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elienar
Member
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# Posted: 28 Sep 2019 03:53pm
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Hello all. I've bought an existing cabin that needs caulking (or so I've been told), because it has gaps between the boards, chinks I believe. I've also been told that it needs to be stained before this is done so water doesn't get in behind the caulk and rot the boards.
Does anyone know if caulking and staining are not too hard to do on one's own? Any tips to begin thinking about this process? Is it really necessary to stain before caulking?
I also wonder if any of you have used non-toxic stains, like some from Vermont Natural coatings, of if you think the traditional ones are needed to prevent rot and mold formation.
Thank you!
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 30 Sep 2019 06:29am
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It would be more helpful if you had pictures to show.
There is Caulking and then there is Chinking and the two are very different things. Stain as such is a preservative ad needs to go onto the wood to work, over caulking it does nothing and the caulking would potentially hold moisture causing issues.
The wood type on the building and what previous stains were used, affects what kind of stain you can use on it As you just bought the place and likely don't know what got put on there, whatever you do, s buy a small can of what you think you want and try a test patch to see.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 1 Oct 2019 08:09am
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Look at what the log cabin people use. Anything from a home store is going to be junk.
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elienar
Member
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# Posted: 6 Oct 2019 08:37pm
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Thank you all, sorry for late replying but the notification message went to my spam folder.
I will upload some pictures soon.
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elienar
Member
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# Posted: 9 Oct 2019 10:55am - Edited by: elienar
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Here are some photos:
URL
Some of the gaps between boards are larger.
As far as what you said about the previous stain matering, do you mean for appearance or for function? I'm pretty sure some typical toxic, oil-based stain was used previously, but I'd like to use a non-toxic hybrid oil-water stain from now - do you think this would be incompatible?
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elienar
Member
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# Posted: 9 Oct 2019 11:03am
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Here are photos of the bigger gaps (and checking):
URL
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 9 Oct 2019 12:41pm
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Those gaps and cracks are small at best. Shrinking of the wood is normal. Btw beautiful cabin..just remember if your trying to keep it looking new your fighting a loosing battle.
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elienar
Member
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# Posted: 9 Oct 2019 12:53pm
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Thank you. It's not that I'm trying to keep it new, I'm trying to insulate it better (I'm in a cold Northern climate where it gets down in the minus degrees sometimes) and prevent any water from getting in.
Also, I've heard staining can prevent mold from getting in and from the sun deteriorating the wood. It has a bunch of trees around it so only it's South side really gets much sun.
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NorthRick
Member
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# Posted: 9 Oct 2019 04:10pm - Edited by: NorthRick
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I would think caulking that siding would be difficult to do and keep it looking good. If you do do it, I would not use a silicone based caulk. That stuff is just trouble down the line.
If the wall was constructed right, there should be, at a minimum, felt paper behind the siding. More common now is house wrap like Tyvek. The purpose is to keep water that gets behind the siding from going further into the wall. Any idea what you have behind the siding?
As far as staining, you already have some sort of stain on there already. If it is oil-based, many oil-based and water-based stains can go over it. But you won't know unless you know what is on there now. The only sure-fire way to know the new stain will stick is to completely remove the old stain - which is not a fun chore at all.
Most stains are only marginally effective at preventing mold and rot. Usually, it's the toxic ones that are more effective, because, well, they are toxic.
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