What is log home chinking? Chinking is the material that is commonly visible between the courses of logs on many log structures. Not all log structures use chinking.
The purpose of chinking is to (simplified explanation) fill the gaps between logs, seal out the weather, wind etc., provide an insulation barrier, and in some cases – depending on the style of construction – simply aesthetic.
There are many materials used for chinking including various mixtures of mortar to manufactured synthetic ‘chinking’.
Synthetic chinking is a latex-based polymer offered by many log home companies. It is designed to adhere to the log at two points – top and bottom – or in other words to the log above and below the chinking material. Synthetic chinking remains relatively flexible and as long as there is a good bond to the logs should expand and contract – and stretch to maintain the bond.
Synthetic chinking comes in a variety of colors and, depending on the company, a variety of textures. If you are going to use a synthetic chinking make sure that you get samples of the material in its various colors and textures before you rush out to purchase.
Do I use synthetic chinking? No. Why not? I will try to provide a simple compound answer…
1) synthetic chinking is, well synthetic – sorry folks but I’m more of a purist and there is nothing synthetic about Bearfort Lodge – this is obviously a personal preference and bias;
2) synthetic chinking is great substance for keeping water and moisture out – however it also keeps water and moisture in — It does not breathe. Should any log home material supplier tell you otherwise — politely nod your head as if you understand but know deep down that they are not being truthful. Trapping moisture behind the synthetic chinking leads to rot;
3) Cost – Synthetic chinking is very expensive – figure the going rate (at this writing) of at least $150-$175 + per five gallon bucket. Here at the lodge — If I were to apply synthetic chinking following the directions for the amount of material per linear foot with an approximate 2″ coverage at the depth as prescribed in the instruction I would need at least 85 five gallon buckets of chinking material. On the high side that would be approximately $14,875.00 and on the low side that would be about $12,750.00. That is just for the outside of the lodge. Double that figure and add an additional 5 buckets for the interior. No thanks.
Synthetic chinking is popular however — as it has been effectively promoted and marketed. After all – just open the bucket and you are ready to go. (sigh)
I use a traditional chinking material. Now keep in mind that Bearfort Lodge was built before the turn of the last century and is over 100 years old and remains solid. I have been over every square inch of the chinking inspecting. The only places where I find chinking that must be redone is where synthetic chinking was applied over the original chinking. The only logs that have been scourged by rot are mostly those logs where synthetic chinking was applied by the last home owner.
Side note: Most of the problem areas that need immediate attention and restoration in log homes are those in which synthetic materials have been used as well as improper drainage, insufficient roof overhangs, faulty, flawed or poor construction, supposedly handcrafted kit homes with improper and horrendous notched corners, and the result of settling — more on these points in later posts.
The crude graphic above illustrates a general application of insulation and chinking on a log wall — obviously this is a cut away profile view. Whether you are using synthetic materials or the real stuff the same general method is used. When using synthetic materials you do not need to use the nails. The nails are used with mortar chinking only.
Here at the Lodge, places where they (the previous owner) skim coated old chinking, the mortar chinking was rotted. Inspecting the original chinking underneath I see cracks or spots where the chinking apparently had come loose – due to some sort of stress and as a quick fix the previous owner used synthetic. This just created more problems.
Log home suppliers love to sell you synthetic chinking. If you really want some — well Ive got a number of unopened five gallon buckets of stuff I’ll sell you. Just ask.
The other thing that they love to sell you is backer board. This is the insulating material that you place between the logs before you chink the log. Backer board comes in various shapes and sizes and is quite easy to worth with. It is a closed cell foam and has great insulating properties. It too is waterproof. The chinking materials does not stick to it which is good as the chinking properly applied should only adhere to the log above and below.
I use simple insulation. It comes in rolls at your local building supply warehouse. It is inexpensive and very easy to work. I know of many people that use sheep’s wool and I probably would too if I could readily get my hands on it. Perhaps I should put some sheep out at the farm.
