The change of fiber length, freeness, initial forming drainage velocity, specific filtration resistance, final drainage time and wet web dryness were measured to investigate the effect of the refining load on the drainage characteristics of pulp. The arithmetic average fiber length after refining with higher refining load was shorter than that obtained with lower refining load. Higher refining load decreased initial forming drainage velocity, final drainage time and wet web dryness. The refining load also affected the relationship between freeness and specific filtration resistance, initial forming drainage velocity, final drainage time. It was found that the specific filtration resistance is better than freeness to predict the drainage characteristics of pulp and the wet dryness.