Learn to Calculate How Much Caulking or Chinking You Need

Article content provided by Perma-Chink Systems, LLC.

When it comes to ordering sealants like Perma-Chink or Energy Seal there are two dimensions that you need to know in order to determine how much product you will need:

  • the width of the gaps or joints that you want to seal
  • the cumulative length (linear feet) of the gaps or joints that you want to seal

The width is fairly easy to determine. If it is a chink joint on a squared log, it is the average distance between upper and lower log surfaces.square log chink joint

If it is a round log chink joint, you first have to insert a length of proper size Grip Strip and then measure the distance between the top and bottom logs about 3/8 of an inch in front of the surface of the Grip Strip.

round log chink joint

In the case of Energy Seal caulk it is the width of the gap and size of the backer rod that determines the width of the Energy Seal.

backer rod energy seal

When estimating your purchase requirements for an entire log home the task of determining how many linear feet of sealant you will need can be somewhat overwhelming. However, if you break it down to one wall at a time and then add all of the walls together it becomes much simpler. Calculating the number of linear feet of chink joints or sealant gaps in a log wall is fairly easy when following these steps:

  1. Start by measuring the length of the wall with a tape measure.
  2. Then count the number of joints you need to seal. Usually it is the number of log courses minus one.
  3. When you multiply these two numbers together you have the linear feet of sealant required for that wall. Don’t worry about subtracting the windows or doors unless they take up a substantial portion of the wall area. You will need to seal around them anyway.
  4. If you are planning to run a bead of sealant in the corners or other vertical seamsenergy seal corner of round logs you need to know the height of the wall then multiply the height by a factor of 1.25 to compensate for the increased surface area created by the curvature of the logs.
  5. Once you have determined both the width of the sealant joint and total number of linear feet you will be sealing, reference the charts below to find out how many tubes, cases or 5 gallon pails you need for your project. If  you were thinking about using tubes of either product consider this, the price difference between two pails of Perma-Chink or Energy Seal and an equal amount of material in tubes more than covers the cost of a Cox bulk loading gun and follow plate.

Energy Seal Coverage Rates 

When applied to 5/16th to 3/8” thickness

(Note: 1 x 5 gallon pail = 20 x 30oz tubes = 55 x 11oz tubes)

Bead Size 11 oz 30 oz 5 gallon
1/2″ gap 16 LF 48 LF 975 LF
¾” gap 11 LF 32 LF 650 LF
1” gap 8   LF 24 LF 490 LF
For gaps over 1” use Perma-Chink For gaps over 1” use Perma-Chink For gaps over 1” use Perma-Chink For gaps over 1” use Perma-Chink

Perma-Chink 5 Gallon Bucket Coverage

(Note: 1 x 5 gallon pail = 20 x 30oz tubes = 55 x 11oz tubes)

Gap Width Coverage of 1-5 gallon Bucket
For Gaps Smaller than 1” in Width Use Energy Seal Caulk
1” 380 Linear Feet
11/2” 256 Linear Feet
2” 192 Linear Feet
21/2” 154 Linear Feet
3” 127 Linear Feet
31/2” 110 Linear Feet
4” 96 Linear Feet
41/2” 85 Linear Feet
5” 76 Linear Feet
6” 63.5 Linear Feet