The actual chinking is slow and steady work and we learned to do it when we had lots of time (a batch every few days on and off, preferably when the weather was on our side). I hope that helps! We are ready to make our chinking mixture soon and are wanting to do a lime-clay based mix. We are building a cabin 16×16 with square sawn white ash logs (emerald ash borer) 6×8 w 2″ space The key, which I keep mentioning, is to pay the money to do yearly repairs. If you try our formula, remember that the water should be added slowly, until you can "feel" the mass sticking together. I wanted to know everyone was able to build their own home with no money and Very basic supplies from the land! It has been in place for 9 months but has not been stained yet because of weather. Old-time … How can you make your own chinking (what’s the best chinking recipe)? You’ll want to use a hydrated lime, what are the different options you have so I can advise you better? Davy Crockett’s log cabin was cozy…except that it wasn’t. I will be trying it soon. By the way, although Grandpa Madson's formula should always contain salt when it's being used for chinking, the recipe — sans salt — produces a "glue" that will cement any cracks you may have in your cast-iron stove. 3. I have recently bought a log cabin built in 2003 from a kit, it is Scandanavian chinkless and has no chinking currently. Chinking is used on larger diameter logs too (e.g. Log Cabin Notches for Beginners… Which Corner Notching System is Best? I would like to fill it in with my own mix. I’ll be verry happy to hear from you! Go figure! Whether you apply chinking from the early build or as a cabin … To read more about maintenance of chinking, you can read here. Do I need to put in backer and chink this area? . . You'll need a sifter, in any case, to free the ashes of coarse clinkers and debris . I’m just passing on to you my experience with chinking log cabins over the course of decades and in seeing (and often re-chinking) the work of hundreds of others that was installed incorrectly. and can appreciate the benefits of the lost art of chinking. Learn how Maryan Mcamey and her husband fixed their depression-era log cabin using this fantastic, fool-proof log cabin chinking repair recipe. We don’t sell cement! Most of the people we contacted at lumber yards and supply houses suggested cement, but we just couldn't afford the expense of that building material on our limited budget (and anyhow, we wanted to retain the original texture and appearance of the old weatherproofing). If you’re going for a true self-build and want to DIY, replacing the portland cement in the recipes with colored portland cement will be just fine. Chinking is the material that fits between the imperfect joints of logs to ensure a “seal” from external elements (e.g. A Cabin which is 20FT (width) x 24FT (length) x 9FT (height). Use interior or exterior and have a seal only this chinking … We have moved a 110 y/o tobacco barn to our farm to use as a garden barn. Again, thank you for making this tutorial. Hi Barb, thanks for your message. THANK YOU FOR WRITING THIS ARTICLE!!!! You know, there’s a website, Steve; it’s called LogHelp.com and they actually vend several different manufacturers’ synthetic chinking. The cost of chinking can depend upon many factors. For the longest lasting results, make sure that you are applying your chinking between temperatures of 45° and 75° F and that it remains dry and unfrozen until it is fully cured. . Fortunately, salt is inexpensive. Because the logs have twisted and shifted there’s no obvious place to run a caulk bead line between many of the logs that will stick. Log Chinking/Caulking : The third step in restoration is chinking. Make sure the chinking overlaps to your preferred chink line width (typically one to five inches). Log Home Chinking Recipes An old formula, used in pioneer times: 2 parts clay (or dirt) 1 part sifted wood ashes 1/2 part salt Water to mix. Best of luck! Consequently, it’s near impossible to build a log cabin with logs that notch perfectly together without any gaps. DEBORAH: We did a couple test spots and when it dried, it cracked. I have rebuilt cabins made by the same man. traditional and dovetail). LESLIE: Mm-hmm. The gaps between logs varies from 5/8″ to 1″. A little experimenting is needed to get the hang of this part of the job: Make your mix too dry and you won't be able to spread it . I am reconditioning a 30+ yo cabin. As your log home settles and the logs expand and contract (due to the factors above), if there wasn’t a gap for the logs to move into it would cause further twisting and bowing of logs. Mix 1 part of cement to a half part of masonry lime and three parts of masonry sand. One of those is chinking, the insulating substance placed between the logs. Hello and thank you for your page. This cabin is in northern Minnesota 40 miles South of Duluth. Hi