Permachink Maintenance Guide

Initial application to your exterior is two coats of Lifeline EXterior or Lifeline Ultra-2, followed by one or two clear topcoats of Lifeline Advance Satin or Gloss protective finish. During inspection and cleaning evaluate the condition of the finish to determine if any areas of the home may need another coat of Lifeline Advance Satin or Gloss.

After these applications of Lifeline, your exterior should require little or no maintenance, other than cleaning, for a period of about 3 to 5 years. If local weather conditions are severe or if moisture content of logs is high (over 20%), additional maintenance may be required.

Maintenance should consist of the following:

• Semi-annual inspection
• Periodic cleaning
• Maintenance coats

What to Expect?

You ask your exterior finish to do a lot. You expect it to protect your walls from the damaging effects of temperature variation, wind, rain, snow and sunlight. The effects of these elements will occur at different rates on different parts of your home. Typically, walls with southern and western exposure (which normally receive more sunlight and heat exposure) weather more quickly than walls with northern and eastern exposure. Walls protected by deep roof overhangs weather more slowly. Any wood surface exposed to repeated wet/dry cycles will weather more rapidly than protected areas.

Log ends should be carefully inspected, protected and maintained. Log end grain absorbs water at about 10 times the rate as longitudinal grain. Protect log ends with Log End Seal™ to help prevent the problems associated with wet wood (mold/mildew, rot and insect infestation). Sap bleeding out of logs can take place during the first years of seasoning and sometimes indefinitely. Wood finishes cannot prevent or control sap bleed. Sap can be removed from the surface by chilling with ice, scraping with a putty knife or removing with mineral spirits or alcohol.

Over time, checks open up in logs. These checks expose new wood to moisture brought in by wind and rain. Water-soaked wood swells and shrinks more than protected wood, resulting in more checking. Be sure to seal upward-facing checks that are greater than 1/4 inch wide if exposed to blowing rain or other water sources. Treat with Shell-Guard® (borate-based wood preservative) prior to sealing if checks have allowed water into the core of logs. Make sure checks are dry and free of loose material.

Note: Round logs tend to weather (fade or darken) on the upper half of their outside surface because of the direct exposure to sun and rain. They also provide a surface upon which airborne contaminates settle. Usually, weathering and dirt shows first on these surfaces.

Inspection

Before we start discussing the inspection, here are a few tips. First, make a diagram of your home that you can carry with you while you inspect. It does not have to be fancy, just a simple plan you can use to note where something needs to be done. Second, take pictures during your inspection. It’s amazing how something you see will disappear when you go back to look for it. Third, develop a checklist of things to look for that is relevant to your home. It’s easy to forget what to look for by the time you get to the third or fourth wall.

When inspecting the exterior, look for the following:

• Plants within 18 inches of exterior walls - trim back.
• Gutters and down spouts - should be in good working order.
• Foundation - wood should be at least 12 inches from the ground.
• Firewood - should be at least 18 inches away from home.
• Areas that are most exposed to weather:
  - South and west walls, which usually get more sun exposure.
  - Walls facing prevailing winds as they are exposed to more rain and dust.
• Patterns of weathering:
  - Fading of the finish.
  - Water stains on exposed walls.
  - Evidence of water in exposed log ends.
  

Note: Make sure that no sprinklers direct water at the wall, including water patterns on windy days.

Get up close

• Look for dust, pollen, etc. on upward facing portion of logs:
  - Clean with water or mild cleaning solutions (see Cleaning).
  
• Inspect for any signs of weathering of finish.
• Check water repellent quality of finish.
  - Spray or splash water on walls and look for it to “bead.” If it doesn’t bead and the color is good, apply a maintenance coat of Lifeline Advance.
  If the color is faded it’s time to apply a pigmented coat of Lifeline stain.
• Inspect for mold or mildew:
  - On top of finish. (can it be washed off?)
  - Underneath finish.
  
• Seal upward-facing checks (1/4 inch or wider) using Check Mate (treat with Shell-Guard first).
• Carefully inspect logs for signs of moisture (discolored or softened wood).
• Pay special attention to all logs and ends extending to or beyond roof overhangs.
• Inspect the integrity of all sealant joinery (Perma-Chink, Energy Seal, Check Mate) at log-log interfaces, windows, doors, checks, rooflines or any potential air or water intrusion points. Maintain as re-quired.

Where moisture is a problem, a Shell-Guard treatment provides a safeguard against rot and insects. Contact Perma-Chink Systems, Inc. for more information.

Cleaning Existing Lifeline Exterior Finishes

Cleaning exterior walls is an important step in maintaining the appearance and durability of your finish. Exterior surfaces of the home are a settling ground for dust, pollen and other airborne contaminants, which dull the surfaces and provide food for fungal growth. Cleaning is also necessary to perform an adequate inspection of the condition of your exterior finish.

