Preserve Your Wood Before You Preserve Your Wood

Preserve Your Wood Before You Preserve Your Wood

When people ask us how to prevent wood from cracking, they usually expect us to start talking about Pentacryl or the treatment process.

But here's the truth:

The preservation process begins long before you open the bottle.

In fact, some of the most important steps happen immediately after the tree is cut.

We like to say:

"Preserve your wood before you preserve your wood."

It may sound simple, but following a few basic practices before treatment can make a significant difference in the final results.

Fresh-Cut Wood Begins Drying Immediately

The moment a log is cut into slabs, wood cookies, carving, or turning blanks, moisture begins leaving the wood.

If one surface dries faster than another, internal stresses begin to develop. This uneven, or rapid drying are what eventually lead to checking, end splits, cracks and warping.

The goal is simple:

Keep the wood in its fresh, green condition until you're ready to treat it.

At the Sawmill

If possible, cover the freshly cut wood as soon as it's cut – use a tarp or heavy plastic.  This is especially beneficial for slabs and wood cookies. 

Covering the wood keeps the air and sun (if stored outside) off it helping to slow the moisture loss and gives you a much better starting point for preservation.

For wood that will be left in the log form, seal the ends with End Grain Sealer. This is a temporary stabilization that prevents cracking from the end grain (where up to 90% of drying in green wood occurs).  Unlike Pentacryl, which penetrates all the way into the wood, End Grain Sealer, just seals the surface of this (end grain) area.

This is our End Grain Sealer in the Red color

Many woodworkers make the mistake of leaving freshly sawn wood sitting in the sun or wind.

Even a short amount of time in hot, dry conditions can accelerate the drying process.

During Transportation

If you're transporting fresh-cut wood in the back of a pickup truck or trailer, protect it from the sun and moving air.

Driving down the highway creates a constant stream of air across the surface of the wood, accelerating moisture loss.

We recommend wrapping the wood in plastic before transporting it whenever practical.

The goal isn't to make it airtight forever—it's simply to reduce unnecessary drying until you can begin treatment.

Before Treatment

Once you get home or back to your shop, continue protecting the wood until you're ready to stabilize it.


This large elm wood cookie is temporarily stored in plastic while awaiting treatment.

 

Store it:

  • Wrapped in plastic.
  • End Grain Sealed (if applicable)
  • In a cool location.
  • Out of direct sunlight.
  • Protected from wind.
  • Protected from rain and changing weather.

These simple steps help maintain a more uniform moisture content throughout the wood until you can treat it with Pentacryl.

Why It Matters

Pentacryl is designed to stabilize fresh-cut green wood.

The fresher the wood remains before treatment, the better the opportunity to replace water within the wood and help reduce cracking during drying.

If the wood has already begun drying unevenly before treatment, some damage may already have started.  Once a crack starts, it will always be a weak spot in the wood.

That's why we always encourage customers to think about preservation from the very beginning - not just when they're ready to apply Pentacryl.

Start the Process Right

Whether you're cutting large wood cookies, milling live-edge slabs, turning bowls, or preparing carving blanks, the first few hours after cutting are some of the most important.

Treat your freshly cut green wood with the same care you'll give it during preservation (stabilization) treatment.

Our Recommended Pre-Treatment Checklist

Prior to cutting or procuring your wood:

  • Determine how much Pentacryl you will need and have it on-hand before your wood is cut.  Use our Wood Calculator to estimate the amount needed based on your wood species and dimensions.
  • Have your supplies ready:
    • Containers for soaking or if needed, build a custom “soak tank” for larger pieces 
    • Plastic sheeting to cover the wood during transportation and top of the wood during treatment.
    • Brushes and small container during application
    • Cardboard or brown paper for drying - especially when treating wood cookies.  See video on Green Wood Drying Tips (this one is still coming). 

Continue Learning

If you are planning a project using green wood, these resources will help guide you through the stabilization process:

If you're ready to stabilize your fresh-cut wood, Pentacryl Green Wood Stabilizer is designed to help reduce cracking and checking while the green wood dries, giving your projects the best possible chance for long-term success.

And remember, for best results:

“Preserve your wood before you preserve your wood.”

A little preparation before treatment can go a long way toward producing beautiful, crack-free projects that will last for years.

Back to blog