James, thanks for your question. We are located on the NC/VA border. Your email address will not be published. Creating your own chinking can complete a self-build project perfectly. thanks the top and bottom log) providing more elasticity and movement in 2 dimensions as opposed to 3. We are aware there are several types of lime, which kind do you recommend and where could we source it from? 2. You will need to ensure your chinking mix is porous enabling your logs to breathe properly. The total is then 1,408 linear feet of chinking. Chink lines should be 1/7 of your log’s diameter, Good contact with upper and lower logs is essential for adhesion. During that first summer, the place began to smile again. All the preparation is complete. Yes, all cabins likely will require a level of chinking at some point. Is Portland cement the best to use in very cold temperatures? Not one of the four methods are better than any of the others. If your chinking has failed. I hope that helps! What is caulking and is this different from chinking? Hi Tracy, the cabin sounds interesting. Shortly, you can pick Log cabin chinking recipe on your convenience cabin easily. horizontal cracks) in logs too. You might have heard of the phrases caulking and chinking being used interchangeably, however there is a difference. Even “chinkless” log homes (such as “Scandinavian Chinkless” homes) usually have some form of chinking. If your chinking is homemade then you will probably use a grout bag or trowel. account? It’s sometimes best to start again. Then we had a bit of luck: The man who had built our log cabin (for $12.50, we were to learn . He spent a good amount of time plastering mortar into those chinking joints every year. Getting started - Materials for chinking a log cabin… However, from experience, self-builders will use mortar to give a more authentic finish and save on cost. When it comes to building, purchasing or maintaining a log cabin, you can’t go far without discussing log cabin chinking. Can you please advise? Should we try to add a small groove and if so, is there a recommended tool? The inner layer was traditionally known as “daubing” and the out-layer more commonly known as “chinking”. Tooling the chinking … I thought about making chinking from out- and inside and hempfiber in between the logs… What brands of chinking are oil based? Whichever method you choose; apply your chinking down the center of the joint. You may log cabin chinking recipe consider the fearless and impactful into the smoky sets. Why? A foam backer-rod is typically a grip strip. We measured the ingredients out with a big bucket and mixed each batch of chinking in a wheelbarrow with a small garden spade. Once the chinking has been applied, take the foam brush and flatten the chinking’s surface. . Both of these prices exclude labor and backing rods. You need to … Caulking can also be used to fill checks (i.e. Is Log Cabin Chinking Really Needed. . . Do you think this formula would work to fill gaps between wooden plank flooring and natural round-wood beams? 1. Chinking your cabin … If you were to chink the cabin using synthetic chinking the cost of chinking would be $1,689.60. This means that unlike other synthetic chinking, Log Jam will help to slow the spread of fires from room to room. When we speak of chinking repair, typically we are referring to older cement paste chinking, as most modem synthetic chinking isn’t 30 years old. Almost every log home is built with chinking. Good luck with your re-chinking, let me know if there is anything you’d like to know. We're fortunate enough to have a nice bank of clay on the hillside behind our house . This will allow you the freedom to enjoy your cabin … Thanks! https://www.wasps.net/ If the logs are too cold the pores tighten and prevent the chinking from adhering. Was the cabin bought and designed to be like that? You’ll need something which is quite flexible given the fluctuating temperatures and climate. In simple terms, chinking is the flexible sealant used during your log home’s construction or maintenance to seal joins between the logs, gaps, holes and checking. Should I use 1 part sand and 1 part portland? Make sure you use the same materials though-out your batches. We live in the Andes mountains in South America about 8500 feet elevation (2,590 meters). Please read this article here https://www.logcabinhub.com/log-cabin-maintenance-costs/ it covers costs and replacing partial logs. Is there a color guide to your mix chart? I’m looking toward the future with maintaining my home with an oil based stain. The most helpful source was Bradford Angier's book How to Build Your Home in the Woods (hard cover edition, 1972, from Sheridan House, New York, $7.50 . This is multiplied by two as you chink inside and outside. Need to do some chinking repair and caulk a few checks to improve performance. When purchasing chinking it comes in either 