I cut the insulation first into strips and the dust the strips with boric acid and then fill the gap between the logs with the dusted strips of insulation. Perfect.
I use a mixture of Portland cement sand and lime. It is easy to apply and is extremely inexpensive. Mortar chinking also breathes allowing water and moisture to escape thereby preventing log rot and it lasts a long long time.
If you would like my recipe for chinking material just ask and Ill be happy to provide. Your comments and questions are more than welcome. If you would are preparing to build or go through renovation of a log home- I’d be more than happy to have a discussion with you about chinking,sealants, stains, questions to ask your builder or log home provider, methods of construction – the pros and cons, and other information.
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for a great web site!!!
So, my wife and I decided to build a log home, and we have purchased a bandsaw mill and a small bulldozer and I have been cutting poplar trees and sawing then square 10″x10″ x 24 ft logs. (the house will be 32ft x 40ft two story )What a job lol!! Lol I am using poplar because it plentiful on our property and they r large enough to accommodate the size we were looking for. Anyway….
I am still in the air about chinking! One thing about synthetic is it’s ability to shrink and stretch with the logs, mortar chinking will only shrink and crack from what I have read ( not a first hand knowledge). I really like the idea of not having to rechink or repair chinking every time the weather changes, is this the case?
Any insight would b great!!! I just want a low maintenance solution to chinking and the logs (if there is a such thing lol!!).
Sounds like a wonderful project.
You ask some very good questions about chinking and it reminds me that I really do need to write another article but this time more in depth as to the pros and cons of mortar vs synthetic chinking.
There are those that believe that mortar chinking is the way to go for various reason likewise you will find those that say that synthetic chinking is the only way to go. Both sides are passionate and both sides have sound reasons for their opinion.
Synthetic chinking material most certainly has its place and is appropriate in certain situations just as mortar chinking has its place and is appropriate.
I’m going to have to work on a point by point pro and con for each.
Why would you think that you would have to re-chink or repair chinking every time the weather changes?
Several years ago my wife and I bought a piece of property to build a house. On the property was an old (we were told 100 years old) small log structure that wasn’t in very good shape but we decided to save it. We put a new roof on it and patched the exterior. Now we want to finish the interior so I can use it as a shop. The logs and chinking are in bad shape. I have decided to add wood studs, insulation and plywood on the interior. My father in law suggested adding tyvek on the inside of the logs first and then styrafoam insulation boards before adding the studs. Will this trap moisture and promote wood rot?
Hello Jack — Thanks for visiting the Lodge. As you would be placing the vapor barrier on the inside between your insulation and the logs it does create a moisture trap. Tyvek and other moisture barriers are used on the exterior. When used in similar fashion but on the interior you are setting yourself up for problems down the road.
I would make sure that you re-chink the exterior and use proper stains and sealants. If you must cover the interior walls you should use alternative insulation – perhaps rolls or bats of insulation material rather than closed cell foam insulation panels as they too act like vapor barriers. Do you really have to cover the interior walls?
Your agood man for t aking time to give others advice thank you. I have built a cedar Log home. I also am a purist on account of the expenses of this synthetic stuff. I had a friend who tried to get me to use this stuff. Anyhow I would like to know the best sand and cement , lime mixture you recommend. I also have put wire mesh between the logs and nailed it to the top and bottom log is this good or a no no. Thank You again Hal
P.S. I just started this project 30 minutes ago and thought I’d better go online for some advice so I haven’t done anything I can’t redo long journey small trip so far.
