Sealing the Ends of Logs and Lumber - Ask Matt 20 

Thanks for explaining WHY wood checks at the ends!! When you flipped the board over, I could really visualize the wood stresses involved!! Great video!!

An old carpenter told me to use white wood glue and newspaper on the ends, works very well.

I remembered this video from years ago, and as I am starting to make my own things, I really appreciate you taking the time to answer this question!

Great Matt, I wish I could jump on a log like that, well perhaps 30 years ago.

Hi Matt, I had similar experience with Latex - I have good luck with Driveway Sealer and it's much cheaper than Anchor Seal - that said - If I had as nice of hardwood logs as you - Anchor Seal makes sense - thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the info Matt! 👍👊 ....I remember when I was young and could jump like that...... BTW, Love the intro! 😀

Matt, thanks for promoting end sealing of logs, it certainly can improve quality and yield. There were a couple points that, from a sawyer's perspective, I was concerned about. As far as end coating materials, it has been my experience that tar and roofing coatings are detrimental to the process. Tar will gum up the blade and may leave streaks on the ends of the boards. Many roof coatings are great for waterproofing but are formulated with fiberglass or aluminum fibers which aren't good for the blade. As far as paint, oil-based does take longer to dry but is significantly better at blocking moisture. Paints also cover the end grain and, although you can usually find the pith, it blocks the sawyer's view of things such as rays, spalting, and metal contamination. If logs have been down for a week, or more, it is probably better to trim off a few inches before coating. Keep up the good work.

Nice explanation. First time watcher. You are very relatable

Hey Matt, I've chainsawed a few small logs and I've had good success preventing splitting by getting a cup of regular wood glue and thinning it out with some water. Painting that on the end-grain seems to work a little better than latex paint. Could be an easy/cheap option if you ever run out of the Anchorseal

Great video Matt. Using a roller might be easier than a brush.

I would love it if you did a video talking about different chainsaws you have used for milling and help set some expectations for those just getting started in chainsaw milling. Also advice on which power of saw we should get for different thicknesses of wood and where you get the chain for your milling chainsaw.

Walker Industries with multiple facilities in the USA and Canada have Aqua Seal at less than half the cost of Anchor Seal. 1 gallon, 5 gallon, 55 gallon, tanker car, cheaper the larger lot. I picked up 2 5 gallon buckets today. I formerly saw Associated Chemists in threads, now Walker Industries, @t .

Thanks for the info Matt, good to know. With all the effort to cut down, transport and mill, it makes a lot of sense. Did a double take on that jump.

Good tip on reducing some of the checking. I just pick my 3’ wide logs up on end and dip them in my pool of anchor seal. Isn’t that the way everybody else does it? Saves on brushes. The jump at the end was just you showing off because I’m guessing a lot of your audience (like me) are over 50 anyway. We were Jack LaLane prodigies don’t you know!

I'm not at the point of buying huge logs yet but love the tip about painting the ends before milling. Seems this would be much easier and a time saver. Great content!

My 2 cents: devote a roller cage with a 3/4" nap cover to living inside that 5 gallon bucket. As long as you have a bucket less than half full you'll never have to clean a brush and sealing will take a fraction of the time of a brush.

Thanks for the info. I now understand what causes checking.

I use a construction latex wall sealant, looks very similar to Anchorseal which I assume is latex based as well. Seems to work fine

Have you ever tried submerging a log for a few years underwater? Old techniques that are a bit too time consuming - but I'm really interested if those logs cracked at all. They submerged them because the water disolved the resin out of the logs, making them quite resistant to anything really

Love my anchorseal! What the hell are assmatts?

Great job Matt

I was genuinely just searching around for information on this!

Great info Matt :) I've been using PVA D3 to seal the ends of logs for a long time and it's been working well for me ॐ

Watched again = DOUBLE-LIKE. Hi Matt. Funny, we enjoy our woodworking presenters and sharing fellows. Yet, of course, you do not know us. AnyWayz, thanks and Be Well

Lol you paid $83 in 2014 now it’s $189 + shipping. Wow how it has gone up. Great video as always. Oops that was 3 rd party seller. From UC coatings just $108 + shipping. So not to bad after 9 years of inflation.

How many outtakes were there with you jumping on the log lol. Very informative video. 👍

If I just Milled a log that was sitting out for a year, is it too late to put on Anchorseal? Thanks

the air Jordan jump at the end was pretty impressive.

