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Small Cabin Forum / Member's Projects and Photos / How to "chink" interior wall
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addforwv
Member
# Posted: 29 Mar 2017 13:29
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We are two women turning a pre-made Amish lofted cabin into our dream home. I was a work widow for 24 hours on Christmas Day, got bored and built a wall 20' long in our living room/kitchen out of 6' privacy fencing boards. I love our wall, but as they are rough cut boards, there are gaps between a lot of them. I need some ideas on how to fill the gaps between as you can see the insulation and the studs. Would rather have something I can mix up myself, but am not above using commercial materials.
Cabin Wall
Cabin Wall


Smawgunner
Member
# Posted: 29 Mar 2017 15:02
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The gaps look pretty small but I could be wrong. There is a place in my town called Floor and Decor. They sell caulking in all kinds of colors that might do the trick.

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 29 Mar 2017 16:09 - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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You could add small strips to make it appear like the board and batten system? Basically, a strip over the gap

Rickkrus
Member
# Posted: 29 Mar 2017 16:26 - Edited by: Rickkrus
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One part cement or lime slack to three parts sand. I think a really fine grit silica sand looks best. You could also use drywall mud.

buckybuck
Member
# Posted: 29 Mar 2017 16:50
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I used rough cut oak planks for the interior walls of my cabin, and ended up with lots of gaps in lots of sizes. I ended up wedging strips of sisal and manila rope (small diameter sisal twine for the little gaps, thicker manila rope for the humongous ones) lengthwise in the gaps between the planks. It doesn't look bad, and my thinking is the rope will handle expansion and contraction better than chinking.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 29 Mar 2017 18:05
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Quoting: buckybuck
thinking is the rope will handle expansion and contraction better than chinking.


Yes, any material that dries or cures to be hard used to fill the voids will likely suffer cracking and then falling out over time as humidity causes the boards to expand and contract.

Along the lines of what Smawgunner suggested, you can buy sanded caulk from any good ceramic tile seller. It is made to match all the colors of grout that is made for tile work. It remains somewhat flexible. It can get messy if the installer is not careful.

Too late to mention for this wall, but keep in mind for any future walls that if the interior side of the studs had been covered over with building paper (tarpaper) first and then the boards applied we wouldn't be discussing remedial work right now. There would still be gaps but the flat black paper would help disguise the fact.

The gaps are the reason T&G was developed.

neckless
Member
# Posted: 30 Mar 2017 10:09
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could u staple black felt paper on back.. seen that done, the black looked good in back ground...

Malamute
Member
# Posted: 2 Apr 2017 14:21 - Edited by: Malamute
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A cement mortar isn't likely to work well, its crumbly at best, and in small gaps probably isn't going to stick well or stay unbroken or cracked and stay in the gaps.

The sanded grout type caulk may work, but is probably going to be expensive. The commercial chinking like Log Jam can be bought in 1 qt tubes in various colors. It adheres well and is simple to use and tool to finish it.

Its too late now, but beveling the board edges and leaving a little more gap would have been easier to chink. Having the back side vapor barrier'ed and in an acceptable color (like the black felt mentioned) would have eliminated the need to deal with the joints, but, as far as dealing with whats there, Log Jam should work OK. The same company also makes a similar product called log builder, which is the same material and colors, but without the sand texture added. It works well when filling smaller cracks in log work. Tooling it isn't only for looks, just squirting it in the joint doesn't give as good adhesion in the joint as if its tooled, just like pressing on tape after applying it to make it bond better. That last point seems lost in translation of using the products, and the instructional material Ive seen.

If just wanting to eliminate seeing the material behind the boards, try the smaller size backer rod meant for backing up caulk and chinking. It can be poked into some pretty small gaps. In my log cabin I use it to stop air leaks when I notice them in the winter and don't bother to chink or caulk over them, the material is out of sight for the most part, and black, so its not noticeable. I use a small margin trowel or small chinking tool to poke it in. A small screwdriver would also work.

creeky
Member
# Posted: 2 Apr 2017 15:16
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Thanks for the tip Malamute.

the mfct has a good calculator and tips section. to see how when and where to apply. even a stain calculator.

I want to stain my wood wood with semitransparent white and then caulk the gaps inside my bedroom to keep the rustic feel but clean and brighten.

this should work.

Malamute
Member
# Posted: 3 Apr 2017 12:27
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Good link, thanks!

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