I recently began removing and re-chinking a log home in Door County, WI. I used a recipe of 6 parts silica sand and 4 parts type M mortar. The logs were kept dry and much of the work was done in the sun. The next day we had several hair line vertical cracks. What causes the cracks? How do I need to change the recipe to prevent the cracks? Do I need to redo the chinking?
not sure since we do not use mortar. Here are the recipes that I have for this stuff.
Chinking:
By the shovel:
1 portland cement
3 strained sawdust
4 fibered plaster
2 masonry sand
2 masonry cement
mix dry add water
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Daubing Mixes
parts (volume) material
MIX A
1/4 cement
1 lime
4 sand
1/8 dry color
hog bristles or excelsior
MIX B
6 sand
4 lime
1 cement
MIX C
1 portland cement
4-8 lime
7-10 sand
Mix A (Donald A. Hutsler, ”Log Cabin Restoration: Guidelines for the Historical Society,” American Association for State and Local History, Technical Leaflet No. 74, ”History News,” Vol. 29, No. 5 (May 1974.)
Mix B and C are reprinted from ”Log Structures: Preservation and Problem-Solving,” by Harrison Goodall and Renee Friedman, Nashville, TN: American Association for State and Local History, 1980.