Wood warpping

[Kevin Skattebo]

I am building a coffee table with two drawers in it.  I cut up all the wood for it early in summer and had it laying around.  after I put it all together I found out that the plywood for the drawer bottoms had warped so the drawers dont really fit right. Is there a way to un-warp them? or take some of the warping out of the drawers?  the bottoms are already nailed in and would be a pain to take back out.

[Derek Gould]

Plywood is usually fairly stable, but not perfect. Did you finish both sides of it in the same way? FInishing only one side could cause warping, either through contraction of the finish, or uneven absorption of humidity caused by the finish being only on one side.

If you can support the bottoms, you could try laying them out with some heavy weights in them to try and get them to reform the shape. I don't know how you have the drawers built, but If you DO disassemble and re-assemble, I'd use glue rather than nails; if your sides, front and back are square it's hard for the wood to warp and pull. Not impossible, but hard.

[Kevin Skattebo]

I havent put any stain or anything on the drawers yet I have tried useing steam and then clamping the drawers flat hoping that as they dry they would go back flat.

[Ken Darga]

If PW has warped, it generally stays warped--- unless glued and screwed to a flat and stable sub-base.

(Plywood should be stored flat.  When PW is stored verically, it will warp).

I'd suggest replacing the drawer bottoms and use 1/4" MDF or pressboard, and sealed with schellac.

Alternate fix::

a. add a 3- 4" wide solid hardwood strip, on the underside of the drawer bottom, orientated

front-to-back---ends butted to the front and the rear drawer member.

Fastened in-place with glue and brads (brad nailer). 

(Clamp in place, so the surfaces are making intimate contact,  'til the glue dries), or

b.  Insure the drawer is ''square".  Install a 1/4" MDF or pressboard insert panel, cut-to-fit snugly, on the inside over the drawer bottom.

Glue the insert in place---add adequate amount of weight to keep the panels sandwiched while the glue is drying.  
Apply an 1/4" bead of glue, spread out evenly, should be adequate.

[Kevin Skattebo]

The bottom drawer which was the worst I cheated by adjusting the drawer slide strip down enough so that when the drawer is closed it looks normal. The top drawer there isnt much I can do for that one but that drawer isnt to bad.

[Ken Darga]

Top Drawer:

attach a sign, "DO NOT OPEN"  ; )

Kevin Skattebo said:

>>>...The top drawer there isnt much I can do for that one.../div>

[Kevin Skattebo]

Lol the table is like a shadow box with a glass top so the top drawer will hold stuff from our wedding so it wont have to open really :-)