Log End Sealant Cost and Alternatives
Brand name log sealers are costly. Are cheap alternatives effective? October 1, 2009
Question
I picked up a gallon of AnchorSeal type sealant for around $25. This seems pretty expensive. What's a good price for some AnchorSeal and about how far should it go?
Forum Responses
(Sawing and Drying Forum)
From contributor R:
Yes, that is a little high; I pay $55 for 5 gallons plus shipping. I used Anchorseal the first time and now use a brand sold by one of the logging, sawing suppliers. I notice no difference between the two.
From the original questioner:
Where do you get the sealant now?
From contributor T:
Why is Anchorseal referred to so much when, from my experience, just about any old paint can be used to clog up the ends of a log's wood cells? People can't give old paint cans to anyone most of the time. So that kind of log end sealer is free and works just fine and recycles an otherwise unusable product and keeps it out of our landfills. Save your hard earned dollars for other things. And if you think one coat isn't enough, slop on some more - after all, it's free paint that was just sitting in someone's storage area anyway.
From contributor R:
Bailey's.
From contributor A:
Not any old paint will do. Most waterbase paints do not seal the wood good enough to prevent checking. Oil base paint does a better, job but if too thick will gum up on the blades when sawing. Anchorseal is a brand name that has now just made it easier to recognize what the product is. There are other makers. Yes, it costs more, but if you throw the last 6 inches of both ends of walnut lumber away, you will pay way more than a 5 gallon bucket of Anchorseal will cost.
From contributor B:
With Anchorseal, the more you buy, the cheaper it is. Meaning the per gallon price is much cheaper when buying 5 gallons at a time vs. buying a gallon. I get mine straight from the source, uccoatings.com.
From contributor T:
When I get a load of ten oak logs or more in and don't want spend a lot more money than I have already on an Anchorseal type product, I still go with my earlier statement. I will say I have never used an Anchorseal type product and see no reason to! I do this a lot - I've got 1500 hours on my 2004 Wood-Mizer Lt40hdg28 with Accuset 2, so I think what I have said has some validity where I am located. I have 2000 board feet of 2 year old high quality red oak that I am selling for $4.00 per board foot right now that is good right up to the water based painted ends. Which I think speaks for itself.
