#Log cabin chinking windows#

Clean-up is easy - just use soap and water.Ĭons: May not adhere well if it rains within one to four hours after application. Comes in a variety of colors with a lifetime warranty. Compatible with a variety of stains and preservatives. Water-Based Pros: Environmentally friendly. Again, you'll need to consider a strategy when selecting your sealing products and the order in which they should be applied to your home. Still others have to be applied long after the stain has cured - up to a year in some instances. Other caulks can be applied to a stained home within a matter of days. Some caulks can be applied before staining and they remain unaffected by the stain. These two varieties have very different properties and application requirements. Those created for the log home industry usually are acrylic (water-based) or urethane-based. If you aren't sure your products will work together, call the manufacturer directly and ask.įive kinds of caulk are used in general home construction - acrylic, butyl, oil-base, silicone and urethane. Often they maintain lists of competitors' products that are compatible with theirs. If you prefer to mix products from different manufacturers, first check with the manufacturers. Also, not all brands of sealants and finishes will be compatible with each other.

As you weigh which of these products you need, be aware that the sealant you choose also must be compatible on a chemical level with the stain, preservative or other product you apply to your logs.įor example, if you try to apply a water-based chinking on top of an oil-based stain, the chinking may not adhere.

It is particularly popular with log home owners who want their home to have a historic look. Chinking is clearly visible on the surface of the log walls and is both decorative and functional. It is required between log courses on homes that are designed with a horizontal gap between the logs. Whether a home needs chinking depends on the log profile or building system you choose. Caulking comes in different textures and colors that blend in with the stains used on the logs so at a distance it is nearly invisible.

#Log cabin chinking windows#

All log homes need some amount of caulking - you should caulk between log courses, at corners and around windows and doors. To make the right choice, you first have to understand how caulking and chinking differ.Ĭaulking and chinking are part of a family of products called sealants. They not only seal air leaks and keep out rain, they help protect the home from uninvited guests, including insects and decay.īut caulking and chinking will only work well if you choose products that are appropriate to your home's design and compatible with the finish or preservative on the logs. Caulking and chinking are among the final products that go into a log home. Here are some pros and cons regarding the different kinds of chinking and caulking products to choose from for your home.