He’s a law enforcement officer as well as a homesteader who lives in a small town outside of Des Moines, Iowa.
We found him on YouTube, invited ourselves to visit, and he graciously agreed. Cole took us around his homestead and showed us all of the places where he had applied Lexel to stop and prevent leaks.
When we arrived, we first checked out the barn where, in 2018, Cole constructed blocks out of white oak to support the door hinges and handles and to provide a nice aesthetic against the red metal barn. Cole told us that he knew he would need to somehow prevent water from penetrating the seams, but he still wanted it to be aesthetically pleasing. So, he was after a clear sealant that would allow his careful craftsmanship to show through. At the local hardware store employee’s recommendation, he purchased Lexel and applied it where the white oak wood blocks met the metal barn. During our visit, we were able to touch, see and feel the 4-year-old Lexel and could see and feel the moisture barrier it created. The blocks of wood where the Lexel was applied were still intact and showed no signs of weathering, thanks to the Lexel’s weather-resistant properties.
Not all seams on the oak blocks looked the same, though. Some of these things were definitely not like the others! Cole explained that during application, he ran out of Lexel, and in a pinch, he decided to use a different clear sealant that he had on hand to finish the job. Cole showed us where he had applied this other clear sealant. While it may have worked short-term in a time crunch, this difference over time between the two products’ durability was obvious. Here, a picture is worth a thousand words:
Lexelvs Competitor:
Lexel
Competitive Product
Next, Cole took us to the roof of his barn and showed us where he had sealed some skylights with clear Lexel. During installation, Cole bolted down the skylights, but also knew he wanted to seal them up tight for multiple reasons. First, he wanted to avoid water from seeping underneath the cracks where the skylight was bolted down, and second, he wanted to protect the interior of the barn from dust that gets stirred up by significant south winds which are common in Iowa. Cole showed us how the Lexel prevented any rain that hit the roof from seeping through cracks between the bolts. As we stood on his barn roof (on a non-windy day, of course), Cole physically pressed down with his fingers onto the skylight to also demonstrate where the dust would have entered the barn underneath the skylight seal had he not ensured a continuous seal using Lexel. He also noted, as he pressed with his finger, that even years after application the seal remained pliable and elastomeric underneath. He pointed and had us look closely as he showed us that we could quite literally see where the dust had blown up against the Lexel seal and stopped before getting under the window and into the barn. Pride of ownership was very apparent as Cole explained that sweeping out a dusty barn prevents him from doing other more important things on his busy homestead.
It was such a privilege to visit Cole’s homestead and see a few of the application spots where he had used Sashco products to ensure superior waterproofing and air-sealing. Not everyone is as gracious when guests invite themselves to visit, but Cole was very welcoming, and we are humbled by his hospitality.
Lexel is for lovers, and we have a story to prove it.
It’s important for the lifespan of your RVs and campers to preventively seal any potential moisture entry points before taking them out on trips. While we always recommend inspecting and locating potential entry points before your trip to the lake, sometimes you just don’t notice a leak until it is quite literally dripping on your head (or in this case, on your card game). Sashco’s Through the Roof and Lexel are heroes in this scenario. Both of these solvent-based sealants can be applied to an active leak and won’t wash away in the rain. Their superior adhesion qualities ensure that they stick the first time to your camper or RV and don’t require frequent re-application.
This brings us to the time that we took a little trip to Iowa to visit one of our true Lexel Junkies that we stumbled upon while scanning YouTube one day. We spent a day on Cole’s homestead where he showed us multiple scenarios in which he had used Sashco products to maintain his home and vehicles. He then told us a story about a time that he and his fiancé were on a weekend date/getaway in their camper. During the trip, they were inside playing a game of cards when the weather took a turn for the worse and a torrential downpour began. Water started seeping and dripping from the windows on their old camper. Cole, a natural storyteller, smiled and said,” I’ll never forget it. I come out here in the pouring rain and Nicole just watching from the inside of this window making fun of me”. He went on to explain that he sealed the active leak during the rainstorm- thanks to having a cartridge of Lexel in the truck. Although he didn’t have a caulking gun handy, he grabbed a nearby stick and used it to push the plunger to get the Lexel out. Like a true hero, he saved the game of cards from becoming a soggy mess, while his fiancé chuckled and watched the fiasco in real-time from inside the camper. Cole also said that the rain actually may have helped him more easily tool the Lexel. We can’t help but wonder if Cole’s ingenuity and quick-thinking helped assure Nicole that she had chosen the right man and help seal the marriage deal (you never know, right?). The two are now happily married and Cole still has not had to re-apply the stick-applied Lexel after all these years. We think the big lesson here is to keep Lexel and a caulking gun in your camper, just in case (although Cole is living proof that where there’s a will, there’s a way).
