cost
An interesting story – I recently had a heating problem with my log house in Colorado. The bill to repair the system included a small starting capacitor in one of the air handlers. The bill for the part was $6.25 and the bill for the labor was $220! So why would I try save sixty cents on the capacitor when the cost by far was in the labor to replace it? Same is true with a log home stain. By far the largest cost is in application and labor, so it pays to use the best product available. Cheaper stain is a cheap solution that sets you up for a repeat in a year or two, and in the meantime your exterior looks like crap! Pay the extra sixty cents and buy yourself some peace of mind.
By choosing our high-performance finish like Lifeline™ Ultra-7, you are ensuring that the finish will look as beautiful years after application as it did the second day it was applied thanks to a balanced formula of transparent iron oxides, mildew inhibitors and an advanced polymer resin.
Our Success is From Working With Great Customers, Industry-leading Partners, and Fantastic Employees
I am humbled that Perma-Chink Systems has become a ‘household’ name in the log home industry and is recognized for highest of quality. Our products grace the log houses of such noted Americans as former President Jimmy Carter, clothing designer Ralph Lauren, movie stars Tom Cruise, Olympic champion figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, Nascar champion Dale Earnhardt (read the story here) and thousands of great American home owners.
I am proud of my company, of my employees and our customers. Beginning with our 40th Anniversary, Perma-Chink Systems’ new slogan is “Simply Unmatched”.
By being engaged in best quality products and the best customer service, we will attain our goals and make great strides towards meeting our customers’ expectations for years to come. We raise a toast to the next 40 years of great products, service, and customers of Perma-Chink Systems.
Rich Dunstan, President Perma-Chink Systems, Inc.