bowed worktop

[StevieB]

A few weeks ago I had some solid wood beech worktops delivered for the new kitchen. Halfway through cutting them my router blew up and I have only just got a replacement. Finishing off the cutting today on a corner cabinet I noticed that the smallest piece, 60cm deep by 30cm wide has bowed by about 2mm in the centre. This means the joint will not go together cleanly :evil: Its bowed so its high in the centre parallel to the staves ie from left to right along the 30cm axis.

Anyone any suggestions on the best fix? I can try weighting it in the centre and try to bow it back, I can try forcing it into alignment with biscuits and bolts but somehow I dont think this will hold flat, or I can align as is then sand/scrape the bow back down to level, although this will be an awful lot of work. I don't want to force it and risk snapping the piece as I do not have any spare. All ideas gratefully received as I am at a loss as to the best approach on this one!

Cheers,

Steve.

 

[scooby]

Anyone any suggestions on the best fix? I can try weighting it in the centre and try to bow it back, I can try forcing it into alignment with biscuits and bolts but somehow I dont think this will hold flat, or I can align as is then sand/scrape the bow back down to level, although this will be an awful lot of work. I don't want to force it and risk snapping the piece as I do not have any spare. All ideas gratefully received as I am at a loss as to the best approach on this one!

Cheers,

Steve.

I'd try straightening it first. Could you not leave it unfitted for a few days, lie it on a flat surface and put some weight on it. I had to do something similar recently with some double doors. They had been stored for so long that one had bowed very badly and looked worse when closed up to the other door. I'd definately leave planing it true as a very last resort.

 

[scooby]

oops.double posted. sorry

 

[Anonymous]

I don't suppose there's any one definitive answer, but how about this one;

Carefully rip the board along a glue line, joint the edges, and glue it back together. If you've got enough spare depth on the board you could do 2 joins and get rid of the cup completely.

I've used this technique with worktops in the past with no probs.

If, however, you are saying that it is bowed the other way ie along the grain then you need to plane it flat or get a new piece!

Trying to force wood of this thickness back into shape is just not going to work!

Cheers
Brad

 

[user 2070]

Steve,
Is the worktop a laminated "butcher's block" type or a solid single board?
I am unsure which plane the bowing is in, but I assume that the bowing is visible when you view the "end grain". Like the shape of the parentheses ")"
Was it stored so that both faces were exposed to the air? Optimistic possibility is that one side only has lost moisture content so that the bowing will disappear when the board stabilises.
Simon

 

[scooby]

Steve,
Is the worktop a laminated "butcher's block" type or a solid single board?
I am unsure which plane the bowing is in, but I assume that the bowing is visible when you view the "end grain". Like the shape of the parentheses ")"
Was it stored so that both faces were exposed to the air? Optimistic possibility is that one side only has lost moisture content so that the bowing will disappear when the board stabilises.
Simon

Ah, my mistake, I thought the bow was the other way (visible when looking at the front of the base unit). I doubt my initial reply of adding weight would flatten it if its cupped.

 

[seaco]

An idea that I've used that worked quite well was to cut a groove along the bow on the underside of the worktop obviously stopping before you get to any edge that will show to a depth of about two thirds, this will release alot of the tension...

Then I pressed the worktop flat and filled the groove with polyurathane glue, let it set, on a short length of worktop this shouldn't weaken things to much at all...

 

[StevieB]

Thanks for the responses so far, it seems there is no easy answer then :?

It is a butchers block style of beech staves (sp?) and the bow is high point in the middle, high point running left to right with the staves. Thus I can set the front and back of the two pieces level and have the middle 2mm high. Hope that makes sense!

I will try weighting it and praying since I cannot really affort to buy another 3m length just to get a 30cm piece! Failing that it might be out with the plane and then finally sit the microwave over the join as a last resort Grooving along the back I did consider but I am not sure I am brave enough :shock:

Steve.

 

[colinc]

Make sure both sides are breathing the same air and apply patience!!

I wouldn't be too hasty about re-shaping it. If it was caused by differential drying of the two sides but was made properly then it is likeley to correct itself.

colin

 

[Shultzy]

I would go with seaco's idea. Try with one groove, weight on top, leave for a day or so see what happens. If you get a reduction in the bow try another groove.

I wonder if you planed a tongue slightly thicker than the groove and tapped it in, it would pull out the bow.