Hello Hal – check out the section on chinking – you will find a lot of good information there. In addition if you are looking for a recipe you can find that here in the article Log Cabin Mortar Chinking and Recipe as well as in a few other articles in the above chinking section
Very informative article. We are redoing a 100+ year old log farmhouse. It has the big flat hand-hewn logs. They have been covered on the outside by wooden siding and half of the downstairs logs do not line up, like someone cut a door and window out here and there and then changed their mind and put short logs back in and let the frames to the doors/windows there. Long story short, we decided to cover most of the walls with drywall and the outside with insulation and siding rather than redo all the logs. However, I love the look of log and was considering redoing the inside of some rooms, mainly the living room. I have started pulling the old, cracked chinking out of the logs and was wondering what to use to replace it. There is really no need to worry about insulating it since it will be insulated on the outside, I just want something that is going to look nice, last and be as inexpensive as possible (and easy to do!). I was previously considering synthetic thinking maybe it would be cheaper if I could get away with a thin layer since it is only for looks? What would you recommend? Thanks for your time!
Hello Alana — Thank you for visiting the site! Sounds like an exciting project. Traditionally hand hewn log home were covered in siding. The logs were never meant to be exposed to the elements and some people are quite surprised to find – during remodeling- that their house is constructed of hand hewn timbers. What you have found regarding doors cut in and then moved is not uncommon with these type of log homes. May have chosen to expose the logs during restoration and the results can be beautiful as seen in some of the pictures here. However exposing the logs does present a new set of challenges not only for rechinking but also for the preservation of the logs.
to replace the deteriorated chinking that you are removing I would suggest that you use the mortar based chinking recipe found here on the site and take a look at how this reader applied their chinking when faced with a similar situation. The results of their efforts are spectacular. Please let me know if you would like further information — I will send you an email with my contact information as well. –
I woul d like to get hold of the recipe for chinking the natutal way please
Hello Marius –
You can find a recipe for the chinking in the article Log Cabin Mortar Chinking and Recipe. I hope that helps! — Thanks!
Is there anyone who has cut the inside cull from the log to expose the grain pattern of the log? We have beautiful Ponderosa pine and Im thinking of trying this to be a bit different. I also make furniture from planks of the pine.
GREAT ARTICLE! I TOO AGREE WITH THE OLD METHODS OF CHINKING WITH MOTAR, SAND AND LIMESTONE. I AM READY TO TACKLE THE EXTERIOR CHINKING OF MY LOG HOME. WOULD YOU PLEASE E-MAIL ME YOUR RECIPE FOR THE MORTAR, SAND AND LIMESTONE MIXTURE? CAN YOU ADD COLORING TO IT? THANKS FOR YOUR HELP! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
DAVID OKC, OK
Hello David — Thank you! Glad that you found the site. — Chinking is not structural — you will find a chinking recipe in the article: White Interior Chinking and Recipe
Hi
My husband and I are thinking about building our own cabin that one day will be our retirement home. It is going to be simple to build and no more than 1200 square feet. My husband is not the carpenter in the family; I am but he wants to help me as much as I can so I am inquiring about certain things that I don’t know about so I can be as much help to him as possible . I tease my husband that he does not know one end of the hammer from the other; he does but not much but not much more. He has never driven a nail in the wall to hang a picture or painted a wall. I remodeled our home on the east coast of Canada before we sold it. What I can’t do, I hire someone to do for me and then I supervise it.
Our cabin in going to be a cordwood house as we have our own lot of land and we should have enough wood, if not, we can purchase from nearby loggers.
In your article you said to use ‘simple insulation’. Do you mean the pink insulation bats that you get at the hardware store?
Lorraine Stiles
Hello Lorraine!
Fantastic! Sounds like a wonderful project. Would love to see photos as you progress. – Simple insulation… In a pinch you can use fiberglass insulation – yes the pink stuff. I remove the material from the paper backing and dredge it a little in a borate based product like Timbor or Penetreat – although you can simply dredge it in straight boric acid. You can also go down to your local grocer and pick up 20 Mule Team Borax and use that – it too has boric acid. when using the pick stuff dont pack it in tight but keep it fluffy. The best insulation to use however is wool. Yes sheep’s wool. Here is one source: Good Shepherd Wool Insulation. There are a few sources out there lest you have your own sheep. I am preparing to write an article about wool insulation and its superior properties.
This is the best way to go. Most of the insulation here at the lodge is wool however, you will see in some posts that I have used the pink stuff in a pinch.
