# can warped wood on table top be fixed?



## libaker (Jul 10, 2012)

Hi. Just finished making my first wood project- a farmhouse table made of pine. It looks awesome except for one stupid board on the outside top that bows up about 1/2 inch in the meiddle of the board. Not sure why I didn't notice this before- maybe kid distraction. But my husband says to take the board out which is already screwed, woodfilled and stained. Is it possible to remove it at this point? I was also thinking maybe a planer would work? Need to shave off some wood to make the top level. Beyond frustrated but love my table. Any suggestions for a novice would be very helpful. Thanks!


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

A picture of the top and bottom of the table/board would help.

Is the board just screwed into place? No glue?

George

PS Welcome to the forum.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*more info needed*



GeorgeC said:


> A picture of the top and bottom of the table/board would help.
> 
> Is the board just screwed into place? No glue?
> 
> ...


Pictures please.

If the board can be "easily" removed then by all means it should be replaced. If it's glued in place or glued to an adjoining board, that's more problematic but still doable.
Matching the stain may also be a problem, but still doable.

Planing it down probably won't help. How thick are these boards? If they are 3/4" it may be possible to draw down the center by using a brace underneath. If they are 1 1/2" thick, then that probably won't work.

Don't be discouraged, it can be fixed. Check back in. :yes: bill


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Pictures would be the best way to assess the problem to come up with possible solutions.













 







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## libaker (Jul 10, 2012)

I think I need to replace the board after looking at it this morning. I didn't think to take a picture before I left for work this morning but here is one I took pre-stain. It's the board on top (sorry for the rotation issue.)
It's a 2x6 and I didn't use any glue (I know I know, shame on me. I'm learning!) 
There are three screws at either end that have the wood filler in them. They are drilled into a 2x4 which is the header, I believe. 
I"m not too concerned about matching the stain. I've only done one coat so far.
Should I try and get out as much of the filler as possible then try and drill back out the screw?
I hate it when my husband is right.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Which board exactly?
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## bob sacamano (Jan 24, 2012)

how were breadboards attached ?


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## BigJoe16 (Feb 20, 2012)

That's a nice looking table. I would try to scrape out the wood filler and reverse the screw out. Even if you have to use a chisel and chip the surrounding wood around the screw out it dosent matter. You will be replacing the board. 
As far a planning it down, that most likely won't work. The board is going to be a lot thinner and could warp more again. In my opinion that would be the easy way out.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

More than likely you will have to replace the board to get the warp out. You might try wetting the board on the underneath side and use a heat gun to dry the top side and see what happens. Most of the time when a board warps it's because the moisture content changes on one side or another. If you wet the cup side and dry the crown side sometimes you can reverse a warp. Even if it works the warp may come back so I would wait a couple of days before you continue with it. Can't hurt to try.


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## libaker (Jul 10, 2012)

It's the table top board on the right, the 2x6. It's hard to tell from the picture where it bows up but it's flush at both ends of the breadboards then goes up as you get closer to the middle.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

If it is the outer board and can be unscrewed easily, it may be possible to use a series of dowels to keep this inline with the other boards.

Note if the stress in this board is too much, the dowels will just cause the other board to flex.

At this point all you can do is try. Worse case, as previously mentioned was that you need to replace the board.

If you want to attempt the dowel fix, I would recommend getting a dowel jig so that you can drill the holes in both boards correctly.

You will then need to clamp the boards temporarily to allow the dowels to align.

If these are 2. stock, I would use 1/2in dowels.


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## libaker (Jul 10, 2012)

I think what you described might be way out of my wheel house.
I think the only thing I can do that I would understand is to remove the board. However, if it screws up my table I don't want to do that. I'd personally rather live with the higher board! 
Can you recommend the best way to remove the board?


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## woodbutcher360 (Jul 1, 2012)

your husband is correct. Is the table truely a breadboard contruction or are the ends just trim?


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Like Woodbutcher states, we do not know how the table was constructed. Are the breadboard ends structural or trim?

Another potential fix, and it would be a kludge, would be to install another header in the underside of the middle of the table. Clamp to board to the header and then screw.

Note you would need to clamp first. I do not have good luck in trying to pull boards into alignment with screws. I have much better luck in clamping to achieve the alignment, then install the screws.

Depending on the stress in the board, this may not be able to hold the alignment over time and changes of moisture.


