How to Cut the Chances of Lumber Warping in Hobby Projects

Q. My latest hobby is making Shaker- and country-style pine furniture. I usually buy the lumber I need at one of the home-improvement chain stores in my area. My problem is that, while I often go through many boards to find those that aren’t warped, I’m finding that after a few days, the wood becomes crooked. Or, even worse, it warps after I’ve constructed a hutch or cabinet. What can be done to correct this?

D.C., Mission Viejo

A. Warpage is a very common problem for the furniture maker, and it takes a lot of work and experience to select the right wood, says Joe Brown of Austin Hardwoods in Santa Ana.

For woodworking, it’s best to ask for kiln-dried lumber. This gives you some assurance that the moisture content is down to 5% to 7%, so the board isn’t likely to shrink.

One problem woodworkers often run into is that they may receive dry lumber from another state, but since our humidity is generally lower than some areas, the wood shrinks and warps even more.

With pine, look for lumber that has a vertical grain. The straighter and more vertical the grain, the less warpage you’ll have. Doors are often made from this type of pine because of the tight clearances they have to maintain. Make sure you don’t have side knots also, since these can drop out as the wood dries, whereas regular round knots won’t.

It’s usually not recommended to use real wide pieces of wood. The cabinetmaker’s rule of thumb is to take a 12-inch-wide plank, cut it in half, reverse the two pieces and glue them together because the wider piece will cup and warp over time.

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Q. When I had a gas water heater, I’d drain the bottom of the tank every six months to get rid of sediment. I now have an electric water heater, and I’ve heard it’s not necessary to drain it. Is that correct?

A.J.G., Laguna Hills

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A. Whether a water heater is gas- or electric-powered, there’s still going to be sediment because this comes from the water, says Scott Blanke of Central Plumbing & Heating Supply in La Habra.

Blanke has been recommending lately that homeowners not try to remove sediment themselves. The problem they run into is that when they open the drain near the bottom of the tank, some sediment usually gets into the drain valve and prevents it from fully closing, which means that you have a perpetual drip from the water heater. Not only that, but draining only removes about 60% to 70% of the sediment.

You may want to have a plumber do the job. One method is to use a “muck vac,” which removes the sediment through the flex lines by vacuuming it out. It removes better than 90% of the sediment and is much less messy than draining the water heater.

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Q. A leak developed around our living room fireplace, and water ran down the exposed wood beams, staining them. How can this staining be removed? I believe the beams are redwood.

C.L.S., Capistrano Beach

A. If the wood is natural and unpainted, you’ll need to bleach out the stains or use a product such as Wood Wash, which is designed to remove rust and water stains from exterior wood, says Rich Zelle of Hal’s Paint & Decorating in Fullerton. If the wood has been stained or painted before, you can use a dark solid stain, which should cover the water stains.

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Q. When my ceramic tile floor was first installed I had white grout, but over time it became grimy and hard to clean. I used a grout colorant on it last year and was very pleased with the results. However, now it seems that the colorant has worn off. Is there anything I should do to make sure it stays on the grout the next time?

L.T., Placentia

A. You always have to get the grout as clean as you possibly can before using a colorant, says tile installer Eric Gray of Huntington Beach. Use a good grout cleaner with a brush and scrub away any grime, dirt or wax, then let it dry out for at least a couple of days. The colorant is basically a paint, and when you use it to cover up dirt or moist grout, it’s not going to adhere to the grout surface.