Chinking Handy Tips

If you are thinking about building a log cabin, chinking is a topic you will need to learn a bit about. If you have never heard of chinking before, it is the mortar like substance that fits between the logs in your log cabin that keep the warm air in and the rain and cold out. In times past, all log cabins needed chinking to help regulate temperature and keep things dry, but with today's various styles of log cabin homes, chinking can simply be for decoration, both outside and on the inside of your home. No matter which style of log cabin home you end up building, chinking can be a beautiful and functional part of your new home. Here are a few general chinking tips to help educate you on this important part of log home building and care.

There are a half dozen easy ways to apply chinking to your home, from a simple bucket and metal spatula to a large chinking pump that can apply lots of chinking over a wide area in no time, but no matter which choice you make, you will likely have to go over your chinking a second time with a small, hand held spatula to make sure that all the cracks and crevices are filled and that your home is properly taken care of. You will want to make sure that the chinking is sticking to the logs properly and also make sure that there are no gaps or air pockets that could let your warm, heated air out and the cold, outdoor air in.

In today's world, most chinking is water based. That means that when you are giving your home a final inspection, cleaning up drops of chinking that have dripped on your logs is quite easy. Using a firm bristle brush and soapy, warm water, you can easily scrub away any chinking that is stuck someplace you don't want it. Don't let the chinking sit and harden too long, though, the older the chinking is, the harder it will be to wipe away easily.

Finally, one of the newest trends in the world of chinking is colored chinking. Many people choose colored chinking to match their stain, but you want to be sure that you are making the right choice since going back and replacing the chinking once you are finished applying it is a lot of extra work and expense.

Mountain Home Building Products offers solid wood siding, log home finishes, caulking and chinking, rustic hardwood, artistic antler castings and hand forged lighting.

Visit us at http://www.mountainhomebuildingproducts.com