Methods please for un-bowing a teak beam? (Correcting bowed timber)

Graham3D · 29 Jul 2021

I have a 1960 danish sofa (teak I think) and the main front beam is bowed by about 3 cm over the 150cm length. It was stored in dampish garage for about 6 years.. The cross section is roughly an L shaped about 9cm x 5cm (Each part a maximum of 3cm thick).

Looking at different methods, I would prefer not to plane or remake the piece as, ideally, it would be good to keep as much to the original as possible.

What other options would you recommend? Steaming & clamping? Heating & clamping? or something else?
or is this a lost cause?

(I am just looking for a picture, I might have to post it later when I get to the workshop)

TheTiddles · 29 Jul 2021

Sounds like it’s bent through use rather than storage, so if it’s not strong enough even if you can bend it back perfectly, the same problem will arise again.
So I’d bolt some box-section steel to the back of it or similar, dragging the wood back straight with it

Cabinetman · 29 Jul 2021

TheTiddles said:
Sounds like it’s bent through use rather than storage, so if it’s not strong enough even if you can bend it back perfectly, the same problem will arise again.
So I’d bolt some box-section steel to the back of it or similar, dragging the wood back straight with it

Yes that’s exactly what I was just going to suggest except I was going to say angle iron

okeydokey · 29 Jul 2021

Leave it as it is! or consider putting an additional "leg" in the middle of the bow reaching to the floor

Graham3D · 30 Jul 2021

I went to photograph is yesterday and it has straightened out a lot just being in my workshop at room temperature for 4 years. It is still bowed but only by about 1cm in one axis and 6mm in the other. I was going to soak it but figured that could leave me in a worse mess. I think I will just repair the cross bean and hope it settles back in to shape.
It looks exactly like this one so it would be worth quite a lot if I can restore it to a reasonable condition.
https://www.1stdibs.co.uk/furniture...ielsen-fd45-teak-cane-loveseat/id-f_23883672/