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## libaker (Jul 10, 2012)

No, it's not really a breadboard but that's what the plans call it.
I think I"ll just take the board out b/c I'm not handy enough to do anything fancier than that. Thank you everyone, for all the comments and how quickly you respond. This is a great resource.


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## FDSolutionsllc (Jun 26, 2009)

*Table*

Do you have any stretchers underneath the table top? If not you might try that to level up the board. That would be easier than removing it.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*it's a woodworker term*



libaker said:


> *No, it's not really a breadboard but that's what the plans call it.*
> I think I"ll just take the board out b/c I'm not handy enough to do anything fancier than that. Thank you everyone, for all the comments and how quickly you respond. This is a great resource.


It's a type of construction for the ends of a table FYI:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesAllAbout.aspx?id=2978

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/video/video_breadboard_ends

http://www.youtube.com/results?sear....0.5.5.0.138.1138.0j10.10.0...0.0.3bKMU8IqIYQ


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## ectenn (Jul 11, 2012)

i think that the best option for you at this point is to really ask help from your husband, i know it must be difficult to be able to accept that he is right!LOL but he is the best person to be able to asses the problem since he can see your table first hand and from the sound of it i think that he knows what he is saying so i guess you just have to swallow your pride and ask help from him just be clear that you want to save you table as much as possible so you would want a remedy, not a new table!LOL


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

woodnthings said:


> It's a type of construction for the ends of a table FYI:
> 
> http://www.finewoodworking.com/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesAllAbout.aspx?id=2978
> 
> ...



What did you edit/change/add?










 







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## HowardAcheson (Nov 25, 2011)

You may have another problem. How is are the breadboard ends attached? The field will be expanding and contracting with changes in relative humidity. The cross grain end caps will try to restrict this movement which can lead to warping, cracking or other damage to the wood. If however, you have used an attachment that allows the field to easily move, you will be OK.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

cabinetman said:


> What did you edit/change/add?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It's a one sentence post with 3 links...you figure it out.


Editing a post is not required, nor is the reason for an edit. 
I'll give you a few reasons I edit my posts:
1. Because I can.
2. I read it over and didn't like something.*
3. I added something to the post to make it MORE informative.

You are the only one here who needs to know the "why" of my edits and so much so you started a whole thread about it.
Sometimes I edit a post just to see if you will ask me "Why" I did it. :yes:
If I choose not to explain why, and as long as it doesn't change the basic idea, I see no reason why I need to write a 3 page explanation to you or anyone else. 

If you wanted to be a Moderator, why didn't you accept the position when you were offerrd it right after I turned it down? 

When the site software "requires" a reason for editing I will either comply or quit the forum. When I first jointed I always gave a reason, but after 9,600 some posts ....it just ain't necessary.

Sorry for the HIJACK here, but I did not start it. :no: bill

* spelling, mathematical error, or a statement improperly worded, punctuated or in error. If you look at the post time and the edit times they are usually within a few minutes of each other. So it's not like it appeared on the front page of the NYT or the WSJ and a full retraction is required. It's a talk forum, it's meant for the exchange of ideas and opinions.
A post belongs to the poster, no one else. They can edit it, delete it, add "smileys" or what ever.....

Go make something in the shop and leave me alone. :furious:


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## Deanr (Jul 29, 2011)

The Wood Whisperer has a good video on flatening his workbench using his router. Might be a bit involved but could be an option.

http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/videos/flattening-workbenches-and-wide-boards-with-a-router/


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

There are a few details that haven't been cleared up which may affect attempting a fix.

The long boards in the top will expand and contract across the grain of each one. That doesn't mean it will be in any uniformity in relation to which boards will do that. some may not. So, to account for that, ideally, the center board could be screwed and fixed to some undermount frames, and other members could be attached through slotted holes in the undermount frame members to allow the movement.

As for the BB ends, since they are long grain (they don't expand or contract along their length), across the long boards, the longboards should have the ability to move along the edge of the BB ends. If the BB ends are glued to the longboards, it will restrict the expansion/contraction.

A possible quick fix for just the one high board would be just to handplane it down flat. If there is no further bowing, it may be just the fix. If that particular board will be one that continues to stay active, planing flat (or scraping/sanding) may present a problem with it bowing down.

Since the table is already stained, wetting and drying to make it return flat is not really an option.









 





 
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