Perma-Chink Systems, Inc
Log & Timber Home Care Experts
"Stir well before use"
This term, or its equivalent, appears on every container of stain and finish we sell. It is there for a good reason - most of our finishes are formulated with low viscosities, making them easy to apply with an airless sprayer and in thin layers. Any pigments they contain are heavier than the liquids, so over time they may settle to the bottom of the pail.
If the container is not stirred thoroughly and the pigments are not uniformly distributed throughout the product, the color may change as the stain is applied. This situation is easy to avoid with proper mixing both before use and occasionally during use.
Although there is not much difference in the formulation between Lifeline Advance™ Satin and Advance Gloss, Advance Satin contains a flatting agent for the purpose of reducing its reflectivity, or "gloss." This raw material can settle to the bottom of the container over time.
Over the past years we have discovered many things about cleaning wood. First and foremost is that chlorine bleach should never be used to clean your wood. In addition to its potential for damaging wood fibers, its use and misuse contributes to a number of problems including the loss of film adhesion, discolorations due to tannin extraction, and the formation of iron tannates, streaks, blotches, and premature failures of the finish system.
One of the greatest mistakes you can make when applying a new finish to your home is to use inexpensive paint or stain brushes. You will be putting a lot of time, money, and effort into your project and saving a few dollars by using cheap brushes can compromise the beauty and performance of your new finish!
One key for keeping your log home in tip-top condition is to take an hour or so a couple of times a year to inspect the exterior of your home for any signs of potential problems. Remember that a bit of maintenance and small, inexpensive repairs now can prevent expensive repairs later.
For several years our Lifeline™ Advance Topcoats have been an integral part of our exterior finish systems. In addition to prolonging the life of the finish system, Advance Topcoats help keep the exterior surfaces free of dust and dirt, and make them easier to clean. That’s because Advance is designed specifically as a topcoat. Unlike most topcoats on the market, Advance is not just a non-pigmented version of our Lifeline stain. Because we formulate our stains for maximum color retention and adhesion when applied to bare wood, we use an entirely different formulation to meet the performance criteria important in a clear topcoat.
We often get asked if it is acceptable to apply our Lifeline™ finish systems over an existing oil-based or petroleum stain. It would be nice if there was a simple yes or no answer to this question, but there is not. It depends on a number of factors, including how many coats have been applied, how long the stain has been on the walls, and which oil-based or petroleum stain is present on the wood surface. In general, it is ALWAYS best to remove an existing competitive finish before applying Lifeline.
Both M-Balm® and E-Wood® are two component epoxies that are used for repairing soft spots, rot pockets and other types of defects in logs and timbers. Although they can be used individually, they are typically applied as a pair with each product playing a specific role.
Neglected log homes occasionally develop sections of logs that have medium or deep pockets of decayed wood that is either very soft, or loose and crumbly. If caught early enough, the pocket may be only a few inches across, but if the decay has been active for a while the pocket may extend a couple of feet or more along the length of the log. If the pocket extends more than halfway through the logs and runs more than a couple of feet, log replacement or at least new log facing should be seriously considered, especially if the log is supporting any weight on top of it. However, there are some repair methods that can work.