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Abstract

This paper reviews the effects of incising on the checking of wood. I describe the early research that led to the development and widespread adoption of incising technology as a way of ensuring that preservatives penetrate impermeable woods more deeply and evenly. The terms checking, cracking and splitting are defined and the important effects of checking on the performance of different wood products are described. The review then focusses on the effects of incising on the checking of wood. I describe the effects of incising on the development of drying and weathering checks in railway sleepers (ties), poles, posts and structural and appearance-grade timber. I describe the mechanisms that are responsible for the positive effects of incising on checking and conclude the review by summarising the effects of incising on the checking of wood, and suggesting how the technology may diffuse and evolve in the future.

Keywords

Incising Checking Splitting Drying Weathering Sleepers Poles Posts Glulam Decking

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The effects of incising on the checking of wood: A review

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