We know renovating a home is a lot of work, especially on a home that was built in the early 1900s! But Michelle Colvin and her husband, Casey Colvin with Heritage Roofing & Contracting, were up for the task.
The original property, built in 1920, was built with shiplap board covered with stucco, and clearly, it wasn’t maintained. Fast forward a century, and you know what that means – cracks, and lots of them. It was structurally sound, but visually, it was all broken up.
Because Casey is a roofer and contractor and has used the product on other projects, he immediately turned to: Mor-Flexx, an acrylic based caulk that quickly repairs crumbling mortar or cracked stucco with a lasting, weatherproof seal. And, better yet, it delivers that realistic textured matte finish that can easily be painted, which worked perfectly for this project.
Michelle explained, “(We) wanted to fix up the place, but obviously we didn’t want to do anything with siding. So, we took Mor-Flexx to kind of fill in those cracks and minimize some visual impacts so that when we painted, the texture wouldn’t stand out whereas normal caulking would’ve left lines.”
Then, there was another roadblock – a giant, 2 ft x 4 ft, rectangular flat surface where a window used to be – how the heck are you supposed to blend that in?
Well, the answer is: hard work, quadrants, and a whole lot of Mor-Flexx.
Michelle had the innovative idea to split the area up into four quadrants and add the Mor-Flexx while spreading it with her hands and a trowel. After drying, she’d come back to make more artistic additions to the area and to blend it better.
Michelle recalls, “I didn’t really know what the heck to do with that and so I literally was just applying the Mor-Flexx with the gun and I took my hand and was kind of pushing it in. I mean, it doesn’t look perfect, but relative to the flat, very obvious difference that existed before, it looks much better.”
Spreading the caulk was the biggest challenge, but once it was set, painting was a breeze. After painting, the repair was near flawless, and it’s held up since – no cracks, no pulling, no failures – a renovator’s dream!
Using Mor-Flexx, a product that Michelle and Casey have confidence in, made the project a lot easier, and they have confidence it’ll hold up in the long-term. What renovations await you?
Roof leaks? No thanks. This month, we have a fun story courtesy of one of our resident paid geeks (aka Senior Chemist) Jim Barnes about an unconventional roof leak fix, along with a shameless plug for our Through the Roof! roof and gutter sealant, just in time for fall and winter storms to hit.
“Way back, we had a retailer tell us that he was in a pinch,” Jim told us. “Out of desperation, he did a lousy repair using Through the Roof! and a piece of yellow legal pad paper. He patched a literal hole in his store roof during a rainstorm. Of course, he figured he’d have to redo it properly when the weather cleared. He forgot all about it, then ten years later, he’s up on the roof and sees the spot. It was still holding strong. Because we like to geek out at Sashco, I had some fun making a display in the lab that commemorates this story. It has held water continuously for about 8 years now.”
While we don’t recommend repairing your leaks with notebook paper, we do know you can depend on Through the Roof! to stop leaks in their tracks. It sticks to wet surfaces and holds strong until you can get to that real repair (even if you forget about it for a few years). Learn more about Through the Roof! today.
What do you get when you combine a roofing contractor and a sealant manufacturer for a chimney repair project (apart from much time spent arguing over who gets to use the rad tools)? An expert example of tuckpointing a chimney.
Recently, Sashco president Les Burch and Sashco team members Sabrina and Randy helped Shane Guerra, the owner of Synergy Property Solutions, and his team, repair a chimney. Shane used Mor-Flexx, a latex acrylic caulk designed specifically for the chimney repairs. Mor-Flexx is ideal for use on mortar between stucco, concrete, bricks, and stone, or stucco repairs.
