Single and double kerfing, center-boring and incising were applied to green, peeled, slash pine posts. Posts were air dried for ten weeks and assessed for the number of surface drying checks greater than 1.0 mm in width. Posts were then pressure treated with a chromated-copper-arsenate (CCA-C) preservative and exposed outdoors in a horizontal position. The number of surface weathering checks in the treated posts was assessed after six weeks and one years exterior exposure. The length, width, depth and volume of such checks was also quantified after 1 year. Single and double kerfing and center-boring were highly effective in reducing the number of checks after air drying and there were significant correlations between the green mass or growth ring eccentricity of posts and the number of drying checks that developed. Both kerfing and center-boring reduced the number of checks in treated posts after six weeks weathering and the size of checks after one years weathering. The kerfing treatments were the only ones which reduced the number of checks after one years weathering. Incising was ineffective in reducing checking after air drying or weathering and kiln drying of unmodified controls after CCA treatment also failed to reduce checking.

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