question on log cabin building

[FarmboyBill]

What do they use nowadays for chinking. Can one use concrete?

[logbuilder]

I use mortar and nails.

I set the pressure on my air brad nailer down to about 30 (test for your setup) and use 2 1/2" galvanized brads. It will shoot them in about half way. Then I bend them into the gap. About an inch apart. Then mortar mixed a bit dry is applied with putty knife.

There are fancy chinks like perma-chink. Very pricey.

[jwal10]

The new systems are flexible, when the logs shrink they don't crack and leave gaps for moisture and air infiltration....James

[logbuilder]

I must admit that my experience with chinking was with the butt and pass technique. As a result, there was not much shrinking of the gaps due to the rebar. My current home is swedish cope with no chinking. I've pondered chinking it (only outside) and perma-chink is the best option but probably be too expensive for me. Someday maybe I will get an estimate.

[FarmboyBill]

I would only want it to use in building log sheds for hogs, goats, tools.

[Kelly]

Don't remember the "recipe", but we used cement/lime/sand/water on our cabin back in 2008. It is holding up well (a few light surface cracks in a few places but no crumbling). My husband first stapled in reinforcement mesh on both the inside and out. Good luck!

[grayrecliner]

Built our cabin in 1977. Used the aluminum mesh meant to keep leaves out of rain gutters. Easy to work with.Secured with galvanized roofing nails, chinked with cement. Has held up very well.

[chestnut]

The recipe I've seen on net is.

1 part lime
2 parts type S Portland
9 parts sand

Over galvanized lath

[KMA1]

We used Permachink on our hand hewn Appalachian style log house when we built it 23 years ago. Not a single problem so far. If I ever do another log structure I will use it again.

[logbuilder]

Originally Posted by KMA1

We used Permachink on our hand hewn Appalachian style log house when we built it 23 years ago. Not a single problem so far. If I ever do another log structure I will use it again.

Question. When you paint or stain, do you go on top of the permachink or do you paint around it?

[KMA1]

Originally Posted by logbuilder

Question. When you paint or stain, do you go on top of the permachink or do you paint around it?

You can do either. I have only used permachink brand stain/finish, and it works well on the permachink. But unfortunately, this fall the wife says she only wants the logs re-finished and the permachink back to its lighter color for more contrast. By the way, don't mean I do this every fall. This time will be only our second time refinishing in 23 years, but we live in a mature mixed oak hickory forest.

[Yvonne's hubby]

Originally Posted by logbuilder

Question. When you paint or stain, do you go on top of the permachink or do you paint around it?

In the unlikely event I catch anyone with any paint or stain within fifty yards of our log home the question will become "do you want to be buried or cremated?!".

As to chinking I used "great stuff", covered with a very thin coat of drywall mud on the interior, was planning to do a mortar coat on the exterior but never quite got around to it. The great stuff is holding up wonderfully after ten years and provides a nice brown chinking gap between the pretty silver grey logs.

[KMA1]

Actually, letting the logs age from the beginning was my initial choice too, Yvonne's Hubby, but my wife had a different opinion and we went with the stain. The stain kinda grew on me after we got it on though.

[FarmboyBill]

As I said, Im using this only for sheds. Would foam insulation work for chinking on the outside?

[Yvonne's hubby]

Originally Posted by FarmboyBill

As I said, Im using this only for sheds. Would foam insulation work for chinking on the outside?

Its working fine for me.