As you continue your adventures in woodworking, you might be looking at more complex tasks. These can spark your creativity and provide the challenge of using new techniques to design timeless pieces. In more complex projects, you may have to bend the wood.
How do you bend wood with water? In either method (soaking it in water or using a steam box), choose a suitable wood that is roughly 20mm thick, check the moisture level (ideal at 20-30%), and find a mold that you can clamp the piece to. Bend the wood in the direction of the grain once it is soaked/steamed, and allow it to dry.
Of course, with either of these two main methods, you will need to ensure that you are taking proper precautions to care for your wood. Since it can be a bit tricky to accomplish this for your first time working to bend wood, you will want to be careful not to break the fibers of the wood while bending it with water. Let’s take a closer look at how to bend wood with water using the option of soaking the wood or using a steam box.
At our Cucamonga Woodworking live online workshops we discuss bend and steaming wood at about the 5 minute mark of this video. You can also check out our other past workshops on Youtube Here(Link to Cucamonga Woodworking)
How to Bend Wood with Water by Soaking the Wood
One of the two most common options for bending wood with water includes soaking the wood and then bending it into the shape that you desire to. To bend wood with water by soaking the wood, follow these steps:
Select suitable wood to work with.Before you can begin your project of bending wood, you will want to select a desirable slab of wood to begin working with in the first place. After all, not all types of wood are the same- especially when it comes to bending wood by soaking it or steaming it.
Particularly, you will want to look for wood that is not too thick or too thin as these can be difficult to bend or are susceptible to breaking more easily. An ideal measurement is roughly 20mm thick.
Then, you will want to focus on finding a piece of wood that has a straight grain as wood that is cross-grained is more likely to crack or break during the bending process. The pressure of the bend should go along with the grain of the wood rather than opposed to it.
Ideal types of wood for bending include white oak, hard oak, elm, beech, hackberry, and ash all bend well. Walnut can bend moderately, but it is prone to discoloration at the highest pressure points of the bend.
Check the wood’s moisture level.Once you have selected the ideal type of wood to begin working with, you will want to check the wood’s natural moisture level. Wood that has a moisture level of roughly 20-30% before beginning the soaking process can be more suitable for bending.
Either way, the moisture level should not exceed 70% during the soaking process. However, you also cannot use wood that is burnt or has a moisture level of less than 10% as you begin bending the wood, as these types of wood are unsuitable for bending and are prone to break.
To check the moisture level, you can use awood moisture monitor. Just avoid placing this entirely underwater once you begin the soaking process as this device is not meant to be soaked.
Find or construct a water-resistant container.Now that you have the perfect piece of wood selected for your project, you will need to find or construct a water-resistant container to soak the wood. Ideally, this will be a flat piece that will not affect the wood as it rests in the water.
You can use a variety of materials for this type of container- it simply needs to be able to hold the water to be soaked up by the wood that you are attempting to bend. Thus, it will need to be large enough to move the wood piece in and out of with ease when working with the wood, and it will need to be water-resistant.
Soak the wood for 24-48 hours.Once you have your wood and container, it is time to soak the wood. Likely, you will need to soak the wood for 24-48 hours, although you can monitor this by checking the moisture levels. Again, you can use yourwood moisture monitorto occasionally lift the wood out of the container and check it if you are really concerned, but try to avoid moving the wood if at all possible.
It is best to soak the wood in hot water as opposed to cool water. The hot water will add to the pressure and help to soften the wood. This will permit the wood to be prepped well when it has finished soaking and is ready to be bent.
Create a mold with a smooth edge.As your wood is soaking, you can begin creating (or preparing it if you already created it) a mold with a smooth edge. The smooth edge is important so that no added pressure points press into the wood as it is bending. Removing any edges is critical for a smooth bending process.
One method is to find an oversized tire and place a piece of sheet metal flat on the surface. Or, if you want a less angled bend, then you can construct the shape of your mold in another way and still use the thin, flat piece of sheet metal as a barrier (like a cookie sheet) between the wood and the mold. This will help to preserve the wood fibers and allow them to bend smoothly.
