Prevent wood Checking

[The_Mad_Woodworker]

As I understand it there is a substance that you can apply to the end of freshly lumbered/sawed wood to prevent checking as it cures. Being new to this, and a poor college student, I am curious about two things.

A) what is the function of this substance (and for that mater what is it) and can it be replicated or emulated?

B) How was checking prevented before substances like this were available?

Not: I am not Timbering or lumbering anything at this time, so this will be used as preemptive knowledge.

 

[Rob]

Anchor Seal is one, there's a couple other brands also. It's applied to end grain to slow down the drying process of green wood so it doesn't check. I've heard of latex paint being used also, but have no experience with it. Most wood checks because it dries too fast, starting from the pith out, though there are some species that check no matter what.

 

[CrealBilly]

Answers below in Blue

As I understand it there is a substance that you can apply to the end of freshly lumbered/sawed wood to prevent checking as it cures. Being new to this, and a poor college student, I am curious about two things.

A) what is the function of this substance (and for that mater what is it) and can it be replicated or emulated? Ancorseal ---> http://www.uccoatings.com/Home/Products/Anchorseal

B) How was checking prevented before substances like this were available? Logs were mainly transported by river and stored in sawmill ponds, Logs were pulled from the ponds, sawed and dried under the right environmental conditions, depending on the species (usually in a dry shed). Ever heard of a log jam?

Not: I am not Timbering or lumbering anything at this time, so this will be used as preemptive knowledge.