As a log home builder, the success of wood finishes is of great interest and importance to me. We make a point of sampling any and every product that comes to our attention. Each spring, we take log slabs and develop a test board which we mount in an exposed area and then allow nature take its' course. I have been doing this for fifteen years. Needless to say, those finishes that fail with-in the first year (and there are many that do), we do not continue to test. As the seasons go by, we are able to determine which products are worth continuing to test.

Historically, we have been reluctant to recommend one product over the other to our clients, but based on the results of our testing, we now suggest three stain manufacturers for our clients to choose from. One of the products is an oil based finish, the other is water based and the third wood finish is DEFY.

Based on their performance, any of these three products would be a good choice, although we prefer the water based finishes.

DEFY comes in ahead for a variety of reasons;

 It can be applied successfully on both green and dry wood and in a wide range of weather conditions. The wet-on wet application means that we can stain a small building in a day.

It is forgiving; one can inspect for drips and runs and easily correct them during the course of application. Easy water clean up, and one doesn't have to suit up against noxious gases.

It fails gracefully.... lightening in colour and without flaking. Depending on exposure, and amount of pigment in stain colour, reapplication is required in 4 - 7 years.

In January 1998, we pushed the product to live up to its' claims on our own home, which was the Dream Home at the Vancouver and Fraser Valley Home and Garden Shows. Fortunately we enjoyed a mild winter; when we applied the finish, the mid-day temperatures rose to just above freezing. We had weighed the pros and cons of pre-staining (the advantage of a pre-stained building meant that the logs would be protected against dirt and the ravages of travel), but we had some concern about the success of the product when applied in less than optimum temperatures. It was a good call, DEFY allows us a longer window of opportunity for stain application.

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