Wash your exterior finish just like you wash your car. The objective is to remove the contaminates without harming your finish. This can be accomplished by the following:

1. Always use mild solutions of cleaners* on the wall. Strong cleaners may damage your finish! If in doubt, try your solution in an inconspicuous area before proceeding.

   Log Wash is specifically formulated for this cleaning application. Plan on cleaning small areas at a time since Log Wash needs to stay wet in order to do its job.

2. Always use a gentle setting on water nozzles, not a jet.
3. Always use soft-bristled brushes or non-abrasive pads for cleaning.

Log Wash cleaning solution is best applied using a low pressure garden type sprayer.

1. First, wet the walls with mist from your garden hose. Work an area only big enough that the cleaning solution is on the wall for about 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Apply the cleaning solution from the bottom up.
3. After gentle scrubbing, be sure to thoroughly rinse all cleaners off the wall. Residue can prevent proper stain adhesion.

Remember to wash from the bottom up and rinse from the top down.

Maintenance Application

You should apply a maintenance coat of Lifeline when your finish has lost its sheen or it no longer repels water. Although the water beading may be gone, the film should still be intact. Remember, it’s not always necessary to refinish your entire house. Apply maintenance coats to those walls where it is required.

If the finish has faded and the color no longer looks right, it is time to apply a pigmented coat of Lifeline EXterior or Lifeline Ultra-2 to bring the color back. This also provides the protection that only pigment can provide. This is especially important to areas of the home that are exposed to sunlight. Then apply a clear topcoat of Lifeline Advance Satin or Gloss.

If the color is right but the finish has lost its sheen or is no longer water-repellent, a maintenance coat of Lifeline Advance Satin or Gloss. may be all that is required.

Preparation

Always make sure that your preparation includes cleaning all foreign materials from the walls. Check all wood surfaces for deterioration, decay, dirt, mold and mildew. You can usually distinguish mold and/or mildew from dirt spots by touching the suspect spot with a cotton swab soaked with chlorine bleach. If the bleach clears the spot, then it is mold and/or mildew rather than dirt. Repair decayed wood using appropriate restoration techniques. Contact Perma-Chink Systems for more information. If you detect signs of excessive moisture (darkened wood, excessive mold and mildew), remove moisture sources and treat the wood with Shell-Guard to prevent wood rot.

Be careful to follow all of the preparation and application instructions provided on the label to ensure that you get the optimum performance from your efforts and your finish. Read all of the instructions before you begin. Remember, consistent preparation is important because your finish highlights wood grain and texture and seals in any blemishes left during the preparation process.

Mill Glaze - On new wood, remove mill glaze by sanding, power washing or using mill-glaze treatments commonly available at your local paint supply store.

Old Finishes - If you are going to recoat over existing finish, evaluate the adhesion of the existing finish by applying and peeling masking tape from the surface in a few areas. If very little finish is removed with the tape, the adhesion should be adequate to provide a base for your new Lifeline. If significant amounts of stain remain on peeled tape, remove the old finish before applying new Lifeline. In either case, surfaces must be clean and dry for your new coat of Lifeline.

If you are going to completely remove your old finish, you have a few options. If the old finish is seriously degraded, strong cleaners may completely remove it. However, in protected areas, removal is usually difficult with this method.

For complete finish removal, one option is to use our Blaster-Buddy and corn media. This non-chemical stripping method leaves wood dry with a surface that readily accepts a new coat of Lifeline. Another popular method of removing old stains is traditional pressure washing. Contact Perma-Chink Systems for more info.

If you prefer to use chemical strippers, we can supply a professional-strength stripper. Whenever you choose to use any chemicals during your preparation process, thoroughly clean all chemical residues from the wood surfaces to avoid any interaction they may have with your newly applied finishes. Additionally, carefully follow the manufacturer’s use and safety instructions. Remember, the quality of your preparation determines much of the finished appearance and durability of a new stain application. Contact Perma-Chink Systems for more info.

Graying Wood - If the wood surface has turned gray from UV exposure but is free from dirt and other contaminants, restore wood tone with Wood ReNew and/or Oxcon.

Dirt and Grease - If wood surface requires cleaning, use Wood ReNew to clean and restore wood tones.

Sanding - When sanding or buffing the wood, do not use steel wool. Steel wool leaves fine particles of steel on the wood that will cause rust stains.

Rust Stains - If you have rust stains on the wood surface from bands, nails or other sources, clean them with Oxcon. When using Oxcon, always treat the entire surface. Avoid spot applications.

Mold and Mildew - If there are mold and mildew stains on the surface of the Lifeline, some household chlorine bleach added to fresh water will probably help. Never use household bleach stronger than one part bleach to three parts water.

Note: When using a chlorine bleach mixture or any cleaning solution, always start application at the lowest course of logs and work up. Rinse from the top down. This will minimize any “streaking” that may occur from direct application of the bleach mixture.