need help: solid wood tabletop/wood movement
 

Hi, I built a kitchen table about 4 months ago. The top is solid oak,
2" thick. The table top is roughly 6' long and 3' wide.

I bolted the table top to the "I" shaped legs with 2 1/2" lag bolts.
I oversized the holes in the legs to allow for some wood movement.

Anyhow, the table top is now bowing upwards. The bolts are holding it
down close to the legs, but the area between the bolts (roughly a 2'
span) is bowing up.

I'm thinking about unbolting the top and hoping it will resettle back
to being "flat". Is there any chance of that working? Or any other
suggestions? It's going to be impossible to bolt it down in the middle
of the leg without ruining it, I'm afraid.

If it makes any difference, the top was finished with 3 coats of oil
based poly. Both the top and bottom were finished the same.
The gap is roughly 3/8" where it has bowed.

Thanks in advance.

"bf" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi, I built a kitchen table about 4 months ago. The top is solid oak,
2" thick. The table top is roughly 6' long and 3' wide.

I bolted the table top to the "I" shaped legs with 2 1/2" lag bolts.
I oversized the holes in the legs to allow for some wood movement.

Anyhow, the table top is now bowing upwards. The bolts are holding it
down close to the legs, but the area between the bolts (roughly a 2'
span) is bowing up.

I'm thinking about unbolting the top and hoping it will resettle back
to being "flat". Is there any chance of that working? Or any other
suggestions? It's going to be impossible to bolt it down in the middle
of the leg without ruining it, I'm afraid.

If it makes any difference, the top was finished with 3 coats of oil
based poly. Both the top and bottom were finished the same.
The gap is roughly 3/8" where it has bowed.

Thanks in advance.


Not the answer you're looking for, but best answer is "maybe." Sounds like
the table is suffering from drying misery. Had you pinned only one place
and floated the others, you'd have been better off.

For now, release one end, draw the top down (in increments, if you must) and
use a floating fastener at the apex of the curve, removing the clamp after a
few days. Don't know your location, but something built in the fall has
probably had quite a bit of moisture loss if you're heating during the
winter. Allow more float, realizing that you're going to have close to a
half inch total. Pin your middle, and float a quarter at each end unless
the table needs to fit up against a wall, in which case float your center
and room side..

Thanks for the advice, but what's a "floating fastener" Thanks.


George wrote:
"bf" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi, I built a kitchen table about 4 months ago. The top is solid
oak,
2" thick. The table top is roughly 6' long and 3' wide.

I bolted the table top to the "I" shaped legs with 2 1/2" lag
bolts.
I oversized the holes in the legs to allow for some wood movement.

Anyhow, the table top is now bowing upwards. The bolts are holding
it
down close to the legs, but the area between the bolts (roughly a
2'
span) is bowing up.

I'm thinking about unbolting the top and hoping it will resettle
back
to being "flat". Is there any chance of that working? Or any other
suggestions? It's going to be impossible to bolt it down in the
middle
of the leg without ruining it, I'm afraid.

If it makes any difference, the top was finished with 3 coats of
oil
based poly. Both the top and bottom were finished the same.
The gap is roughly 3/8" where it has bowed.

Thanks in advance.


Not the answer you're looking for, but best answer is "maybe."
Sounds like
the table is suffering from drying misery. Had you pinned only one
place
and floated the others, you'd have been better off.

For now, release one end, draw the top down (in increments, if you
must) and
use a floating fastener at the apex of the curve, removing the clamp
after a
few days. Don't know your location, but something built in the fall
has
probably had quite a bit of moisture loss if you're heating during
the
winter. Allow more float, realizing that you're going to have close
to a
half inch total. Pin your middle, and float a quarter at each end
unless
the table needs to fit up against a wall, in which case float your
center
and room side..

"bf" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks for the advice, but what's a "floating fastener" Thanks.

Something which holds down but permits movement perpendicular to the hold.
Z-shaped pieces of metal screwed one to top with the other riding in a
groove, pan head screws in grooves, any number of options.

Search on table to fasteners will produce all kinds of info.
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/fe...ea.asp?id=1045 was just the
first on my list.