Hello and Welcome to Bearfort Lodge. I hope that you enjoy your visit and find the information you seek. Please feel free to leave a comment. -- Bearfort

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 the logs. The cut, being fresh and as of yet unstained appears a little larger than the bevels of other logs however they match perfectly.

After trimming and beveling the log I wedged it in place and drove spikes down through the log into the log below as well as spiked it from the top. In addition I drove in spikes from the sides thereby securing the log and wall completely.

Read more about replacing a rotted log

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.

Read more about log home chinking materials

Here at Bearfort Lodge I am tackling 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 course of logs meets at a corner - the butt end of one log butts up against the adjacent log which passes beyond the corner. On the next course the adjacent log butts up against while the other passes beyond the corner as seen in this photo.

read more about log home chinking