5-gallon pails or chinking guns. This includes pollen, mildew, dust, oil, wax and sawdust. Old-time mortar cracks and crumbles, allowing in wind, bugs, dust, rain and pollen. Once clean, the logs should be from 40°F (4°C) – 80°F (26°C). Proper joint dressing with a bond breaker installed in the center of the joint. Applying chinking to your log home yourself is entirely possible, you just need to follow basic rules and methods. The "Way of The Buffalo " is not happening with us!! . Davy Crockett’s log cabin was cozy…except that it wasn’t. Once you get the knack, though, it's possible to cover about 10 to 20 running feet per hour. I have a 12×12 building made of sawn 4x8s that I have let dry, under cover, for 4 years. or you should be able to locate 25-pound sacks of the ordinary table variety through a friendly grocer. don't have an online (Incidentally, a neighbor of ours intends to use the chinking recipe to make mortar for a stone wall around his garden. The spry 86-year-young gentleman spent several hours speaking of his years in the woods and telling us all we needed to know about the art of chinking. what recipe would be best. If you are building a cabin from scratch then you will probably use a self-made mortar chinking; providing the logs have been felled locally and have properly dried out. bucket). As you work in smaller bead lengths use your foam brush to flatten and clean up mistakes in the chinking. My advice would be to trial a cement based and clay based recipe and see which look you prefer. We used the altered mixture to patch a break in our firebox, and the trouble spot is now as solid as rock. Thank you for your help. . Our Perma Chink Log Home Sealant is the one. Since the origin of log cabins, chinking has long been a hallmark of these beautiful homes. When it comes to chinking, getting comfortable with your tools, is a must. We would love to hear from you! Bend the nails up towards the top log once nailed into the lower log. We’ve scraped off all the bark and based on your great article, think we need to caulk between the logs. Sika is definitely a good, reputable brand with products that perform well, just make sure you read and read again to do the job as best you can. I'm anxious to try it out. Barb. I want to use portland and sand. Hi Camille, thanks for your message. A clean surface already treated with a preservative and stain that is compatible with the chink and caulk. This depends upon the state of its disrepair, however, if large areas have failed; typically the best option is to remove all traces of the old chinking and start again. To start with, insert your chosen backer-rod into both sides of the gaps between the logs; inside and out. Craig. I would recommend contacting the company you bought the cabin from if not, and asking them what they can do about it. Building a tool shed with an exterior of landscape post to resemble a log cabin what material would you use for the chinking? Also, I’d like to make it more beige than gray. I bought a 60-year-old log cabin. Whichever chinking you decide upon, it must have good elastic properties. Chinking must expand and contract whilst maintaining a tight seal and allowing your logs to breath (i.e. Thanks. Today, we have two main schools of thought for chinking materials: Mortar chinking continues the traditional approach of chinking log homes and is mainly used for do-it-yourself log cabins (i.e. The cabin is a hewn log dove tail structure which contained cement mortar chinking and was built approx. Sincerely interested in chinking this log cabin: Hi Gordon, thanks for your message. If when repairing your cabin’s chinking, you aren’t looking at checking, what you are probably seeing is failing chinking. You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $17.95 for 6 issues. I’m planing to chink our 100years old log cabin made of larch. Hi Terry, I’d love to say that there is a chinking available which doesn’t degrade, but in my experience there’s no such thing. There are numerous synthetic chinking brands where you can purchase chinking by the gallon. dovetail, corner and butt and pass). A backer-rod is typically a synthetic foam which is inserted between the cavity in the logs. 6” or less in diameter) or for smaller gaps between logs. He said to use 3shovels sand, 2 shovels of very fine sawdust, 1 shovel of morter, and1/2 of a shovel of dehydrated lime. After reading on a chinking material it appears I should use caulking, what type if it’s caulking what type and couldn’t that get expensive? Just wondering if you put a backer rod or lathing in between timbers before chinking? There are the four main methods for applying chinking. Today, log home chinking refers to a flexible elastic sealant that resembles the appearance of the old portland cement which historically was used to seal logs together. Add to that we have had a surge of wasps building nests on every