Clamp the piece of wood to the mold.After you have thoroughly soaked your piece of wood, it is time to clamp it to the mold and begin the bending process. You can do this in a variety of ways depending on the type of mold you are using to bend the wood.
A few methods include clamping the wood with bolted clamps, using store-bought clamps without molds, or finding something to securely strap the piece of wood to both ends of the mold during the bending process.
Allow the wood to dry.Now that the wood is bending, it is time to permit it to dry. This can again be checked with thewater moisture monitoras the wood should be restored to its original moisture level before you began this project.
Do not apply direct heat over an open flame to dry the wood as this can create an obvious hazard in destroying the wood. If necessary, you can use a heated fan or blow dryer, but try to allow nature to run its course when allowing the wood to dry. It should not take more than a few days max.
Once it is completely dry, you can remove the clamps and begin working on creating your masterpiece from this piece of beautifully-bent wood. Avoid working with the wood before it is completely dry as this could damage the wood or result in a soggy start to your project.
How to Bend Wood with Water by Using a Steam Box
Another method for bending wood using water is to use a steam box. This is another secure way that will allow your wood to be moistened before you begin the bending process. To bend wood with water by using a steam box, be sure to follow these steps:
Select suitable wood to work with.Selecting a suitable type of wood to work with is the same in the steaming method as it is in the soaking method. See the above directions for this initial step.
Check the wood’s initial moisture levels.While you will be adding moisture in a different manner, you will still be following the same general guidelines for observing the wood’s initial moisture levels. See the above directions for this step as well.
Find or construct a steam box.Constructing a steam box is the obviously different component of this method compared to bending wood by soaking it. There are plenty of tutorials for constructing your own steam box, or you can choose to buy one that will work for your project. You can often find these at woodworking shops or hardware stores.
When constructing your steam box, you will want to make sure that there is a place for the steam to be pumped in as well as a small opening that will allow some of the pressure to escape. This will permit the wood to be steamed without being warped inside of the steam box itself.
Steam the wood.Now that you have found or constructed a steam box that is large enough for your piece of wood to rest in, it is time to steam the wood. Place the wood inside the box, seal the container, and begin adding the steam. Monitor the moisture levels of the wood when needed following the above recommendations for appropriate moisture levels.
As you steam the wood, know that it could take up to 48-hours. However, general estimates include steaming the wood for one hour for every 2.5 cm of wood that is being steamed. It does not usually take more than a day.
However, the steam should reach 212 degrees Fahrenheit or 100 degrees Celsius to work best. The steam that is added will not only be soaked into the wood, but it will soften the wood with the pressure that it adds as well. This will prep the wood for the bending stage.
Create a mold with a smooth edge.Now that you have steamed the wood, you can begin the bending portion of the project which should look almost exactly the same as the steps in the soaking method. See the above instructions for this step.
Clamp the piece of wood to the mold.Again, clamping the wood should also look the same for this method. See the above instructions for this step as well.
Allow the wood to dry.Finally, monitor the wood’s moisture levels and begin crafting your beautiful masterpiece once it has dried. For specific instructions on allowing the wood to dry before working with it, see this step in the above directions.
Bending Wood with Water. Another method for bending wood involves soaking it in hot water until it becomes pliable. Once pliable, you'll be able to clamp it to a form and allow it to dry. When it's cool and dry, it will take the curved shape of the form.
Bending wood is a two-step process: first softening the wood, then forming it. Steam is a good agent for softening wood. Wood can also be softened by creating multiple cuts on the back of the wood. This method is called kerf-cutting.
1. Steaming or soaking the wood in boiling water to soften it. 2. Saw-kerfing or grooving the back of the wood so it will bend easily without danger of splitting or cracking.
The cloths should be kept soaking wet, preferably with warm water, and left in contact with the plywood long enough to saturate and to warm the area. Some period of time will be required to achieve this saturation -- probably several days. The bends should be made while the wood is still warm and the fibers are soft.
The temperature is set to 350 degrees. This is enough to prevent the wood for burning but hot enough to get rid of the moisture. This temperature is appropriate for the guitar side bending temperature as well. Steam has been created in this process.
Soak the wood in water for a day or so to soften it. You can also spray a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water on the surface and let it penetrate the wood.
