chinking for log homes

Reader’s Question About Log Cabin Chinking Recipe, Insulation and Borate

by Bearfort · 1 comment

Mark just sent me an email asking about chinking, insulation, borates and preservatives for a log barn project he is working on.

Mark writes:

I have an old log open barn the logs are from 1-5 inches apart it is 18 by 20 by 10 feet high i would like your chinking recipe and your insulation idea and the purpose of using borate powder also what is a good sealer to use on the chink and logs to seal it after you are done

Hello Mark and thanks for the question!

I’m going to stick my neck out and assume that the logs on the barn are hand-hewn. With that in mind you may want to check out the section on Hand Hewn Chinking for starters.

[click to continue…]

5 Reasons Why Women Are Better at Log Home Chinking Than Men

by Bearfort · 7 comments

in Log Home Chinking

When one thinks of log homes they tend to think of men. Rugged men, strapping men, men of field and forest, strong and solid. Men take these timbers and toil to construct. Their brawn provides them the leverage and strength to hoist these heavy loads, cut, chop, heave and hoe. Men are good at these things there is little doubt however, when it comes to chinking it takes a woman’s touch.

It is often stated that men are better at those manly things like building and that women are better at refining the thing that the man built into a home. Well guys, I may touch a nerve but I must tell you – women are better at log home chinking than men. And here are five reasons why:

read more Women chink better

Log Home Chinking: Video

Log Home Chinking

This short video shows some of the chinking work being done here at the lodge. On a humorous note – my bother informed me that he turned the video into a drinking game telling me that for every time I say chinking he and his buds would take a swig. I do better next time.

Log Cabin Mortar Chinking and Recipe

Log Home Chinking

While the snow is falling outside I’m working on repairing chinking inside the lodge. Most of the chinking throughout the lodge is in great shape however there are a few spots here and there that are in need of attention. Some areas are simply cosmetic repairs and other areas are in need of being completely [...]

Intro to How-To Videos

Around the Lodge

I‘ve been gone for quite some time and have been working with a few people as to incorporating video into the website to provide how-to videos of some of the projects that are happening around here. It may take some time but I’m working on them. In an effort to provide better information as to [...]

Reader’s Question: Log Face Replacement

Here is a great email from Andy Bell. Bought some property 3 years ago in Southeast Texas. On it, a log cabin actually built in the 50′s with telephone poles. (Pine) Insert Air Conditioning plus poor design causes some pretty extensive damage though more facial, in some cases, half way through. After determining the damage, [...]

Reader’s Question: Log Chinking in a Bathroom

Sue recently asked a question with regard to chinking and exposed logs in a bathroom. Hi there, I just discovered your Bearfort website and want to thank you for the interesting reading and the recipe and process for chinking. I want to ask your advice regarding my old farmhouse. Unless you went to the attic, [...]

Log Home Chinking: A Reader’s Amazing Work

Log Home Chinking

A reader of Bearfort Lodge recently sent me this wonderful email and photos of their beautiful work – Stunning! – Here is their email and photos. Hi there! Using your mortar mix suggestions and simple steps, laid back attitude, and easy tofollow article – we have finally re-chinked the logs under our porch! Thanks to [...]

Log Home Details: A Touch of Whimsy with a Black Locust Deer

Rustic Workbench

I had been given this little refrigerator magnet of a twig deer head and thought it would look good life-sized and figured it would serve well as a rather whimsical way to greet guests to the lodge. The charming but goofy looking little deer was of simple twig construction.

Log Home Construction: Dreaming of Building a Log Home? Meet Fred Masey

Log Home Construction

Have you been dreaming about building a log home but didn’t know where to start? Paging through the typical log home magazines doesn’t help much as they tend to focus on the extreme “McLog and McLodge” homes of several thousand square feet in remote mountainous locations with exclusive views and heliport pads. Unfortunately the log homes [...]

Using a Pastry Bag to Fill Gaps in Chinking

Log Home Chinking

Perched atop a 30′ ladder is not my idea of fun when it comes to chinking but you do what you have to do. I’m not afraid of heights its an awkward place to work. A section of chinking was found to be loose way atop the north face. The 100 year old chinking had [...]

Log Home Chinking Video

Log Home Chinking

I came across this video of a couple of guys chinking a log home using traditional mortar chinking.

Inspect Your Chinking Before the Cold Weather Arrives

Log Home Maintenance

Here we are nearing the end of August. Autumn is approaching quickly and winter is not far behind sothis is the time in which log cabin owners should begin the late season inspection of logs and chinking. Let’s focus on the chinking for now. Late summer is a great time to do a final inspection [...]

Replacing a Rotted Log – Part 2

Log Home Repair

In the last post on Replacing a Rotted Log – I had removed a log that was rotted and weakened by wood boring insects. Now that the old log has been removed I have to focus on prepping the new log that will be inserted and spiked in its place. Using a large blunt masonry [...]

A Reader’s Question on Chinking

Log Home Chinking

Recently a reader asked a question about chinking a hand hewn log home: Am trying to figure out what is best to seal between logs [our log home is 100+ yrs. old.]. Most important consideration is keeping rodents out. .. Am sealing from the inside because clapboards are still outside. How can I apply mortar [...]

Return from Vacation

Around the Lodge

I had been away for the last month on vacation. Good to be back but lots to do. Over the past several weeks I had the opportunity to visit Georgia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York State, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts and took up on the invitations to tour number of log homes and other restoration projects [...]

Reader’s Question: Interior Chinking Recipe

Phil is working on a mountain cabin and writes – I have been building what started as a relatively small cabin, now 5 years later with two timber frame additions in the mountains of Va. The first chinking I used was a mixture of cement sand and dirt and it seemed to crack a fair [...]

Log Home Chinking: Chinking Recipe Update

Log Home Chinking

I have been flooded with email asking for a recipe for log cabin masonry chinking which tells me that the season is well underway. Here is a quick link to the previous post on log cabin masonry chinking. The recipe shown on that post is the same material that is used here at the lodge. [...]

Log Cabin Cob Blasting Paint Removal Video

Log Home Restoration

Removing paint from logs is no easy task. The video here demonstrates one method. Painted logs present a problem as described in an earlier post – removing that paint present another problem – how to do it. You can use chemical strippers but this would be extremely costly, take a tremendous amount of time and [...]

Log Home Chinking: The Season Begins

Log Home Chinking

I have been away for a while. Now that the weather is, for the most part, staying consistently warm it is time to continue with re-chinking exterior of the lodge. Over the past several days I have taken an inspection walk around the outside and examined chinking. The original chinking is still intact however there [...]

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Whimsical Deer Head Mount made of logs and twigs

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