Log Sealing & Chinking | Sashco

First things first, you’ll need a supply of Log Jam^® chinking, Log Builder^®, or Conceal^®.

(Give our friendly and knowledgeable customer service folks a call. They’re happy to help you figure out colors and quantities.)

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This month we’re talking about building a nice butt. Nope, not that kind of butt. We mean butt-joints! Our very own log home expert, Paul Peebles is sharing some of his very best tips from the field to help you build a better butt-joint.

By Paul Peebles, Southeast Territory Manager (and log home owner who knows a thing or two about butt-joints)

We need to have a talk about your butts.

No, not those butts — I mean butts in log homes, sometimes called butt-joints. These things cause a lot of trouble in the log home business because, too often, they are not designed correctly. That’s a problem because a poorly designed butt-joint can allow water and bugs into your home or behind the log siding, leading to rot and insect infestations. Yuck. After decades in the industry, I have found that close to 90% of water damage and rot are caused by leaky butt-joints. In most cases, when I have been called to a home that leaks water, I have found that it is the butt-joints that leaked — sometimes for years! The problem begins when builders butt two logs tightly together during construction. It looks tight, so it must be right, right? We all know that after a couple of years, the logs shrink, opening up those joints, and this lets in the water. Bad situation! One common indication that this has occurred is a little bit of daylight showing from inside the home. Follow these easy steps for effective butt-joint repair.

Step One: Bring out the circular saw.

Place two blades into a circular saw (I use one of the small 5 ¼” rechargeable saws) and tighten the arbor. Make sure both blades are turning in the correct direction.

Step Two: Carefully cut.

CAREFULLY plunge-cut the butt joint to open it up to ¼” wide from top to bottom. While doing this, try to keep the blades in, or on, the end of either the right or left log so you cut off the very end of one log or the other. Cut as deeply as you can into the log, but not down or up into the logs, or above or below them. For safety, I do not tighten my saw arbor completely. This sounds more dangerous, but it’s not. If you leave the arbor snug but not tight, the saw blades will spin on the arbor when the saw is in a bind and prevent the saw from kicking back.

Step Three: Clean your checks.

Carefully clean out any checks that extend into the butt joint. I use a multi-tool with a cutting blade.

Step Four: Insert backer rod.

Add backer rod to the checks and to the gap between the logs and caulk. This configuration allows you to add the caulking INTO the gap between the logs and not just smeared ONTO it.

Step Five: Sealing your joints.

Caulk over top of the backer rod with a good quality sealant like Conceal^® or Log Builder^®. Be sure to tool it smoothly. If applied correctly, this will be a durable seal that should last darn close to forever.

You might also find this helpful: How to Caulk a Log Home

*_About_{Sashco Log Home Products}***

_{When it comes to protecting and beautifying your log home, Sashco isn’t just another stain on the market — it’s the high-performance} _{choice for serious log lovers. With industry-leading products like Capture, Cascade, and Transformation, Sashco combines cutting-edge technology and rugged durability to keep your logs looking stunning and standing strong year after year. Whether you’re chasing that perfect finish or just want to avoid the heartbreak of costly repairs, Sashco’s got your back. Because your log home deserves more than “good enough,” it deserves Sashco. Made for logs. Made to last. Made to make your neighbors jealous.}

On last week’s episode of Cabin Fever, Grizzly Bob gave us a brief history of log chinking while showing Sashco’s Log Jam® being applied to Crazy Mountain Brewing Company’s offices in Edwards, CO.

It got us thinking of other chinking recipes we’ve come across:

Two parts Portland cement, one part oakum, one part random grass found on the ground = chinking.
One part muddy clay, one part goat hair, one part spit = chinking
Fruit of the Loom found around the house (hopefully unused) = chinking (Check out that picture!)

Someone used some underthings for log chinking.

Shown above. Fruit of the Loom chinking: It kept some of the cold out and was an instant conversation starter.

The recipes for old time chinking are diverse and many. But they all lacked stick-to-it-tiveness. Oh, it sticks around on the homes for a good long time, but it doesn’t stick to the sides of the logs it was designed to seal. Of course, back in the 1800’s, synthetic chinking hadn’t yet been invented. (We’re pretty sure it’d be the talk of the town if it had been.)

Sashco’s history in chinking isn’t as storied as the recipes above, but it’s a fun story nonetheless. Back in the day, when Sashco’s Acrylic Rubber Sealant was around, some genius log crafters started using it in between logs. They liked its ability to stick and stretch, thereby holding its seal (and keeping those dream log homes weather tight).

But they had one complaint: it didn’t look like chinking. It was too smooth. Thus began the formulation of Sashco’s Log Jam® Chinking. We were one of the first to market with a synthetic chinking for logs that both looked like chinking and delivered a high-performance seal.

We’re proud to say that Log Jam® is now the most popular synthetic chinking in the United States, and is becoming more popular with its use on national television, along with the rest of Sashco’s log home finishing products. Be sure to watch all new episodes of Cabin Fever on Tuesdays at 10 EST, and catch past episodes online.

And most of all, join us in being grateful for the invention of Log Jam® (and the salvation of people’s underthings the world over).

Since its introduction in 1985…

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Most blisters in caulking happen when large amounts of moisture vapor try to evaporate out of the caulk line too quickly and after it has skinned over. This is more likely to happen when the caulk is applied in direct sunlight, to hot surfaces, in hot temperatures, or to wet surfaces. We know that those conditions are not always avoidable, so some blistering is normal and to be expected. When possible, apply caulking during the cool part of day, out of direct sun and to dry surfaces. If you can’t, remember that repairs are easy.

Tools You’ll Need:

Utility Knife
Caulking
Spray Bottle (filled with water)

How-To Fix Blisters in Caulk or Chinking

In dried or cured caulk:

Cut out the blister
Fill in the cavity with new caulk
Tool it so it’s smooth and matches the existing caulk bead.

Note: A couple of applications may be necessary to get a uniform look.

In caulk that is not completely cured:

Simply pop a hole in the blister to release the air
Push it in to seal up the cavity
Then apply a bit more caulk over top of the blister.
Tool the caulk so it’s smooth with the rest of the caulk line. Done!

Want more? Watch this video – How to Repair Bubbles in Slab

If you want to add texture and dimension to your home, log chinking is a great way to do so. But before you start the project, there are a few things you need to know.

First thing first, choose a good quality chinking.