To investigate the effect of presurfacing, both 25mm rough and pre surfaced oak boards (Quercus grosseserrata BI.) were dried in the same dry kiln condition. Drying curves, drying strains and drying defects of rough and presurfaced boards were compared. The results obatained are as follows. 1. Average drying rate of rough and presurfaced boards from green to 10% M.C. was 0.276%/hr. and 0.284%/hr., respectively. 2. At the early stage of drying, in case of rough boards, maximum tensile strain of outer slices was $-24.2{ imes}10^{-4}$mm/mm and maximum compressive strain of innermost slices was $13.0{ imes}10^{-4}$mm/mm, and in case of pre surfaced boards, maximum tensile strain of outer slices was $-14.5{ imes}10^{-4}$mm/mm and maximum compressive strain of innermost slices was $28.1{ imes}10^{-4}$mm/mm. And in both cases, stress reversal occurred at about 40% M.C.. 3. Maximum surface checking appeared at about 40% M.C.. Of the 10 rough boards. 6 hoards contained surface checks, but presurfaced boards did not contained surface checks after drying. And the results of end checking were similar to those of surface checking. But, honeycomb was not found in both cases. 4. Board shrinkage. warp and casehardening of presurfaced boards were similar to those of rough boards. But, collapse of prsurfaced boards was less than that of rough boards.