Preventing checks in table top

**wattycoo** · 8th October 2012, 08:21 PM

I have just discovered fine checks in the coffee table top I am working on. Any advice from the wise heads on what I could have done to prevent this is appreciated. The widest check is probably 0.25mm at the edge and runs for 100mm in a board in the centre of the table.

Timber is american torrefied maple (plain sawn) and was stored with air circulation in the shed for 6 months before beginning. I took it down in thickness equally on both faces to 5mm overthickness before edge jointing and glueing 5 boards together. This process would have taken place over 1 month. The panels would have remained like this stored on edge for at least another month. Then in a period of 1 week the panel was thickness sanded to 25mm and tablesawed to final size 1200x740mm by a local cabinetmaker. This process removed 5mm in thickness and 25-40mm in length of the panel (equally from both sides and ends). That was three weeks ago. The table has been stored flat (and it is remaining flat) on the bench since then. The top will eventually be through dovetailed to the sides therefore the smaller checks will probably largely disappear in the sockets.

What can I learn here? Could this be prevented? Can I stop the checks lengthening? How can I best fill them before finishing? Or is this just an inevitable problem associated with not being able to assemble components fast enough?

Any and all advice is much appreciated, Ross.

**Karl1** · 10th October 2012, 04:05 PM

Plenty of experts can confirm Watty, but my own reading of this forum indicates that timber naturally dried (rather than kiln-dried) requires 12 months for each 25mm of thickness. I believe you only allowed half that time, so maybe that was the cause. If the checking arose 6 months after planing then it would indicate some equalisation of moisture is still ocurring. Some timbers may still move even when supposedly fully dry (eg. red gum).

**JPA** · 10th October 2012, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by Karl1

Plenty of experts can confirm Watty, but my own reading of this forum indicates that timber naturally dried (rather than kiln-dried) requires 12 months for each 25mm of thickness. I believe you only allowed half that time, so maybe that was the cause. If the checking arose 6 months after planing then it would indicate some equalisation of moisture is still ocurring. Some timbers may still move even when supposedly fully dry (eg. red gum).

I was going to say something along those lines. Perhaps by thicknessing you exposed parts of the timber that hadn't fully dried yet. Then different parts of the timber would be drying at different rates...and hence checks. I've never filled a gap that thin so I'll leave it for someone else.

Cheers

**wattycoo** · 11th October 2012, 08:21 AM

Thanks for the advice karl1 and JPA. I probably need to thickness slower when preparing wider panels, Ross

**rod1949** · 11th October 2012, 04:19 PM

Its Mother Nature doing her thing. I've found the best way to fill them (after they have settled) is to inject (syringe) the finishing laquer into them. And you'll fine heeps more of fine cracks after the application of the first coat of laquer.

**wattycoo** · 12th October 2012, 07:44 AM

Thanks Rod. I'm starting to realise I've probably not done too much wrong, Ross

**mrmoon** · 17th October 2012, 10:37 PM

You did nottalk about the way thenwood was sawn. Back or quarter. From mynexperience some wood when back sawn will always get checks but when quarter sawn will be stable. Oregon or celery top pine for example.

**wattycoo** · 19th October 2012, 07:50 AM

Timber was backsawn. Checks are not getting worse. I'm thinking of filling them with coloured wax. Finish will be oil and wax, Ross

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