Awesome! thanks for sharing... I use the same stuff, and noticed on some of the thinner pieces i have ( thinner meaning i "sliced" off some pieces around 4" thick from a log about 4' diameter. i was thinking of using them as table tops once they dry but i have noticed they are checking and cracking pretty badly. Do you know why that would be? Thanks, Charlie

Matt, Latex paint is porous so even though it slows down water loss it does not stop it and I believe the loss from a latex painted end grain will still be somewhat faster than the long grain. I would imagine, and it is a guess, that the amount of any cracking etc would be reduced though.

Thanks for the info. I make furniture with wooden logs, not slabs or any traditional carpentry, more like sculptural with the logs. What would you recommend to prevent extreme cracking? I know the humidity has to be released one moment or another but if you have any input I would appreciate very much.

"Daddy, have you seen my sandcastle bucket?" LOL, I'm glad I'm not the only one who does stuff like that!

Nice video, nice jump! Good info. When you say "ask Matts" when you are winded.... Well, it sounded like you said something else. I giggled, then realized what you really said.

Ask Matt suggestion. You "stabilized some grain" a few videos back. Can that be done to salvage soft boards that have been left outside?

My only question: Did you ask JR permission to use his sand castle bucket?

Ha! Roll the intro! Really interesting video, Matt. I learned a lot.

Great tips Keith Dufour Louisiana Cypress

Anchor Seal $42 a gallon. Titebond Glue $18 gallon. In a research study... the glue is just as good as the Anchor seal. Good with Anchor Seal... wax comes off stuff... clothes, back of the truck bed. Glue does not.

Hi can I do this when using a few logs as stools in my yard?

Hello, I just got a tree log that was I’m trying to finish to make a table. But I’m having an issue with getting rid of the sap. Any advice?

great video i just got a tree cut down in my back yard and got a log cut to make some stools for the backyard. What do I put on them to seal them? I want to keep the bark on them. thanks so much

Sheesh. Now your just making me feel old jumping up on that log.... and I'm not that much older than you! Enjoy the warm weather I hear winter is coming back next week!

Great video, thanks for sharing Matt!

Hi , Thanks a lot for the great info! I see you still answer questions so a quick few for you: I have 12" pine cookie I got, it was cut 2 days ago so first thing first I'm going to add layer of anchorseal. My questions are - does 1 layer is enough? how long will it take it do air dry? Will it dry in New England weather (snow and rain) or I'll need to cover it? Should I sand first and then put anchorseal or only after it dries?

Wife and I literally lol’d at intro

Do you apply one or more coats? How long does it take for a large log to dry? Thanks

Will hot wax , CA glue or wood glue work as well?

Good job

Has anyone ever tried Drylok basement waterproofing paint for sealing log ends?

Cross Fit ending! nice.

How long does it take to dry a 24" log like that when the ends are sealed?

25 years ago I was handing out copies of "Understanding Wood" by Hoadley.

See Matt paint! Watch paint dry! I'm guessing that the anchor seal might come in gallon containers.. Nice to be able to paint in late November.

@5:40 - man, that's a cant!

You may disagree, but I feel this is a very important question Matt. Did JR approve the use of his bucket for the application of the anchor seal? 🤔

I like that you don't use an Intro. With Intros and begging for thumbs ups and subscriptions so many youtube videos are 50% self promotion and 50% content. I like that yours are mostly content! Besides being small are there any drying considerations between large and small lumber (width and length I don't mean thickness)?

Can you do a video on sealing with traditional beeswax

I just got some beech cookies, 10cm thick and 60cm in diameter, from a friend and sealed one with woodglue and the other with laquer. Curious what will be the difference, if there is any. By the way, sealing logs seems to be an appropriate task for your older boy, to get him into the business. May be the Anchorseal won't last as long......But hey.....

Interesting about the different shrinking directions, didn't realise that was a thing

Thanks for the great info!

would applying more anchor seal to the ones that are checking, ,ie in the checks , help prevent further ingress of the check .

So helpful, thanks! Where do you store your lumber? And how long does it need to dry before it's milled? I have a slice out of the trunk of a green tree that was just cut down and I'm curious how long after sealing it up I should wait before working with it.

Hi Matt, We just had an ornamental pear tree cut down in our front yard and I kept a good deal of the trunk and a few hefty limbs about 8" diameter and probably 5' long. I cut the 21" diameter trunk into roughly 19" long stumps because I want to eventually strip the bark, sand them and use them for rustic stump seats or stools just like they are but I'm not sure how long to dry them outside before I can finish them or if I should go ahead and seal the ends or what I need to do to prepare them or prevent them from cracking real bad, do you have any advice please? Thank you....

