A customer in mid-Atlantic area (we are in south Georgia) is looking for 8"x8" longleaf posts for an outdoor covered pavilion. Our kilns (conventional heat at 140*) are run on schedules for 4/4" and 5/4" wood, and if you throw even 8/4" material in at the same schedule you see checking, so I am very wary of drying 8" x 8". I am also wary of sending green or air-dried material several hundred miles - even beyond issues with the potential for checking post-sale (although I would warn the customer to expect some checking no matter how they are processed) and although the most common insects affecting SYP are probably already present in both places, it doesn't seem like good practice to send untreated material those distances. Does anyone have experience drying SYP timbers or know of a good primer on best practices for such situations? Should I outsource to a dehumidification kiln? Just slow down our process? Spray with borate compounds and air-dry until the surface is a reasonable MC?

Really good question — I’ve faced similar challenges with larger SYP timbers. Using a dehumidification kiln or carefully slowing the process helps reduce checking risk. Also, I’ve had success spraying with borate and air-drying to stabilize before transport, especially over long distances. It’s a balancing act between moisture content, surface conditioning, and avoiding post-sale surprises. Definitely worth testing small batches first.