Expert: Jamie Yocono - 7/16/2007

Question
I built a table for 12 out of red oak.  (I live in western oregon) and the customer lives in eastern oregon (very dry)  I just rec a call that the "ends" of the table were warping up (like a little ski jump)  The table was made from 13/16 red oak with a complete 4 inch 13/16 doubled up edge.  I did use kiln dried lumber but I did not put a moisure meter on the material.  The width of the material did not exceed 4 inches.  I'm afraid if you don't have some miracle solution I'm building another one.  Help...
Spike

Answer
Yo Spike,

I suspect you're getting that warping from not treating both sides of the table the same. Adding that 4" perimeter of wood, to simulate that the top is thicker than it really is, could do that.  

You didn't mention the amount of overhang that you have on the top, over the apron.  If it's significant, this is another reason why your top looks like the ski jump. (Great description, by the way!) An apron that's close to the edge, with minimal overhang, will keep that table top flat by stabilizing it and keeping it from moving too much. I use those metal table top fasteners, KV makes them.

OK- so what's the solution? It's hard to say, but what can this hurt? I would try to figure out a way to pull that top flat with some sort of a strut from the underside. Clamp everything together to make it flat, and then drive a few screws into the top from the underside to hold it in place. Don't forget to make the screw holes elongated so the top can move and breath with seasonal movement.

What I just described isn't the best solution, but it's worth a shot. I suspect that this top will move with the seasons- you'll have that "ski jump" when it's humid, and it'll go flat again when it's dry. I used to have a table like that- it had a small crack in it, and when it was summer, the crack closed. In winter, I could almost drop a toothpick in it. I never fixed it, it was sort of fascinating to watch... OK, that sounds boring, but it's true.

Anyway, in the future, I wouldn't double up those edges. I never did like that method, I'd rather just make a thicker top and let the customer pay for the extra cost of the wood.

Let me know how this turns out, and write back if you didn't understand something I said. Good luck,

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com