What kinds of things do you buy in five gallon buckets? Here at CS Woods, one of those things is Anchorseal! The application of this fantastic product is one of the essential steps to milling wood, and one that we strongly recommend to any new miller.
ANCHORSEAL Classic is a top-tier, wax-emulsion end sealer designed to prevent end checks (drying splits) in both hardwood and softwood logs and lumber. By regulating moisture loss, ANCHORSEAL can reduce end checks by up to 90%. Introduced in 1980 by U-C Coatings, ANCHORSEAL Classic was the first end grain sealer of its kind in the log and lumber industry and remains the industry standard for end grain protection. It's also widely used in woodworking to safeguard debarked logs, wood turning blanks, log cookies, and live edge slabs.
Anchorseal is a premium end grain sealer specifically designed to actually prevent "end checking" – the unsightly cracks that form on the ends of freshly cut logs and lumber. This phenomenon occurs because wood naturally shrinks as it dries, and the ends, with their larger surface area exposed to the air, lose moisture much faster than the sides. This rapid drying causes stress and leads to the formation of cracks. Anchorseal is proven to significantly reduce end checking in both hardwood and softwood.
Anchorseal works to control moisture loss by acting as a barrier, significantly slowing down the rate at which moisture escapes from the end grain of the wood. By controlling this moisture loss, it helps prevent the rapid shrinkage that causes end checking. It forms a protective layer that helps to reduce the risk of blue stain and sapstain, fungal infections that can discolor and weaken the wood.
CS Woods and our family of sawyers and woodsmen use Anchorseal to minimize and even prevent end checking. We apply it to all cut surfaces as soon as they are milled open, protecting the ends of logs, slabs, and turning blanks, preserving their value and reducing waste. By preserving the integrity of the wood, Anchorseal helps to ensure higher quality lumber for various applications. This reduces the waste in a log and keeps ends from needing excess epoxy resin fills
CS Woods applies Anchorseal using brushes, rollers, or sprayers depending on the surface that needs to be sealed. Often our team will do up to three coats of Anchorseal, letting it dry for 24 hours between coats. This provides long-term protection against end checking and other forms of wood degradation. With a number of coats, we've found that Anchorseal will last for years in our harsh Colorado climate.
Looking for Anchorseal, we've got it for sale in the showroom in Denver, and it is available online!