need help straightening wood boards

[HenryTran]

hi,

i bought a 48x24x24 piece of pine wood that is 3/4" thick. i am making this into doors for my stand. well the boards are a little bowed. what is the best way to straighten these out?

if i wet the boards and place it on a flat surface and put something heavy on it, will it eventually straighten it?

TIA

 

[Konadog]

How bowed is it?

Try placing it bowed side up, and suporting the ends with 2 x 4 and placing something heavy on it, bowing it in the opposite direction. This will only work if it's not to bad. The problem with wetting it is it can bow again or twist.

 

[HenryTran]

it's not too bowed, but noticeable when trying to flush it with the stand. i'm trying the "placing a heavy object on it" first. i don't know if this will work, anyone have any other suggestion.

 

[Bergovoy]

Nothing you do will work the way you want it to. if and I mean IF, you were to get it straight, it would just warp or CUP again.

Typically, doors have insert for panels, and those inserts are just very thin boards that are inset intoa a wood frame.

Basically get some 1 inch (3/4 inch) wood, and cut a notch on the edge that will capture teh thin wood panel, then take a piece of wood trim O(very small) and secure that on the other side to hold the wood panel in place. that panel would be free to expand and contract and any warping would not affect the frame as it shuts against the cabinet.

anyways, notsure if that was what you wanted to hear, but ...

 

[818]

Add triming to your wood. I have 1/4'' panel wood that warped on me, and I finished one door already. I just simply added 1.25''x4'' triming all around the edges. Its holding, and looking nice.

 

[818]

I just read you have 3/4'' wood. That is going to be a little harder to do

 

[flat broke]

If you don't need to hold the 3/4" dimension, and your total surface deviation is less than 3/8" you could plane the board down. That will ensure it is flat when you're done, but no guarantee it wont warp further.

As others have stated, panel doors are the way to go. If you're capable with your hands and have the tools, they'll also save you $$ in materials costs.

Good luck,
Chris

 

[slavearm]

If it is not plywood, you can cut it into smaller strips and then edge join it while alternating the endgrain (growth rings) opposite directions as you put the boards together. The problem is, that also requires you to either have access to a planer (after it is glued up and dry) to smooth out the surface. You can also use a hand plane or a belt sander if you have access to either of those to clean up the glued together piece.

 

[flat broke]

I was re-reading your first post and have a question on your dimensions. Is the piece 48" long x 24" wide? What's the other 24" indicate and is the grain running down the 48" length, or against it?

Chris

 

[HenryTran]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9465248#post9465248 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by flat broke
I was re-reading your first post and have a question on your dimensions. Is the piece 48" long x 24" wide? What's the other 24" indicate and is the grain running down the 48" length, or against it?

Chris

sorry, got a little carried away with the dimensions