Warped/Bowed Table Top

[BishBashBosh]

Afternoon All,

I recently attempted to make a table top for the home office, after successfully making a breakfast bar for our kitchen. The office table top has not gone so successfully

I took the usual steps of binding and finishing the table (e.g. wood glue, clamp, dry, sand etc.) and have even gone as far as wood staining and finishing with danish oil.

All looked great until it was moved into the home office where I started to notice the shape was distorting. Over the past 3 weeks it has got even worse.....to the point where it is now not sitting on the table legs i placed it on.

I have done some reading about how best to fix this warped table top and have come across the wet towels and iron method. Not sure if this is the best approach for me as the table now measures approx. 75x180cm. I have considered inserting C-Channels under the table to pull it back into place but I'm unsure of whether this is the best approach to take?

Any advise would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

[Cabinetman]

Sorry to hear about your problem, very annoying when yu have put a lot of effort in, did you alternate the boards – cups and bridges as I call them and how many planks and how wide before you glued them together.
We had a similar thread about three months ago and the point was raised when applying the finish (I think it was oil last time). did you do both sides?
I am presuming it has cupped across its width i.e. hollow? Has it twisted as well – as in propeller shaped. Ian

 

[BishBashBosh]

Hi @Cabinetman Thanks for your reply.

I did alternate the boards (cups and bridges) and glued up 5 boards in total. When it came to applying the oil, i essentially added two coats of danish oil to one side and allowed it to cure, flipped the table over and applied another two coats.

It certainly has cupped across the width and twisted from one side.

 

[Cabinetman]

It sounds like you’ve done everything correctly, is the top in direct sunlight? And you say it’s twisted from one side could you explain that a little more please? When I asked if it was twisted I meant if you turned the top upside down on a flat surface would only three corners touch the surface?

 

[JohnPW]

"All looked great until it was moved into the home office where I started to notice the shape was distorting."

It might be caused by the difference in humidilty in the office and where the table was made.

 

[dzj]

I'd leave it as is for a few more weeks. Chances are it'll lose any excess moisture by then and
you can then rip, plane and re-glue it.

 

[Fitzroy]

A photo may help our understanding.