I am getting ready to stain our white pine log siding before my husband attaches it to our home.
Any suggestions for picking a stain brand such as Sikkens or Sascho? Other brands I have seen advertised are WoodGuard, Weatherseal and Perma Chink Systems. Has anyone had a positive experience using one of these brands? Is oil based better than water based?
Any input would be greatly appreciated!
chergar, I presume that the siding that you are applying is dry, hence you can seal the wood, and probably need too...
Most log home folks take a can of stuff that was recommended by someone that they trust and stick it on.
I am a little nuts about finishes. I am a gun nut as well and I have spent hundreds of hours hand rubbing various finishes on my custom guns. All finishes are just difficult to do well most of the time. Read all the stuff in the below section....
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/finishing
Here are finishes that deserve a look along with the others that you have mentioned.
Any really good Marine Spar varnish...
Spar Urethane Varnish by System Three thinned to make it more penetrable. It has a ton of solids...
One time wood.
Here are some of my collected web sites of finishes...
http://www.aloghomestore.com/nl-exterior.html
http://www.onetimewood.com/aboutproducts.aspx
http://www.logcaresolutions.com/
http://www.logfinish.com/
http://loghomeshoppe.com/default.asp
I believe the best finish will be a combination of thinned linseed oil with Japan drier to make it harder, a fungicide, a strong UV blocker and some Marine Spar varnish for strength and maybe a little tung oil just because it will give a little color... I doubt it will cost more that 40 bucks a gallon....
I doubt that anyone will read all this stuff, but what the hey...
Hey Dave - I read it! and thanks for the info. I too am getting close to thinking about finishing my logs. We're working inside and will be closing in the gable ends before long. Then, will be the blasting and staining.
But, since the logs are still green, don't you have to be careful with your sealer and use the right type so the logs can continue to dry. This is the question I have and can use all the info to figure this out I'm sure that there is lots of more info on the forum about finishing. I'll just have to research more. That's what is so neat on the forum - lot's of info available. Will appreciate more info on finishing.
Vern and Sara Street
www.vernstreet.com
You caught me... I was correcting some spelling while you were posting - hence these posts are now out of order...
Anyway, Vern if you read all the stuff in popular woodworking, you must be the fastest reader I know...
If you notice, I always thin what ever, when I put it on green wood... By thinning the coat of finish, it will allow the moisture to exit the wood...
I keep referring to my guns when I talk about finishes. My many of my gun finishes need to be water proof. It takes many coats for any finish to be water proof that can be...
I am unsure that I am saying what I mean... Penetrating Oil Finishes can not ever be water proof, regardless of the number of coats. Only stuff that creates a hard coat can be water proof.
So if you put on a thinned coat of ANYTHING it will still allow water to escape... The more coats the less water will escape...
Hence, it is my plan to find a finish that will work for me and put on a thinned coat. Maybe one or two years later, put on another coat... etc.
And I may change what I put on... But as long as its oil and it penetrates, it will work...ie, not flake off...
Note, I don't believe in water based finishes for exterior wood... I am trying to keep water out, why would you put water (based finish) on your logs?
Joined: 2007-12-11