Your log home is a dream turned into reality. You put so much of yourself into your log home that you made it simply beautiful.
So is Sikkens... 
Exterior Logs
The nature of logs varies greatly due to the differences in wood species, moisture levels and the "type" of log. Preparation, application and maintenance procedures therefore may differ depending upon the type of log.
Logs can be made of hard or soft wood. Oak is an example of a hard wood and pine a soft wood. Hard and soft woods each have their own special characteristics that affect construction and coating techniques. Sikkens wood finishes are compatible with all wood species when proper preparation has been done.
Logs are solid wood, sometimes even complete trunks of trees. Logs are either machine shaped (planed) or peeled. When logs are peeled, the bark is completely removed, but often the layer underneath the bark, the cambium, remains. For a coating to adhere to logs, the cambium must be completely removed. This is done by following the preparation procedures for new wood
There are three (3) general types of logs, categorized by moisture content and the method used to shape and prepare the logs:
1. Green or wet logs, Wolmanized, Timbor treated and pressure treated logs.
2. Kiln dried or air dried logs.
3. Laminated logs.
The characteristics of these logs and recommended product application procedures are outlined in the following sections.
The moisture content of logs must be reduced to 18% or below by observing a drying period before applying a Sikkens solvent-borne coating. During the drying period, it is recommended to apply a non-film forming wood preservative to provide protection against mold and mildew growth. If the moisture content of the logs is unknown, follow the application procedure for green logs.
If the logs have not been pretreated by the manufacturer, or if the location is one of high humidity and warm temperatures, a non-film forming wood preservative may be applied to the logs before coating. Thorough cleaning and preparation of the logs before coating are always essential.
When applying Opaque Satin to woods that contain tannic acid (i.e. Western Red Cedar, Redwood, etc.) or knotty woods, a non-bleeding/tannin blocking primer may be necessary to prevent extractive bleeding from the wood.
Sikkens wood finishes are compatible with good quality chinking and polyurethane or acrylic caulking available on the market.
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