Replies

1. 
   forestgirl | Jun 09, 2003 04:43pm | #1

   Alka, please give us some information also on how the warping furniture was finished.

   As far as weather is concerned, humidity changes are more influential than temperature changes per se. 

   Now, I'll move over so the experts can give you some advice!

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   jonsherryl | Jun 09, 2003 05:23pm | #2

   Forestgirl, you're right about the humidity being more important than the temperature...but beech doesn't need much of an excuse to cause it to distort. One of the reasons it is "steamed" in the first place is to reduce degrade during the kiln drying process (the Europeans also tout how steaming enhances the color.)

   ...The sad thing is, I can't think of anything that would help Alka at this point. The situation he's in falls into the category of a lesson well learned about why it is critically important to allow a wood to acclimate to local conditions (especially an imported wood with very poor stability characteristics, like beech) before using it.

1. 
   asood | Jun 10, 2003 03:18pm | #3

   Thanks for your prompt reply.

   How much time should be given for the beech to acclimatise?

   In Delhi we do not have very high humidity, except during monsoons from July to September, but this wood was not exposed to that either.

   If I open all the planks, straighten it and then make the headboard again by running 2nos of 12mm dia steel bars, will it help? I can also re-inforce by putting the planks in a frame with mortice and tenon joints.

   Forest girl - we first sanded the piece, then polished it with spirit polish and finally sprayed melamine. After the melamine dried we rubbed it with wax.

   I am also attaching the photographs of the furniture pieces

1. 
   jonsherryl | Jun 10, 2003 04:23pm | #4

   Alka, if you sticker stack the lumber, usually a couple of weeks will allow it to acclimate...but thickness also affects the amount of time it takes. The axiom is: it won't over-acclimate...so, the longer the better.

   I'm also concerned that if you live in a climate which experiences wide swings in humidity, there is nothing you can do to prevent the wood from moving. Rods and other restraints might prevent it from distorting, but the wood will still shrink and swell, eventually causing joints to fail. A heavy (film type) finish might retard moisture swings, but beech is just a very difficult wood to control.