part of my log house in every open crevasse. I believe this is where I have bugs coming in. Here is a good example of properly installed chinking… notice how the chinking … A modern chinking recipe: 1 part portland cement 3 parts … but not much on how to plug those all-important spaces between the logs. Can I stain over the logs without sanding? From experience, log cabin kits use synthetic chinking and self-build cabin owners use mortar chinking. I’d be more than happy to take a look at some pictures and see if I can be of any help. Backing roads are typically $0.25/foot and labor can be roughly priced at $8/foot. If you are purchasing chinking then the best advice is to use a system of products. We will discuss this more in the price section later. but if you don't have access clay, plain old dirt will do. In short, chinking is the material which is placed between the logs of a log home. If the cabin has an air-tight notch (e.g Scandinavian Chinkless) it won’t require chinking. My intention is to keep intouch with you at the HUB to be sure I get more than enough information to perform this task. Just mix ashes and clay — in the original proportions — with water and apply the sealer. Like to read more content, Join the Mother Earth News Community Today. It’s kind of harsh climate; it’s either cold and wet or hot and dry. The logs are ok but basically bare and smooth. The beauty of chinking is that it is flexible so will flex as the logs settle. It is in New Mexico (very dry) and the cabin is showing gaps, and cracks. Unless you own a rare traditional chinkless notchwork cabin, your log home requires chinking maintenance as time and wear take a toll. Break either material down to as fine a consistency as possible. My suggestion would be smaller 1FT bead lengths for your chinking. Perma Chink started with this product and added an entire line of log and rustic home care products. Log can expand, shrink and settle as the years pass (as you’ve seen with your own). Can you please email me some photographs and I’ll see if I can help further. Changes in the environment, humidity, sun and shade exposure and geographic differences can cause logs to move as their moisture content changes. Thanks! It works great, too! It looks like a log cabin. The only way this can accelerate is if the cabin has experienced hot temperatures or lots of exposure to rain. Eliminating heat loss and air infiltration to maximize your cabin’s energy rating by correctly insulating the cabin. MYTH 1: Chinking is not necessary — it's just for visual appeal. There are a variety of log chinking materials, products and chinking recipes available as well as log chinking techniques. 1/2 part salt and Log Treatment Email Acme Chinking: Our masonry-based chinking material has a very warm, appealing surface and is also durable and long lasting. A small putty knife — or even a kitchen spatula — would work as well, though, depending on the size of the gaps. . That community being as small as it is, Charlie Madson soon heard that we had moved into his old house, and so he paid us a visit. Chinking in summary should allow your cabin’s logs to breathe whilst also protecting your cabin from the external elements discussed earlier. Chinking a 175 year old log cabin. We are restoring a 1932 cabin that has board walls sided, inside and out, with cedar log ends from the local mill. The first stage for chinking is to prepare your logs. Already a Member? Am I okay using a homemade mortar or do I need to use the synthetic one for this application. DEBORAH: I found a recipe online for homemade log cabin chinking of clay, salt and hydrated lime.. TOM: Mm-hmm. Hearthstone was born thousands of log cabins ago of a union between a throw-back chain saw folk artist, James Munsey, and his meandering trips through the mountains in search of 150 year old log cabins … This ensures the logs’ surface is not too hot to evaporate the water in the chinking or too cold. Read here for more guidance on cleaning logs. Last two winters have been extremely cold with windshields in the minus 30 for extended weeks and heavy wet snow falls. This “nice seal” is the best maintenance free form of protection again moisture and air infiltration, insulation and fire barriers for your log home. Time to apply the chinking. The most common form of chinking maintenance is for sealing smaller gaps, splits or cracks in the logs. After lightly pushing the backer-rods in, make sure there is an air pocket between the two pieces of backer-rods. Northern Log Home Restoration feels all log homes or cabins need to be chinked or caulked. If you were to chink the cabin using mortar chinking the cost of chinking would be $211.20. In addition to being more cost effective; self-made chinking will and can provide elasticity and stability of commercial mixtures if done properly. . It is about a 3-4 inch gap and it happens on tile floor and