FAQ

It is appropriate to chink as soon as the construction of the cabin or log home is done? Wooden buildings are mostly built of raw material and there is a presumption that it will be several more years to work and sit down. This is the main reason why it is always better to wait with sealing. We recommend at least 2 years (depending on environment) before proceeding to cementing. Sealants are flexible, dilates the movement of wood to incredible 25%, but already we know from our experience, that the movement from the complete establishment of the new buildings is often much more pronounced. Some logs for log cabins in a row event, while turning corners (right handed and left-handed wood). This causes the cracks appear in sealed gaps. For flat logs cabins is it similar, depending on the technology works. Some manufacturers of flat log cabins leave the gap between the beams, the beams will allow freedom of movement and can be drying to rotate. If you have no choice and can not wait, so the cabin or timber before the cement with the fact that after several years of adjustment shall be made and broken connections with additional reparements .Whether you build with dry wood, so you can putty immediately after construction. All of these joints immediately after the construction of houses sit well and so it seemed after a few years. Wood is a natural material and always will work. It depends of course on the technologies and methods of establishment of the logs. Different manufacturers will differ from each other and the quality of the resulting effect, but the vast majority will be at least partially similar problems occur.

Why is it necessary seal gaps or cracks in the beams? There are many reasons why the use of wooden joint sealants. The most common include significant improvements in thermal properties of buildings, protection of timber and logs from moisture, insects and various wood-destroying parasites.Sealing approach significantly extends the life of the house, save a lot of energy and avoid later problems with the contested timber. There are some wooden structures, which need not necessarily to be sealed. Such are flat log houses, where the gaps are covered by a wooden bar. Also in such constructions you can find places with cracked beams and corners, where it is necessary to prevent weathering.

It is necessary to use backing rod? Backing rod is guaranteed sufficient dilatation joints and proper function of sealant. It is important, that the sealant is assigned only in 2 points.The middle space in joint which remained free is for the possibility of movement and expansion. This will allow flexible PE sealing cord, to which the sealant will not stick and can thus move freely around. Another advantage of using backing rod is also a saving of material, which is compared with the cost of sealant more expensive. This does not mean that we can only replace the sealant with backing rod. It should be observed as a thick sealant deposited on a cord. Always depends on the overall width and depth of the joint. Among the common mistakes are applied very thin layer of material on the cord, which after drying causes the so-called contour lines circumscribe and later cracking grout above backing rod. Whether you can not put backer rod, there shall be used only sealant foe example around windows, doors, into small cracks, etc. .

It is preferable to chink the cabin before any painting or after treatment? It is always best to apply the sealant to the clean, unpainted wood. But in practice it is usually not possible, because most of the houses are already painted with something. Hence some advice and information to help you determine whether the surface is suitable or not. - If the wood is treated against wood pests such devices (bochemit, lignofix, pine salt and others), the surface remains adherent and can be sealed.These compositions are usually water based. - Whether the surface is painted with oil or natural. TLC staining, which is characterized by deep soak into the wood, we can generally say that, these substance are acceptable. If you are going to just paint, so it is better chink before painting. If already painted, it is better to wait at least several months after coating. This means they have time to soak into the wood. Rest is completed with the weather and sun. Surface of wood becomes again abrasive (sun, rain). - If you are unsure, it is always a good idea to test on some gaps, and after about 3 weeks to try to pick off the material from wood. This way you can see how well the surface of the wood is adhesive for sealant. Whether is easy to separate from the wood, the joints has to be cleaned up to the wood. - Do not apply to other old sealants , which does not hold in the surface. It should be cleaned before sealing.

What is the best width of joints? Necessary breadth joints depends on the diameter of the logs of the cabin. Another factor in determining the age of buildings is drying stage and fall down of the buildings. Generally speaking, the smaller diameters are used, the smaller joints are needed. In cabins where the logs are average, about 25-30 cm wide, we recommend at least 25 mm width joints . This is related to the depth of gap.Recommended depth of bonding joints is approximately one third of its joint width. Wider gap never mind and to improve rather dilatace.In the flat log cabins plays an important role in the design and wide joints are in demand here..

Before you start, you need to realize that buildings are usually built from raw wood and the whole building will sit down for several years. Already in the first FAQ we described that sealing should be after 2 or more years after building construction. Although the sealant is flexible and can withstand about 63% expansion than is interrupted, but in some cases the larger movements. This is mainly on shrinkage planks on a fake timbering and also raw logs. These planks are raw attaching to immobile surface. With a width of 20 cm can be up to 2 cm reduced. In this case, there may be cohesive break sealant. If it does happen anyway , then it is good to wait at least one more year before repare cracks. When is building new is recommend to fill these gaps flexible backer rod and after the first heating season expires .



Other common mistake include a very weak or very thick layer. It's good to at least approximately follow the rule, where power (thickness) applied sealant = about 1/3 of its width. In very thin layer occurs when drying putty to circumscribe the contour of the sealing strip. Later, when you need to stretch will again cohesive interruption. At a very thick layer of sealant is not elastic and not torn off the adhesive-beam from one side or logs.

The last common mistake is that the sealant is applied to the non-stick surface. This is mainly on interior waxed, varnished surfaces or surfaces treated with thick glazing, which later peels. Sealant in these cases would not associate with wood and when created tensions come off easily without began to stretch. Such surfaces need to be mechanically cleaned down to the wood. One possibility is to scrape wax with steel brush.

Material consumption is always dependent on many factors. For the calculation it is necessary to know the width, depth and shape of the gap. The corners consumption is very specific and depends on the shape and method settlement logs. Therefore, here are average values, which we obtained from practical tests. For exact calculation it is always better to perform a test on a specific cabin or log cabin. Joint width of 25 mm from 600 ml sausage approximately 6 m. Joint width 30 mm average yield of 600 ml sausage 3.5 meters Joint width 40 mm average yield of 600 ml sausage 2.5m Another 50 mm wide and more recomand to test on exact home. We recommend that you always perform a test on the specific wood construction.

Joint width of 25 mm from 600 ml sausage approximately 6 m.
Joint width of 30 mm from 600 ml sausage approximately 3,5 m.
Joint width of 40 mm from 600 ml sausage approximately 2,5 m.
Other width over 50mm neede to be tested on each home
We recommend that you always perform a test on the specific wood construction.

For now, the selection of the six basic colors: white nos. 110, spruce-pine no. 120, No.130 light brown, yellow-brown no. 140, dark-brown no. 150, natural gray no. 160. All sealants can be purchased in packs 600 ml sausage, or 310 ml cartridges. For more exact understanding of colors it is possible to order a free color sampler. On request we will send you a free sampler. Sealants can be painted over after drying and if necessary to fine-tune the color to your needs. It is necessary to consider in advance whether we want to highlight gaps or rather hide. For some kind of homes we prefere to contrast a white gap to dark timber. We will recommend to the interior rather lighter (timber interiors are dark and bright gap rather bring more light into the interior). Note: just only our opinion.

Before chinking is appropriate to check the weather forecast at least for the next few days. To apply sealants need to be at least 5 ° C. Factors affecting drying and working with sealant are different, but most of all: the temperature, humidity, wind and absorbency of surface. Applied sealant should be several hours protected from direct rain. At least 7 days after applying sealant may not be exposed to temperatures below 0 ° C. Final properties comes in one month. Sealant should not be exposed several hours to direct sun. Protect against large sunshine. This could cause too rapid evaporation of water in the weaker layers of sealant and leave small bubbles. If this happens prick the bubble.