How soon after cutting exotic woods is treatment applied to prevent checking? – Tim Barrett
Chris Marshall: If you’re referring to how quickly the ends of freshly cut “green” lumber is coated with a sealer of wax, preservative or paint, it happens as fast as possible, regardless of whether it’s an exotic or a native species. Often, the ends of the log are coated before it’s even processed into board stock. Remember, end grain consists of bunches of microscopic straws that let water enter and escape. They need to be plugged up quickly in order to slow down the loss of moisture, which of course leads to premature drying and end-checking.