Every month we feature a contractor, business, or success story. Learning from others in the biz is the best kind of learning. This month, discover why WoodTeks is one of the best in log home finishing.
Meet Jason Benge with WoodTeks, LLC out of Jonesville, NC. Summer busy-ness is in full swing, so we’re grateful for the time that Jason with WoodTeks, LLC spent with us, sharing more about his business in North Carolina.
Today, we’re proud to introduce you to the Log Doctor, Rudy Mendiola, Chief of Staff at The Log Doctor in Silverthorne, CO, he and his crew of 20 work all over the Colorado mountains restoring and caring for log homes. We had a phone chat to learn more about his business.
This month we’re pleased to introduce you to Larry Hogshead, owner of Dovetail Log Home Services in Nashville, Tennessee.
This newsletter is for you. This section is about you! Every month we feature a contractor, business, or success story. Cheers to learning from others in this unique business.
‘Experience is a master teacher, even when it is not your own’ – Gina Greenlee. That’s why we introduce you to new log contractors every month so we can all learn from each other.
Meet Herb Meeker withMeeker Builders. We asked him a few questions (and, let’s be honest, shot the breeze while we were at it).
How did you get started in log home finishing and restoration?
I was a log home builder before I got into finishing and restoring. I was doing traditional custom home building and got frustrated with customers putting mauve and pink flooring in. It just wasn’t me.
A friend invited me to be a dealer for Real Log Homes®. That was in 1984. Log homes were big in California at the time. Then, in 1991, we were at a dealer meeting in Colorado. Rich from Permachink® was there trying to get builders to do restoration as a sideline to their building businesses. There was just such a need for people to do restoration. (We also visited the Sashco plant on that same visit.) Rich and I visited three log homes that needed help. I knew then that log home restoration was calling my name. I came to Zero Failures in the mid-90’s and the rest, as they say, is history.
What do you like most about log home restoration? What do you like least?
I like solving people’s problems with their log homes. It’s fun and interesting to identify what is going on, then making the repair recommendations, and finally doing the project. Seeing something through from beginning to end is satisfying. Through the years, there have been the struggles to find good employees. It can be hard to find good workers, but I have a great crew right now, so I’m grateful.
Tell us about your favorite project
I’ve had a lot of favorites. Last year, we worked on the oldest log home we’ve worked on. (Photo of the finished project above.) It was built in 1883 and used to be the Barton Store out of Redlands, CA. It wasn’t huge — only 23’x17′ — but we had to redo the foundation, replace the bottom two logs all around, then blast, restain, and rechink everything. We used Sashco’s Capture® in Weathered Wood and Log Jam® in Mortar White. The Boy Scouts are pretty happy. It looks great.
What’s your advice to someone just starting out?
Start from the ground up and know what you’re doing. You can’t train someone else to do it if you don’t learn it all first. Plus, take advantage of the resources out there (Zero Failures being one of them, the Sashco people, too). Don’t be afraid or too prideful to ask.
How has your family been involved in your business?
My wife is still 50% owner of the corporation. I have four sons and they all worked for me throughout college. They’ve now all struck out on their own. Two have their own businesses, another is a manager, and another is a paramedic and fireman. I have three grandsons, eight granddaughters, and another grandkid on the way. I’m definitely having to learn about girls after having four sons.
Thanks, Herb, for sharing with us. We’re grateful for your partnership over the years and humbled to count you a part of the extended Sashco family.
Find out how one log home lover ended up a log home expert after taking a journey from novice to lady boss.
This month, we’re talking with Alexa Calio of Roche Jaune Chinking and Log Home Restoration. She’s based in Bozeman, MT, but does work all over the country. We’re proud to feature Alexa as one of Sashco’s Contractors Who Care.
How did you get started in chinking and log home finishing?
I built a log home — we cut down the trees, poured the foundation, peeled the logs, notched the logs, chinked them with a hand gun(3,000 linear feet!) — and I swore I would never touch chinking again. Next thing I knew, a friend called and asked for help with their cabin. She introduced me to a contractor and word got out. That was 21 years ago. The rest, they say, is history.
