How to Fix Warped Lumber

See if the wood is still wet. All remedies for warped lumber need to be done while the lumber still contains moisture. Add moisture if the lumber is dry. This puts the lumber back in the state that allowed the warping and makes the wood more pliable. In short, you must warp the wood again, but just back to its original shape.

Place lumber with minor signs of warping and moisture in dry heat. Simply placing the lumber outdoors during a dry day will work. Lumber with only a slight misshaping can be rid of all moisture with little effort. The natural drying removes excess moisture and can remove small defects. You can also aid the reshaping process by adding weight or tension to the wood as it dries. For example, a vice can take a slight curvature out of warped lumber while it is left out to dry.

Apply the iron to the damp areas of the wood with moderate pressure. Use medium heat so the lumber will dry slowly and evenly. High heat may cause the lumber to dry unevenly and cause the warp to worsen. Leave the wood in a vice during the drying to remove the imperfections.

Wrap the lumber in a dry towel and lay it on a flat, hard surface. Place a cinder block (or other heavy object) on the warp. The weight will eventually flatten the misshapen parts of the lumber. Remove the cinder block and unwrap the lumber after it has dried. This process works more quickly than simply leaving the wood out to dry because the weight squeezes out excess moisture.