Air-coupled ultrasound overcomes the limitations of traditional contact-based ultrasonic methods that rely on liquid couplants. Still, it faces challenges due to the acoustic impedance mismatch between air and wood, causing significant signal scattering and attenuation. This results in weak transmission signals contaminated by clutter and noise, compromising measurement accuracy. This study proposes a coded pulse air-coupled ultrasonic method for detecting defects in wood. The method utilizes Golay code complementary sequences (GCCSs) to generate excitation signals, with its feasibility validated through mathematical analysis and simulations. A-scan imaging was performed to analyze the differences in signal characteristics between defective and non-defective areas, while C-scan imaging facilitated a quantitative assessment of defects. Experimental results demonstrated that GCCS-enhanced signals improved the ultrasonic penetration and axial resolution compared to conventional multi-pulse excitation. The method effectively identified defects such as knots and pits, achieving a coincidence area of 85% and significantly enhancing the detection accuracy.