What do you like most about log home chinking & restoration? What do you like least about it?
Most: The pride of being able to walk away and know that my customer is bubbling over with happiness. I’m always in a beautiful place. I love the people I work with and for, the camaraderie on the job site with other subs, the homeowners, the designers. It’s very satisfying. I love my job.
Least: Being on ladders or, even worse, being on my knees. Oh — and tenting.
What’s a favorite job you’ve done?
Man — there’ve been so many cool ones. One that immediately comes to mind is Switchback Ranch at the back of the Beartooth Mountains. We had to load everything on four wheelers — 20 pails of chinking, our chink pump, all our tools — everything. Then we had to 4-wheel up switchbacks so tight that the four wheelers wanted to tip over. That’s pretty memorable.
What is your advice to someone starting out?
You have to learn your trade and be proficient at it and understand how the products work before going out and promising that you can do it. One thing I’ve learned, the instructions on the pail are there for your benefit. The manufacturer isn’t trying to make things more difficult. Everyone wants their product to work. They’re telling you the best practices. Listen!(Sashco over here and we’re nodding our heads up and down. She’s right!)
Tell us about your family and how they’re involved with your business.
Be sure to check out Alexa and crew on their Facebook page. We’re humbled to call Alexa a great contractor partner.
I have two little boys — 11 and 15 — and they love to come and help me. They’ll install backer rod for me, put pails in the machine, and I’m starting to teach them how to trowel. Then they get their construction toys out and start collecting nails and screws off the job site.
Don’t compromise at the end of a long and arduous journey by using an inferior stain not designed for logs. Capture and Cascade deliver performance worthy of the journey that got you here.
Moves with your logs and timbers
Won't hide the wood grain
Easy clear coat maintenance with Cascade(R) exterior clear coat
Backer Materials that Seal Things Right the First Time Backer Rod, Grip Strip, and Log Gap Cap all help you create the ideal joint desing for a long-lasting, durable seal
Logs are in constant dynamic motion. That's why there's Log Builder®, the sealant made for log structures. Stretches up to 500% of original size, while still maintaining tenacious adhesion to the wood.
When other chinking pulls away, Log Jam holds its seal With Log Jam chinking, you can keep the cozy feel and rustic look of a log home without compromising comfort and performance.
Easy to Use - Hard to See Keep out weather, bugs, and moisture without seeing it. Conceal disappears into the woodwork so you don't know the wood starts and the caulk begins.
It's Music to the Eyes Symphony works in harmony with the unique character of your logs and wood to reflect an atmosphere or cozy warmth and elegance while creating and scuff-resistant and durable surface that's easy to dust.
Right Color. Right Quantity. Right Now. Never run out of stain at the jobsite again. Stock exactly what you need in your truck or trailer at the jobsite.
Easy to mix
The same color, durability, and application you've come to expect from Capture Log Stain and Transformation Log & Timber
Maintenance Made Easy Now that Capture® Log Stain is applied, it’s time for Cascade® Clear Topcoat to bring out the depth and character of your unique woodgrain while protecting it against moisture, mildew, and algae. Predictable and affordable routine maintenance with Cascade throughout the years means your home stays protected and beautiful. Easy!
Keep the Color the Color Colorfast delivers the ideal canvas for stain application and leaves behind the strong foundation necessary for long-lasting color. It’s color confidence for your log home.
Rot, weather, insects, fungi all pose a serious threat to your logs. Protect your investment—treat your logs first to make them last. Tim-bor® helps protect your home from the costly damage caused by rot and insect infestation.
Bugs don't stand a chance
Easy to mix and apply
Prevents decay fungi
Costs 5 times less than glycol-based borate products
Remove Wood Felting and Raised Grain Remove wood fuzz (called felting) after power washing or media blasting, and knock down excessive raised grain with Sashco's finish sanding tools
Clean and brighten bare logs and wood, remove surface dirt, pollen, and kill mold for maintenance, and keep your logs looking fresh with CPR Log Cleaner and Brightener
