Chinking Problems

This chinking was only a few years old. The product was a quality product. The problem however was twofold. First, the backer was a type of styrofoam that the chinking stuck to making it unable to move with the logs. Logs will expand, shrink and settle over time, therefore the chinking must be able to move as well.

With the proper backer it allows the chinking to adhere to the top and bottom of the logs only so that it only has to stretch two ways, up and down. It is not restricted by being attacthed to the face of the backer. 

Second. the applacation was too thin. Most of the chinking was paper thin, 1/16 inch or less. To have enough elasticity to move between such a wide gap (4 inches), a thickness of 3/8 to 1/2 inch is recommended. This will allow the chinking to act like a rubber band. As it stretchs, it get thinner, and as in this case, too thin, and it will break.

 So, correct intallation of backer rod and proper applacation of the chinking is important if it is expected to last. Proper chinking can get expensive because it is slow tedious work. But if it is rushed to save money, it will show down the road.  This is another….You get what you pay for.