How to Repair Warped Wood

When one side of wood is exposed to too much moisture and the other side in not, wood can warp. Repairing warped wood is a process of adding back the lost moisture and bending the wood back to its original position. This can be done in a variety of ways depending on the level of damage.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Clamps
• Heavy objects
• Paper towels
• Damp cloth
• Iron
• Steamer

1. Observe the size of the warp you want to fix to determine which method to begin with.

2. Moisten a paper towel and place the warped wood on it upside down.

3. Place some heavy objects on the wood. The wood will absorb the moisture from the towel and bend back into place.

4. Apply a wet towel to the warped side of the wood. Use a warm iron to iron the towel. The heat and moisture will pass through the wood causing it to straighten.

5. Use a steamer to apply steam directly to larger pieces of wood. Clamp some heavier objects on top of the wood and apply the steam.

6. Leave clamps in place for several days.

7. Continue to apply steam and pressure until the desired straightness is achieved.

Tips & Warnings

• Each method works depending on the severity of the warp. For large warps on pieces of furniture, it may be necessary to replace the warped piece altogether. However, it is less costly to try and fix the warp before taking more drastic measures.
• Be patient as the wood is straightening. It may take several days and a few applications of the different methods before you achieve the desired results.

[nverardo]

on 6/22/2008 Thank You! I had pretty muck same ideas. I have a 1936 Gibson Guitar hollow body(flat). Stored in wrong place with strings on and it pulled up the face plate.
Luckily it is made of Mahagony? and the grain go's with the warp so it wont crack. I'll go easy time is on my side. Nick Verardo Newport, Oregon