Freshening Cordwood Walls

Do your cordwood walls need freshening? The mortar may look wonky and have different color tones. The log faces may have darkened a bit. Is there mortar cracking or log loosening?

Fear not, because there are ways to fix these problems.

I’d like to thank Colin & Emily Opay for their research, following detailed instructions, and visually demonstrating how Permachink Slathering can work to brighten your walls and rid your cordwood home of mortar variations and mortar cracking.

The walls are prepped by using a shop-vac to get them as clean as possible. Any protruding log ends can be protected with Painter’s Tape. You can use a paint brush, a gloved hand, or a small metal parts brush to get into the tiny places. No matter what, slather Permachink or Log Jam over ALL the MORTAR. It looks best.

The results are dramatic as the elastic caulk brightens up the existing mortar and highlights the log faces.

Brighten image and enhance overall clarity — I find that slathering the Permachink (.com) or Log Jam (.com) on with a gloved hand works best for me. You don’t need a thick slather, a thin one will do just fine. If you have a large mortar crack, you can always use “backer rod” to hold the caulk.

Permachink and Log Jam make these elastic caulking materials that move with the log as it gains and loses water. It is like painting a home, where you have to be meticulous and careful.

To freshen the log faces use a 4 inch angle grinder with a “flap disc” to sand off the UV discoloration.

If you have a large **Primary Check** (usually on round pieces) you can stuff the **check** on the inside and the outside with a piece of brown paper bag or white formaldehyde-free fiberglass, to keep the air from entering.

Emily and Colin have a Facebook Group Page where they share their cordwood tips and hacks. They are meticulous and effective communicators. The FB page is called Cordwood Life. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573296298472

“My husband and I bought this gem in 2022 and have been learning the ropes of cordwood cabin upkeep.”

Should you wish to learn how to build a cordwood cottage, cabin or home, please visit www.cordwoodconstruction.org While you are there, click on the pictures, read the brief articles, check out the latest workshops and newsletter and if you are interested click on the Online Bookstore to see all the cordwood literature available in print and ebook format.

If you have questions that aren’t answered on the website you can email me at richardflatau@gmail.com

Cordwood Construction Best Practices Front_Cover_-_CC_Best_Practices small pixels

Readers have requested a brief bio, so here goes:

“Richard & Becky Flatau built their mortgage-free cordwood home in 1979 in Merrill, Wisconsin. Since then, they have written books, conducted workshops, facilitated the 2005, 2011 and 2015 Cordwood Conferences and provided consultation for cordwood builders. Cordwood Construction: Best Practices DVD 2019, Cordwood Construction Best Practices 2020 (print), Cordwood Conference Papers 2015 and Cordwood House Plans 2021 ($15) with 16 different floor plans, are the newest publications available from their online cordwood bookstore.” www.cordwoodconstruction.org