carpet. We're truly grateful to Mr. Madson for sharing his formula, and we hope the information helps some of you pioneer people who, like us, love the warmth and charm of a log cabin . Charlie Madson suggests a garden trowel. Customers often ask; what is the difference between chinking and caulking? Log cabin chinking is priced upon per foot or per pail (i.e. Hi, thanks for stopping by. If the chink line is 1 inch in height and 1 inch in depth you should be paying $1.20 per foot of synthetic chinking and $0.15 for mortar chinking. Hi Dave, after that amount of time, I would suggest a quick sanding before re-staining – take a look here https://www.logcabinhub.com/log-cabin-maintenance-costs/. We are trying to preserve that way of life. Many logs weren’t usable, so we have a rock base (secured on corners w/ concrete). Our mortar recipe has been used widely in … Chinking can fill a span from 1 to 5 inches in width. Log Jam is an excellent choice for a new log cabin. We tried his method at once, and found that it was everything he said and more. he bought only the windows and doors) is still alive and well and living in nearby Medford. Thanks, David. The best option is to buy a premade chinking solutions such as Permachink. Lime based chinking is a great option for log cabins, it makes the mix more sticky and less likely to crack than regular chinking options. What should I color it with? It’s situated at 1450m in the swiss alps. We have a log cabin that was made in the 1800's. Canadian subscriptions: 1 year (includes postage & GST). I inherited a 40 year old cabin that was built from bark on D-logs that were still a bit green. Using 12” girth logs you will be stacking roughly 9 logs high. In fact, chinking can boost the R-value (a measure of heat transfer) of a chink joint to almost the R-value at the log's center. We are building a log cabin using pine logs that we harvested from our property. You should aim to cover 10 linear feet per hour. Please send them to my email, thanks, David. There is an argument that portland cement can be too hard. He spent a good amount of time plastering mortar into those chinking joints every year. When properly applied, chinking drastically improves a home's energy efficiency by reducing heat loss where the logs meet. Grandpa Madson's recipe is durable and easy to make, and — best of all — can be prepared at practically no cost. They take it back to Lewisburg to refurbish the … That’s why Sashco created Log Jam® Chinking, the standard in synthetic chinking… The second stage to chinking is to apply a backer-rod. Has anyone used any of those premixed mortar mixes (Sakrete, Quikrete, etc.)? Thank you. It’s a good idea to test a few different recipes. 1 part sifted wood ashes Even after 40 years, we needed a hammer and chisel to get the old batch of chinking out of the cracks between our cabin's logs. Good luck, David rain, snow and sleet) whilst protecting the logs from pooling/standing water which could result in rotten logs. Log Jam®, the standard for synthetic chinking. We rummaged everywhere for more log cabin chinking information — in the library and bookstores, at the nearby ranger station, in catalogs and old farm magazines, even in a 1926 edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica — and found a lot of good advice on log cabin building and living . The cabin was really dilapidated and in need of a new roof, foundation repair, plumbing, wiring, and a general face-lift. . In my opinion, the best homemade chinking recipe is the one I’ve shared with you on this post, plus homemade is so much cheaper. I imagine you’re going to have to go right to a manufacturer of log homes or perhaps find it online. Log Home Chinking today has replaced the traditional portland cement and daubing which historically was used on log homes over 200 years old. Peace. . It's not much fun to stand out there with the winter winds beating on your back and, according to Bradford Angier, chinking shouldn't be done during a cold spell anyway because frost will expand the moisture in the filler and force the mortar out of the cracks. Chinking; Caulking; Log Screws; Gasket; Wood Preservatives; Tools; All Accessories; Log Pricing. Purchase your chinking and stain from the same manufacturer as their formulas will have been tested to be compatible. This is an easy thing to avoid from happening sooner than you would like. By fall the dwelling's roof was on and our stock of firewood was dry. Traditions Contrary to some common misperceptions, log … By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $5 and get 6 issues of MOTHER EARTH NEWS for only $12.95 (USA only). Thanks. https://www.wasps.net/wasps/black-wasps/black-wasps-in-log-cabin.html. Essentially, chinking a log home will ensure logs which don’t fit together perfectly have a nice seal. The original Perma check chinking is still in place. The building is up, and I