Lorraine – On another note – I have a feeling that you would enjoy the article 5 Reasons Why Women Are Better at Log Home Chinking Than Men.
I have been working on a series of articles that will be appearing soon on women building log homes. A dear friend of mine that lives a couple of mountains over has been restoring her log home and building an amazing addition by hand practically doubling the size of the original home. She is amazing and quite talented. She is the one peeling, fitting, placing, securing, chinking the logs.
People tend to assume its a man’s job building a log home – WRONG – many would be surprised to find women building their own log homes.
Please keep me posted.
I bought a farm house in Elizabeth IL. 2 years ago and there is a 130 year old cabin that I’m starting to sink my teeth into. You’ve convinced me on the chinking, but after I pressure wash in and out and borate the logs, I’m wondering what are the best stains and finishes to use. Since the cabin is not going to be heated during the winter I want to stain and polyurethane (probably in the same application) What kind of poly should I use also what kind of stain on the outside should I use. After I pressure wash the place and get rid of all the loose chinking and re-chink can I stain over the chinking. These logs are in pretty bad shape so I was thinking of using PC Woody by Moutain Home to fill in the cracks. A lot of questions but I could use some help. Thanks
Hello Dan –
I would hold off on dong any pressure washing as with pressure washing you can do a great deal of damage. The idea is to keep water off and out of your logs. Pressure washing forces water into areas where water should not be. I use Weatherall products – specifically the UV guard products for stain and seal. I believe them to be the best in the industry for water based stain and seal. You can stain over the chinking. I am not familiar with PC Woody.
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
Hello Sandrar –
Thank you — I appreciate that
Cheers!
Hello sir,
I very much appreciate your informative website. I recently constructed the body of a juniper log cabin and want to use real chinking mortar. I would be honored if you would provide me with your recipe.
Tim
Hello Tim -
Thank you I do appreciate that. You built a cabin using Juniper? I would love to see photos.
The recipe for the chinking can be found on the article White Interior Chinking. This recipe can be used either for interior or exterior – chinking is not structural. If you are looking to color the chinking you can see the post Log Home Chinking: Can Chinking be Colored?
Please keep us updated of your progress.
Hello Wally Perrine – Thanks so much for stopping in at Bearfort Lodge – — Sounds like you have an exciting project!
Some of the logs have rotting…. Replacement of the log is only a last resort. Do you have photos? Before cutting into the log, where is the rot? on the exterior or interior of the log? Is the exterior of the log solid and below the surface rotted? — Please let me know where the rot is specifically as there are methods of repairing the log without disturbing the entire course. I’d be more than happy to walk you through the process.
The recipe for chinking can be found here
On insulation material you can use standard fiberglass insulation pulled from insulation batting. I have used sheeps wool as well. — Dust the area with boric acid before inserting the insulation. When inserting the insulation dont pack it in — let it remain fluffy. You can tuck it into place with a trowel or use a wood paint stir stick. — There is also the option of using a product referred to as backer rod — which is a closed cell foam and comes in various sizes — If you wish we can discuss this — Feel free to contact me via the Skype under my photo on the upper right hand side of this page.
If you watch the video on White Interior Chinking you will see how I place insulation between the logs before chinking.
I use the white chinking for the interior — there is a recipe on the post under the video and on the exterior I use standard portland chinking recipe as in the first link above.
Take some photographs and lets talk about that rotted log situation.
We are just starting to restore a cabin that was built in 1947 out of lodgepole pine in Utica, Montana. Being strictly neophytes at this, I do have some questions:
1) Some of the logs have some rotting, most are complete but some have about a quarter of the log for a couple or three feet damaged. Would you recommend replacing the entire log, or just cutting out the bad wood and replacing the damaged section?
2) What is your formula for the Portland cement, lime mixture for the chinking?
3) Specifically what insulation do you recommend for backing the masonary chinking?
Any information would be appreciated. Thanks, Wally Perrine