Lap Marks in Stains Log and Wood Siding

 Lap Marks:
You can see the definite streak in the finish where one side is lighter than the other side. This happened when the logs were being finished. The applicator stopped at that point (probably at the end of the day) and then resumed later (probably the next morning). The overlap area of the finish will always cause a dark streak in the wall because of the build-up of finish in that particular area.

Prevention: When coating logs with stain or finish, never stop in the middle of a wall. Finish the entire wall before taking a break or quitting for the day. Coating across an entire log is also a good way to prevent lap marks.

Treatment: Other than stripping off the finish, you could go back and try to touch up the area, feathering from darker to lighter. This blending may not completely remove the lap mark but will make it less noticeable.

 

Questions on maintaining the legacy of your wood structure? Give us a call- 1-800-359-6614

Pickup in store - or ship to your door -in whichever woods your cabin dwells.

 Schroeder Log Home Supply, Inc. 

1101 SE 7th Avenue

Grand Rapids MN 55744

1-800-359-6614

 

Avoid Peeling Finishes and Sunburned Logs

In this photo you can see the finish has blistered, cracked, and is starting to peel. This has happened because the finish has lost its adhesion. (Notice the top area where the log has become sunburned and turned gray).

One of the factors for peeling is the moisture content of the logs when they were coated. If the logs were too wet (20% or higher), the logs will continue to dry out and as they dry the resident moisture will move from the center of the log outwards to the surface. The moisture will form on the surface of the log between the finish and the wood. If the finish is very thick and heavy, a blister will form because the moisture can't pass through the barrier of the finish. If your logs are still quite green, we suggest that you apply only one coat of a log keeper finish, such as TM5 First Treat or Colorfast. This will give the logs some protection while still allowing the moisture to escape out through the one coat of finish. Once the logs have dried out to 19% or less, then you can apply your final finish. You can test the moisture content of your logs with a Moisture Meter. Also, moisture can also occur from checks holding water. When heat from the sun reaches and heats the log’s surface, the moisture is pulled to the surface causing a break in the wood-to-finish adhesion.

Any type of finish, either oil or water based can peel. Remember, it is the amount of finish build up that will provide the potential for peeling. Penetrating finishes tend to peel less because instead of acting like a plastic coating on the logs, they don't build up into one thick coating (less "plastic") thus, allowing moisture to escape out through the thinner coating. They do tend to weather away over time and will need to be re-coated periodically to maintain their protective qualities.

The gray, sunburned area on the top of the log shown in the picture is a result of prolonged, direct sunlight. This can be prevented in new construction by extending the eaves and overhangs to allow for more protection from the sun. Also, avoid using clear finishes alone because they provide less UV protection from the sun. You could also plant shade trees to help deflect the direct sunlight.

If your logs are sunburned you can typically get by with sanding down the sunburned areas with 60-80 grit and then reapplying your finish. You will need to reapply the same number of coats as the rest of the wall to match the color of the rest of the wall. Tip: When you are reapplying the finish to match the rest of the wall it is better to apply too much and make the sanded areas look darker then to not add enough so they look lighter. The darker areas will tend to look natural where lighter areas will stick out and look distinctively unnatural.

 

Questions on maintaining the legacy of your wood structure? Give us a call- 1-800-359-6614

Pickup in store - or ship to your door -in whichever woods your cabin dwells.

 Schroeder Log Home Supply, Inc. 

1101 SE 7th Avenue

Grand Rapids MN 55744

1-800-359-6614

 

 

 

 

Sansin Purity Nature's Oil

Sansin Purity Nature’s Oil: Penetrating oil for timbers, furniture, floors and other interiors. A clear, concentrated, low VOC traditional oil finish. For a natural finish, use Nature’s Oil inside your home. After all, there’s nothing warmer or more inviting than the feeling of hand-rubbed wood. Simply apply and polish this penetrating oil into wood – just one coat delivers a rich, uniform lustre that allows the grain and character of your wood to shine through. Purity Nature’s Oil is environmentally friendly, low in VOC’s, high in solids and non-flammable. A long open time means you can work the finish to create exactly the look you want. A second coat of Nature’s Oil may be applied at any time to maintain a beautiful low luster finish. Sansin Purity Nature’s Oil is a concentrate allowing you to mix it 3:1 with mineral spirits (three parts mineral spirits to one part Nature’s Oil). Mixed this way, a quart of Nature’s Oil will cover 1,000 to 2,000 sq. ft.

Questions on maintaining the legacy of your wood structure? Give us a call- 1-800-359-6614

Schroeder Log Home Supply, Inc.
1101 SE 7th Avenue
Grand Rapids MN 55744

www.loghelp.com 

 

X-100 Deck Stain

X-100 Deck Stain provides protection against the intrusion of moisture and water on new, faded, dense and seasoned pressure treated, cedar, redwood, and other hardwood decking lumber. X-100 Deck Stain enables the natural wood grain to show through allowing for a natural wood finish. In the case of an old deck (greater than three years old), the grain of the wood has had an opportunity to be exposed to the general weathering conditions that naturally open its pores. Accordingly, X-100 Deck Stain has been recommended for use on such surfaces, as the first and only step (resealing with X-100 Deck Stain every two to four years). Made in the USA.

 

 Popular colors of X-100 like Cedartone Gold and Cedartone Brown are kept in stock in Grand Rapids, MN. 

