Log Home Chinking

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, you wouldn’t know that it is an original hand hewn log house since it is covered with brick and clapboard externally. I am not certain of the exact date of construction, but the PA deed goes back to 1810.

My dilemma comes with the need to replace plaster walls due their extreme deterioration. I have salvaged plaster in all the public rooms but then we come to the current downstairs bathroom which the previous owner “remuddled” in the 1970′s. Log home magazines never seem to dwell on bathroom interiors.

bathroom log wall

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Log Home Chinking 1Perched 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 begun to give way and needed to be replaced. Had it been at eye level that would be fine but this was a foot below the roof line along the chimney. Oh well.

read more chinking gaps

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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.

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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 [...]

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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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A Reader Discovers Their Home Is Hand Hewn

Reader's Cabins

It is always exciting to hear from readers of Bearfort Lodge. Not too long ago I heard from the Ryans who had left a comment on a previous post– [Just purchased and starting to renovate an 1830's log "dog-trot" farm house. Can't tell you how much your articles on log restoration and chinking have helped [...]

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Moving and Restoring a Hand Hewn Log Home

Reader's Cabins

Paul, as addressed in the previous post, is tackling a major rebuilding and restoration of an outstanding hand hewn log home that he disassembled and moved from Pennsylvania to his property in West Virginia. Disassembling a log home is a long laborious process. Each log, its position and adjoining logs must be marked properly before [...]

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Hand-Hewn Log Home Chinking

Log Home Chinking

I received an amazing email from someone that had purchased a home and soon discovered upon beginning restoration and remodeling that underneath the clapboard siding was a hand-hewn log home. What an exciting find! Some may grimace at such a find as it does open up a host of unanticipated situations with which they must [...]

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The Log Home Chinking Continues

Log Home Chinking

The chinking continues here at the lodge. I have been replacing chinking damaged by the previous owner who smeared the original chinking with synthetic material. The synthetic chinking trapped moisture within causing the original material to disintegrate. For the initial chinking I make mine light on water — I just want it wet enough that [...]

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Replacing Chinking and Fixing Logs Part 4: Chinking Recipe

Log Home Chinking

Chinking a log home is actually easier than you might think. Granted it is time consuming and more certainly work than kicking back and enjoying an iced tea while relaxing or spending time doing something more enjoyable. Think of it like icing a cake. As you may have read in one of my earlier posts, [...]

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Replacing Chinking and Fixing Logs Part V – Insulating and Preparing Logs Before Chinking

Log Home Repair

In previous posts we have removed old deteriorated chinking, cleaned the logs, stabilized and repaired wood where needed, even replaced a small section of log. Now in preparation to chink the logs and seal up the wall I’m going to re-inspect the entire area again and clean-up any remaining debris and look for any section [...]

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Replacing Chinking and Fixing Logs Part IV – Replacement of a Rotted Log – Stage II

Log Home Repair

As you know in my last post I had to remove a log that was rotten beyond repair. I contacted my local arborist this morning and was able to get my hands on an 8″ diameter 24″ Ash log. Perfect. I trimmed the log to fit and beveled the ends as in the rest of [...]

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Replacing Chinking and Fixing Logs Part III – Stabilizing and Strengthening Rotted Wood

Log Home Repair

In this step I will apply a two part bonding agent that will strengthen any deteriorated wood. I use a product called Liquid Wood. This stuff is quite familiar to those doing architectural restoration work as it is the best stuff out there. I have used it on a multitude of projects from stabilizing and [...]

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Replacing Chinking and Fixing Logs Part II

Log Home Repair

Taking advantage of the dry weather, I return to tackle repairing a span of logs that are in great need of attention. On the earlier post I displayed some photos of the log situation. There are rotten logs, excessive moisture, and rotted chinking that have all taken their toll on the section in question.

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A Note About Log Cabin Chinking

Log Home Chinking

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 [...]

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Repairing Log Cabin Chinking and Fixing Logs

Log Home Repair

Here at Bearfort Lodge I am tackling repairing or replacing chinking and fixing logs. A quick review of Bearfort Lodge: Built over one hundred years ago in a butt and pass construction method (I believe to be the best method – although some will disagree). Butt and Pass method alternates full natural logs. When a [...]

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