Steam bending is the process of soaking a piece of wood in hot water at boiling point for a certain period of time in a steam box, softening the fibres to make it pliable and stretchier. Once the timber cools down and the fibres dry once more, it will retain its new shape.
To efficiently make the wood bendable, it's recommended that you soak the wood in relatively hot water for one to three hours. Many other factors can change this, but one to three hours will work for most wood types. This is a good general guideline to follow, but again depending on the type of wood you're using.
Certain species of wood bend much easier than others as well. Essentially, the more open the grain, the easier it steams which makes sense as the steam can penetrate the open pores more easily. Of common woods, white oak is best, followed by red oak and beech.
With Cold-Bend Hardwood, the wood is compressed before it is bent. Therefore it can stretch on the outside of the curve during bending - no steam or backing strap needed. Since the wood is first plasticized in an autoclave and then compressed in a hydraulic press, very tight radiuses can be bent.
Steam bending is a woodworking technique where wood is exposed to steam to make it pliable. Heat and moisture from steam can soften wood fibres enough so they can be bent and stretched, and when cooled down they will hold their new shape.
What Happens if Plywood Is Stored in Wet Conditions? Generally, if common plywood gets wet for an extended period of time, it can swell and lose shape which eventually leads to the layers of wood splitting apart. This often occurs when plywood is stored outside for even a short timeframe before a project begins.
Continue adding clamps to the plywood until it's completely clamped along the curved side of the form. Make sure you clamp the ends and middle of the plywood you're bending. If you see gaps between the plywood and the curved side of the form, tighten a clamp over them.
Generally, wood should be moist before initiating the steaming process, as damp wood is most effective with heat transfer. Some woods already have high moisture content while others will need to be pre-soaked. As a general rule, hardwoods are well-suited for steaming and bending than softwoods.
Temperature alone will not cause wood to swell or shrink, it's the humidity in the environment and the moisture content of the wood that determines the movement. By how much your wood expands or contracts also depends on the wood species in play.
Steaming takes about one hour per inch of workpiece thickness and parts must stay on the bending form for one hour, so unless you make more than one form, the steam box only has to accommodate one part at a time.
Evidently increasing the water content of wood by soaking wood samples in this way lowers the stiffness and strength of the wood. When dry timber has its water content increased to the levels found in green timber, the cell walls fill with water. This causes the cell walls to expand and a dimensional change occurs.
“Solid wood flooring is susceptible to heat and therefore if boiling water is directly applied it can expand the wood and cause issues with your floorboards cracking and becoming uneven. "With laminate flooring and engineered wood flooring, you could see corrosion to the material.
It is actually fairly simple – lingering moisture in wood creates an environment conducive to fungi growth, which in turn causes the wood's fibers to deteriorate. So, when water contacts an unprotected wood surface for a long enough period of time, the wood begins to rot.
TR: Bending wood with the flow of its grain, as opposed to against, makes it stronger and structurally sound. Steam bending was primarily used to make weapons and boats, so it's a great process to try if you want to make something durable that's going to last a long time.
In truth, soaking your wood chips and chunks isn't necessary and here's why. Wood chips and chunks that have been soaked have to get rid of any moisture before they can produce smoke. The water on the wood will have to heat to 212°F (the boiling point of water) and will stall there until the water has been evaporated.
Soaking wood does make it easier to carve. However, as the wood dries, it can potentially crack and even become more brittle overall. To soften wood for carving, the better option is to spray a 50/50 mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water onto the wood as you carve, and use a very sharp knife.
Q: Which types of wood are best for steam bending? TR: As a general rule, hardwoods tend to yield the best results - for us anyway. We use air dried ash and oak for our solid wood furniture products but other woods that work well include cherry, birch and maple. We also use walnut for our lighting ranges.
Plywood, cheaper and lighter than most solid wood, is strong and flexible, making it ideal for furniture and cabinetry, sheathing and paneling. It is less subject to warping than solid wood and doesn't shrink or swell with changes in humidity.
Shrinking and swelling occur as the wood changes moisture content in response to daily as well as seasonal changes in the relative humidity of the atmosphere, i.e., when the air is humid, wood adsorbs moisture and swells; when the air is dry, wood loses moisture and shrinks.