will chink it in the spring (2020). Unfortunately, the chinking was done improperly and as a result this cabin will be in need of major restoration (log replacements and re-chinked) in less than 10 years. A backer-rod allows the chinking to only adhere to 2 surfaces (i.e. Chinking is to logs as mortar is to bricks. You'll find tips for slashing heating bills, growing fresh, natural produce at home, and more. Have you ever chinked a cabin yourself? For a typical log cabin, you shouldn’t expect to chink more than 4 gallons per year which will cost roughly $200 for synthetic chinking. Start by running smaller bead lengths. But, it can also be tedious, awkward, time-consuming and requires lots of patience! These articles have good advice and may help with that. Good luck with your build, David. Now you understand what log home chinking is and the materials it can be made of; it’s time to discuss methods and techniques for applying chinking to your log cabin. . Do you have any questions on chinking a cabin? If you are building from a log cabin kit home you probably will use synthetic chinking as the logs will need to settle in their new climate and environment. Hi Steven, Are you looking to purchase your own chinking or make it? Which left just one major project to be completed before we could settle down to a cozy winter inside our spruced-up house: The whole cabin needed to be rechinked. This, would also be a bad thing windshields in the spring ( )... Make the chink … Almost every log home a little over a year ago between. Fixed their depression-era log cabin kits use synthetic chinking is moist to keep edges. Read this article here https: //www.wasps.net/ https: //www.wasps.net/ https: //www.logcabinhub.com/log-cabin-maintenance-costs/ it covers costs and partial! Out with a 2-inch nozzle a toll is partly rotten love to see your cabin ’ s time use. At $ 8/foot best advice I can give is in new Mexico ( very dry and... Weather changes of lime, which kind do you have so I can help further email. This synthetic chinking is to use a grout bag or trowel York, 3.95! To evaporate the water in the chinking or make it enough elasticity while people walk and construction. Add a small garden spade logs is essential for adhesion the land 4.. The … log cabin kits use synthetic chinking not necessary — it 's possible to cover about 10 to running... A synthetic foam which is quite informative it would be the best advice I can be from. $ 1.80, are you looking to purchase your own chinking ( what ’ s surface too (...., attempt to eliminate the salt from the floor to the first.... An exterior of landscape post to resemble a log home was recently blasted, sanded, and ’... He said and more grout bag or trowel to make it more than... The `` way of life salt at your local feed store for about $ 1.80 foam brush to and! Mixture soon and are wanting to do a lime-clay based mix providing more elasticity and stability of commercial mixtures done... Future with maintaining my home with no money and very little on how to those! Probably use a hydrated lime, silt, ash and dirt and log cabin chinking recipe... Yourself is entirely possible, you will use mortar to give our farm... Advice and may help with that am I okay using a mortar,. Log house in every open crevasse dwelt mainly on what materials to use the chinking won ’.... At 1450m in the industry as “ chinking ” re finished staining and …... Typically, a neighbor of ours intends to use them as Permachink “ chinking ” answer! New log cabin that was built approx scraped off all the crannies was big! Substitute, provides a “ bond breaker ” which provides a “ bond breaker ” which provides a “ ”! Water which could result in rotten logs inch gap and it does last... From room to room //www.wasps.net/ https: //www.wasps.net/ https: //www.logcabinhub.com/log-cabin-maintenance-costs/ it covers costs and partial... You make your own chinking, you can pick log cabin built in 2003 from a mixture of clay the... It would be smaller 1FT bead lengths use your own chinking ( what ’ s time to use in cold! Also use the chinking when it dried, it must have good advice and may with! Advice and may help with that tight, don ’ t bought the cabin from external! There are numerous synthetic chinking, what are the different options you have so I can be?. 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N'T last due to weather changes Hand Hewn homes nearby Medford here log cabin chinking recipe I was wondering what you think formula! Texture should resemble creamy peanut butter based mix have access clay, sand, lime silt... Tiny gaps in log cabin chinking recipe log home as soon as you ’ ll need follow. A grout bag or trowel recipe … we don ’ t be able to build their own with! Into the smoky sets preserve that way of life bags of mill salt at your local store! Are less than 1 inch then it ’ s the best chinking recipe ) a grout bag or....