The Color of Check Mate 2

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

Contractor: Ferrari Structures & Woodworks

This historic home in Chesapeake, Ohio, has quite a story. Local tradition says it was built by Jacob Suiter, a stout Pennsylvania Dutch settler, who hand-hewed the white oak logs on site and joined them with wooden pegs. The Ohio Historic Inventory (1976) records the date as 1824, though other sources suggest it may have been built as early as 1805–1825. That makes it the oldest known house in Chesapeake.

The main structure is a two-story, roughly 28′ x 35′, set on a 5′ crawl space/cellar. It originally featured half-dovetail log corners (a hallmark of German-influenced builders), with horsehair chinking later patched in with cement. A family room addition and enclosed front porch were built after 1925, using sandstone quarried right on the property. The upper gables were originally hand-split cedar shakes, which the client asked us to update with cedar shakes vinyl siding for easier upkeep.

In restoring the home, we removed layers of cement that had been applied over the logs and carefully assessed the structure. Twenty-one logs had to be replaced — all with white oak salvaged from a deconstructed 1815 structure in Wheeling, WV. These reclaimed logs were in excellent condition, and it was exciting to bring 200-year-old timbers back into service. We removed the paint on the logs, repaired and replaced chinking throughout, replaced the old fascia and window trim with rough-sawn hemlock and corrected a long-standing gap between the chimney and the house. The roof framing showed sawn rafters rather than rounded poles, which was an interesting detail.

For finishing, we used Perma-Chink Systems products: Log Wash, Ultra-7 in Gentry Gray, Lifeline Advanced Gloss Clear Coat, Stone-colored Perma-Chink log chinking and Chink Paint, and Dark Natural Energy Seal (which blends more naturally into the logs).

It’s been an honor to help preserve this remarkable piece of history for the current owners, The Nelson’s. Many thanks to Wilderness Woods for supplying the reclaimed oak and hemlock materials and to Perma-Chink Systems for their fantastic Products. Here are informative links to the house with a pre-addition and pre-restoration photos: Oldest House in Chesapeake Ohio | Jacob Suiters House in Ohio

Perma-Chink Systems Products Used

• Log Wash
• Lifeline Ultra-7 – Gentry Gray
• Lifeline Advanced Gloss Clear Coat
• Perma-Chink – Stone
• Chink Paint – Stone
• Energy Seal – Dark Natural

Celebrating Log Home Excellence

Join us in celebrating the remarkable work and craftsmanship that define excellence in the log and timber home community.

Honoring Extraordinary Dedication

At Perma-Chink Systems, we recognize and honor the extraordinary dedication of those who preserve these iconic structures. Their work keeps the log home legacy alive, blending craftsmanship, innovation, and reverence for history.

Meet the 2026 Icon Project Award Winners

Icon Project Awards Honorable Mentions

Perma-Chink Systems, Inc. is proud to recognize the Honorable Mentions of the 2026 Icon Project Awards. These projects represent outstanding achievement in the care, restoration, and preservation of log and timber homes and wooden structures.

Submitting your Projects

All Perma-Chink Systems contractors are eligible for this award. To be considered for the 2027 Icon Project Award, we invite you to Submit Your Project and showcase the craftsmanship, dedication, and expertise behind your work.

This award celebrates projects that set the standard in care, restoration, and preservation. If you’ve completed a build or restoration you’re proud of, we want to see it.

Share your project with us and let your work inspire others in the industry. We’re looking forward to reviewing the outstanding projects that make this community exceptional.

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.