No sand castles for the little ones with that bucket anymore :-)

I'm in Arizona and have a giant eucalyptus I'm trying to seal. It checks really quickly and is 3' in diameter. Should I seal the sides, or is there anything I can do to slow the checking until I can cut slabs? I'm desperate. Maybe sprinkling it with water?

Will removing the bark from the wood you have applied sealant to help the wood dry out any faster?

What can’t hook is that you used?

Cross Fit Lumber Jack move at 8:29.

Great explanation, thanks!

Matt, I have several mesquite logs that have been stewing in my scrap pile for many years. They are at nearly 5000ft elevation in Southern Ariizona. My question is do you have any suggestions for projects to make with them or how to treat them. I don't think they are too badly checked and there is some useful wood in there somewhere. They're not very big with the biggest being a little more than 6-8 inches in diameter but they're very heavy. I'll send some pictures if you want.

Question. I just ordered a cooks sawmill, and I won't get it till spring, so mean while I have been gathering logs. Always heard about painting ends but never new the importance of it. Most logs have been cut 3 or 4 weeks ago, so is it to late to seal them? Or to cold?

Where did you get those shoes?

Can I paint all board? (because I have big crack)

Didn't you seal up a oak cookie about a year ago with anchor seal? How's that doing/drying?

ever consider explaining how you get those monster logs into boards? that would be worth seeing.

Very interesting. Have you got some logs, which were sealed with Anchor Seal right after they were freshly cut? Just for comparison. I am curious to see how noticeable the difference is.

Do you need to seal crosscut slabs that have a "length" of 5 to 6 inches?

I see you put some blood and sweat into this episode , literally . :-)) Take care Matt and keep em coming .

I just found some large logs that have been down for a little over 2 years. Would they still be good for milling and do I bother sealing the ends up since they have been down for so long?

Hey how you doing boss I really like your videos and I have learned a lot I would like to ask you a question bought a piece of land in Maine I live in Florida I want to build a cabin with my bare hands is going to be my first time how long should I let the logs dry keep it in mind I don't have so much time to be going up and down the cabin is not going to be for vacation is kind of beef for me living on it you recommend me letting the logs dry out or just built what the wet logs

Is it ever too late or not worth sealing the ends. I have just milled some Norwegian spruce that has been on the ground for a year. Didnt remember to do it before milling. I see some checking already, not too bad. Is sealing worth the effort at this point? Thanks for your input. Love the channel

Whats the Difference between Classic Anchor Seal and the new Hybrid? have you use both, if so which one did you prefer?

Matt, is this method used by the hardwood sellers? Or are the different colored paints on the ends of the boards to mark it by species?

Hey matt, I just got some domestic mulberry. It was cut down about a year ago and wasnt sealed. I recut the ends to seal them, should I cut back all the way until no cracking is found? Or just seal it ?

I just got a stack of 36" cookies back from my sawyer and he recommended Pentacryl. Anyone have experience with this vs. Anchorseal? Just curious if one coat of Pentacryl on each side is sufficient for 3" thick cookies.

Log Form......"This is not my final form" -Log

Next time wear the Superman cape and you won't be so winded. lol thanks Matt

Enjoy that being able to jump to the top of the log while you can, ya young whippersnapper! Only way I'd get up there now days is by trying to mantle my way up, and I'd probably fall asleep halfway there.

Just noticed at the end of the video what others have commented on your other videos..... You wave your arms about like a windmill 😅 Lol

Thank you. Great information :)

Hi Matt I take it that Anchor seal is water resistant after drying

That log jump though.

Is there any way to fix cupped cross cut table tops

Dude, how did you cut that perfect 1" or so thick cookie off of that massive log?!? I have never seen anything like that!

If you have the luxury of leaving a tree in place, is there any advantage to topping the tree, ringing the bottom to prevent nutrient flow, and then having it die/dry out while still in place vertically?

How long do you wait on sappy stuff like pine? Do you also seal it immediately or do you think waiting a few days makes sense? Or do you just turn you nose up to sappy soft woods? Lol

Nice spray can finger, mine is black not orange.

How long after applying Anchorseal Does it take to dry?

I know a lot of people would be like... oh... wow... some dude painting the end of a log... how exciting! However, I found this very informative, and helpful. Thank you!

Great info...once sealed will that affect staining or painting the wood when used. If I seal end grain of my deck boards can I then stain down the road. Thanks.