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Hemp Shield Restores Luster To Historic Resort's Wood

Since linseed oil and turpentine disappeared as basic ingredients for paints and coatings shortly after World War II, all national wood finish brands in commercial use have been created from crude oil.

That stranglehold ended when the Telemark Resort and Convention Center in Cable, Wisconsin chose Hemp Shield Wood Finish and Deck Sealer™ as the primary wood finish for a complete renovation of the main lodge.

Historic Telemark Resort and Convention Center, the largest meeting and recreation destination in northwestern Wisconsin, had seen better days. The lodge is impressively clad in old growth tounge-and-groove cedar paneling, with massive exposed supporting beams and delicate framing around 2-story floor-to-ceiling windows. Even casual areas like the Guest's Laundry are cedar paneled in the 'board-and-bat' style of the American Frontier. However, over 50 years of continuous use had left their mark. Years of accumulated dust and smoke, and the residue of repeated cleaning had left the once lustrous finish dull and lifeless, the wood's rich tones and complex grains hidden from Telemark's guests.

Then in 2011, the resort's management committed to a total restoration and upgrade of the lodge, as well as new world class Nordic ski trails and other facilities to compliment Telemark's status as the official American Berkibeiner Nordic Course. As part of the makeover, the resort staff chose Hemp Shield Wood Finish and Deck Sealer™ to bring new life to their treasured cedar paneling.

Telemark's staff was introduced to Hemp Shield™ by Ken Anderson, owner of Original Green Distribution, Hemp Shield's leading commercial distributor. Original Green Distribution supplied Telemark with Hemp Shield™ products and advised on application techniques for the restoration.

Telemark Resort's Managing General Partner, Ric Ahern, spoke about their experience:

"Telemark Resort in Northern Wisconsin recently started a renovation of our main lodge building. We researched wood finishes and sealers that would provide a lasting and economical solution for our cedar interior and exterior surfaces. We also wanted a product that was chemical-free and easy to apply.

"We ordered 200 gallons of Hemp Shield™. We found the application to be easy and the coverage to be greater than expected.

"All of our expectations were exceeded. We will continue to use Hemp Shield™ as we refinish the exterior of the lodge and look forward to working with Hemp Shield™."

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Wood Sculpture Gets New Life Sealed With Hemp Shield

David Gonzales, an artist/sculptor in Manitou Springs, Colorado, had a talent — and a problem.

Carving logs, stumps, and even whole trees in the dry climate of the Colorado Rockies, his finished works often suffered severe cracking. A life-long sensitivity to the volatile chemicals found in major brand wood sealers lead David to Hemp Shield™ when a major commission — a pine tree carved top to bottom — began to crack.

David's story:

"I have been carving for many years, and I am extremely sensitive to toxins and smells. I carve with electric chainsaws and I only work with earth-friendly paints and sealants, which is what first interested me in Hemp Shield™.

"I was hired to carve a 17 foot pine tree with a hawk, 4 raccoons, and 2 bears. In Colorado the weather is dry and it is typical of pine to crack as I am working, which is what occurred while carving this particular commissioned piece.

"Hoping to find a product that would penetrate the wood deeply and curb the cracking,I decided that I would go out on a limb and try something new — Hemp Shield™. After I painted the carving, there were numerous cracks throughout the piece. I began to apply the Hemp Shield™ and noticed that the cracks began to close up. I have never seen a wood sealer work in this way and I have tried many that are on the market today.


"The person who hired me to do the carving was ecstatic because the Hemp Shield™ rectified 95% of the cracks in the wood. I called several months later to see if there were any cracks occurring within the wood and there were none. This astonished me because usually some cracking does occur, especially outdoors in the hot sun. Since then, I have ordered several gallons for my wood carving projects. On so many levels, I am utterly impressed with how well Hemp Shield™ works."

47 Year Old Cedar Siding Renewed With Hemp Shield

Paul Petock sealed and colored his home's siding with Hemp Shield Wood Finish and Deck Sealer™ last year. This is his Hemp Shield™experience:

"I own a custom built house overlooking the McKenzie river in Oregon. The house is sided with 1'' thick cedar. I was looking for a product to reseal and stain the house with.

"The house was built in 1964 and has not been stained from its construction. After much research I went with Hemp Shield™ with a chestnut color.

"I was surprised how well the product covered the weathered wood, and happy how little it took to cover the entire house. It was also a simple clean up with soap and water. I like your product so well I will be using the clear on my interior redwood walls.

"Thanks Hemp Shield™."

Paul Petock

Teak companionway doors on a custom built Dutch Staten yatch are shown in the process of receiving a coat of "Clear" Hemp Shield Wood Finish and Deck Sealer™.

An Original Installer's Hemp Shield Experience

Installer — Barry B., Veneta, Oregon

Application Date — August 28, 2010

Our deck is cedar, 20 years old, with no cover. Painting is my least favorite home maintenance job, so the deck hasn't been treated in about 10 years.

When I started putting on the Hemp Shield, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to apply. Like I said, I'm not much of a painter, so there were plenty of drips and splashes, especially from the railings. Even after a half hour of sitting, the drips, splashes and other mistakes, like where I walked on wet boards, disappeared completely when I went over them with the Hemp Shield. Even though I put it on during a hot summer day there were no overlap marks from the roller.

Other things I like about Hemp Shield is it barely changed the wood's color — what I expect from a product sold as "clear" — and when it rained last week the deck wasn't slippery at all. Also, the cleanup was about the easiest I've had painting. I hardly needed soap, except to make sure the brushes and roller were completely cleaned.

The deck wood was so dry it sucked up the Hemp Shield like a sponge. It needs a second coat, but after my first experience with Hemp Shield I'm almost looking forward to the job.