 

Available online or local pickup in our store:

 www.loghelp.com

Schroeder Log Home Supply, Inc.
1101 SE 7th Avenue
Grand Rapids MN 55744

1-800-359-6614

 

Outlast Q8 Log Oil

Outlast™ Q8 Log Oil is an EPA registered exterior wood preservative specifically designed to control decay causing organisms (and mold, termites, powder post beetles) in log homes and on wood siding. Outlast Q8 Log Oil provides unsurpassed water repellency and sheer trans-oxide color with one coat coverage. Outlast Q8 Log Oil is a totally non-film forming exterior treatment that will never crack or peel. The trans-oxide pigment system provides excellent UV control that operates like a sunscreen to slow down graying of the wood and provide fade resistant color. The solution soaks into the wood to provide protection, not just on the surface, but also deep into the wood cell structure. Outlast Q8 Log Oil offers unique flexibility in terms of application temperature ranges, log moisture content, and delivery method. Outlast Q8 Log Oil meets all nationwide VOC requirements.

Made in the USA.

Stops decay fungi and mold - Rot control, Toxic to termites and powder post beetles Superior water repellency - Controls cracking and splitting Easy to apply - One coat coverage - low pressure spray, brush, or roll - low-pressure spray application to refusal No lap marks or brush marks - Simple re-coat: no stripping required No cob blasting, sanding, or sandblasting needed for re-coats. 

Stocked and available online or local pickup in our store:

 www.loghelp.com

Schroeder Log Home Supply, Inc.
1101 SE 7th Avenue
Grand Rapids MN 55744

1-800-359-6614

 

X-100 Natural Seal Wood Protective Coating

X-100 Natural Seal Wood Protective Coating is designed to penetrate wood. X-100 Wood Protective Coating is an EPA VOC compliant wood finish consisting of essential wood protecting ingredients blended in a paraffinic oil which is non-sensitive to ultraviolet rays. X-100 Wood Protective Coating is for use on all vertical wood surfaces susceptible to moisture damage including cedar, redwood, pine, plywood, T1-11, cypress, fir, dimensional lumber, logs, and roofs. X-100 Wood Protective Coating is available in ultra transparent stains with natural oxides. The ultra transparent technology enables the natural wood grain to show through allowing for a natural wood finish. X-100 Wood Protective Coating is the same formula as the old X-100 Natural Seal Wood Preservative. Made in the USA.

 Popular colors of X-100 like Cedartone Gold and Cedartone Brown are kept in stock in our warehouse in Northern MN. 

 

Available online or local pickup in our store:

 www.loghelp.com

Schroeder Log Home Supply, Inc.
1101 SE 7th Avenue
Grand Rapids MN 55744

1-800-359-6614

 

The Old Forestry Mixture

The old forestry mixture, as some have called it, is a formula for a penetrating oil stain developed by the Forest Products Laboratory in the 1950's. Other than the old forestry mixture, it's more formerly know as the Forest Products Laboratory Natural Finish. The FPL Natural Finish was introduced as follows:

"Many homeowners want a finish that retains a part of the natural color and the grain of new wood or one that enhances the rustic appearance of lumber or plywood. The commercially available natural finishes that form a clear film, such as varnish, have been so short-lived, however, that they are not recommended for exterior use. One durable natural finish is the penetrating stain, developed at the Forest Products Laboratory in the 1950's. The FPL natural finish was formulated to overcome the more serious shortcomings inherent in such finishes of t the film-forming type that are so susceptible to failure by cracking ind peeling. Because the stain penetrates the wood surface and does not form a coating, there is no failure by blistering and peeling even in excessive moisture conditions. There is no coating to scrape before refinishing. Thus, the penetrating stain is easily maintained at a low cost on a variety of wood surfaces. Test results indicate that the first application of the FPL natural finish to smoothly planed surfaces fully exposed to the weather should last I about 3 years. When refinished after weathering, the finish will last much longer. Two coats of stain applied to rough-sawn or weathered surfaces may last 10 years or more."

The exact recipe and full document are listed here. It contains a blend of linseed oil, paraffin wax, solvent, and some other ingredients, including Penta, which is no longer available to the public and restricted to things like the manufacturing of telephone poles and railroad ties. While some of the ingredients are difficult to obtain and Penta is nye impossible, there is at least one alternative on the market. As a ready-made option, a formula similar to that old mixture is available under the brand Organiclear WR-5.

WR-5 Log Home Stain is a superior exterior wood treatment that restores, preserves and enhances the natural beauty of your new or existing log home, deck, fences, railings, shakes and shingles, and outdoor wood furniture. WR-5 offers a unique blend of deep-penetrating premium oils, resins and waxes to create a long-lasting MOISTURE-GUARD™ barrier against harsh weather. To enhance wood life further, WR-5 provides maximum protection against ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage by combining sun blockers to absorb and control UV degradation, thus minimizing wood deterioration. WR-5 penetrating coating will also help prevent wood from cracking or peeling. WR-5 also works very well in high humidity areas. WR-5 allows wood to "breathe" naturally through a micro porous film and prevents moisture penetration. Water beads up and rolls off the exterior wood surface. WR-5 brings out the natural grain beauty of the wood while preventing the wood from cracking and peeling. WR-5 is the perfect choice for the full realm of wood protection your home needs to stand the test of time. For new, unfinished decks, apply two coats of WR-5 this year and then either a third in the Fall or one more next year. WR-5 Clear can be used as a second (if only putting on two coats), third coat, or as future maintenance coats though it won't last as long as a pigmented coat. Some people like to use the clear in this way to "lock" in a particular light color. Made in the USA.