Water often swells wood. If you dry it out too quickly, it will shrink, crack, and warp. If drawers and doors are swollen, don't force them open – you'll do more damage. Instead, carefully remove the back of the furniture, and allow the air to circulate and dry steadily.
Expose the wood directly to water to force it to expand. Exposure to modest to moderate amounts of water will cause the EMC to gradually rise and the wood will start to expand. However, soaking the wood in water will cause the wood to expand a tremendous amount.
Cold bending is also known as roll bending because of the process most commonly used to bend metal that hasn't been heated. Roll bending is accomplished using a mechanical jig that uses three rollers to bend metal into a circular arc.
Turn on your heat gun to medium-high and hold it about 4-inches from the wood. Setp 3: Keep the wood moving constantly as it can scortch the wood. Test the wood periodically for give. After a few minutes, the wood will become malleable, and you'll be able to gradually alter its shape as you desire.
There are two methods generally used to bend wood… Steam it and bend it into shape while it is somewhat pliable. Clamp and let dry. Slice it into veneers (thin slices) that bend to the radius you need without the wood breaking.
Plywood that was not pressure treated is likely to rot within six months if it has been sitting in water in a hot and humid climate. If the plywood is sitting on the ground or placed near the ground, it will likely rot quickly.
(Source: DOE, 2021.) Look for mold on other wood-based building materials, such as plywood, OSB, and millwork. Any wood product, such as the OSB sheathing shown in Figure 5, is susceptible to growing mold when moisture levels of the material remain high for extended periods of time without drying.
Plywood can be waterproofed with paint, polyurethane, or epoxy finish. Lightly sand the plywood with 180 grit sandpaper, clean off any sawdust, and apply the finish with a brush or by pouring the finish on if using epoxy.
We recommend a minimum bend radius of 1t for all sheet metal parts. Thus the smallest radius of any bend in a sheet should be at least equal to the thickness of the sheet. For example, if the thickness of the sheet is 1 mm, the minimum bend radius should be 1 mm.
Plywood panels over 3/4 inch in thickness are usually special order products. Thinner sheets of plywood can be glued together (laminated) to make a thicker panel for cutting sturdier shelves. The longest recommended span between wall supports for 3/4-inch-thick plywood shelves is 36 inches.
Metals like silver, lead, and copper have ductility — a metalsmith can bend, hammer, and even stretch these materials without breaking or shattering them. Things like Silly Putty and Play-Doh also have ductility, but your ceramic mug and plastic sunglasses don't.
This amazing flexible board will shape to almost any curved contour. Its ability to flex in long-grain or cross-grain directions makes it a versatile panel for complex designs.
To efficiently make the wood bendable, it's recommended that you soak the wood in relatively hot water for one to three hours. Many other factors can change this, but one to three hours will work for most wood types.
Evidently increasing the water content of wood by soaking wood samples in this way lowers the stiffness and strength of the wood. When dry timber has its water content increased to the levels found in green timber, the cell walls fill with water. This causes the cell walls to expand and a dimensional change occurs.
*Wet (or green) wood bends more easily than dry wood.
Also, if the wood is heated to assist in bending, the heat will spread more rapidly into moist wood than it will in dry wood. Some items can be bent while green, or after soaking, without any heating.
Salt damage in wood can be recognized by its stringy appearance and is frequently observed in wood used in maritime structures and buildings built near the ocean. Whereas salt-damaged wood is common, little is known about the mechanism by which salt water alters the wood structure.
Water gets into wood in three ways: as a fluid through the cell lumens through capillary tension, as vapour through the cell lumens, and as molecular diffusion through the cell walls. The moisture content of wood means the relationship between the mass of water in it and the mass of the timber without the water.
Store your lumber in a clean, cool, shaded and dry location. If you're storing wood in an area with high relative humidity—80 percent or more—be sure it's wrapped in material that is impermeable to vapor. This prevents the wood from absorbing significant amounts of moisture from the surrounding air.
If you have noticed your wood door changing shape over time, this is due to warping. The root cause of wood warping is moisture. Moisture in the wood dries out unevenly, causing the wood to also shift unevenly.
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