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How to straighten bent timber?

Hey, I'm about to attempt building a queen bedframe. I designed it myself and have just purchased all the materials.

The 70x45 dressed pine that I'm going to be using for the frame is slightly bent. I will be screwing 140x19 dressed pine to the frame to box out the bed. The 140x19 isn't bent at all.

What I'm want to know is will the bent 70x45 cause the 140x19 to eventually bend or will it have enough strength to keep it straight.

I will add some drawings to hopefully help explain my plan.

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

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Jason

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @sam3351. It's good to have you join us. I trust you'll get loads of helpful advice and project inspiration from our wonderful members.

Please note that a couple of our resident Bunnings D.I.Y. experts are taking a well-earned break at the moment, so there might be a bit of a delay before one can get back to you. Sorry about that.

Let me see if some other helpful members with woodworking experience might be able to share their approach to this problem:

@r23on, @woodenwookie, @JDE and @woodalwaysworks.

Thanks,

Jason

MitchellMc

Hi @sam3351,

I apologise for the delay in my reply.

I'm concerned that the 140mm will bend, too. Is there a straighter length of 70 x 45mm that you could use?

I note you have some cross members in your design. I would use those to help remove the bend from the timber. Whether you install the timber with the bow in or out, you could either pull it out into shape and install the cross member to hold it there or pull it in to meet the cross member. Once fixed to the cross member that should straighten it sufficiently.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Jewelleryrescue

Hi @sam3351

like @MitchellMc suggested put in some middle timbers (x3) same 70 x 45 the bow will be removed and this will also support the top timber sheet the matress sits on.

FYI Timber bow take it outside sit a brick under the bow mid point so timber sits like a smile then sit bricks on each end and wet the timber it should start to flex back the other way in two or three days. watch it dose bow the other way.

But the middle timbers will hold it in place.

(Save the bowed timber and make boomerangs out of it lol)

Some more bed making tips:

Slat beds cause most materesses to under perform .

If any one has slats try adding more slats to fill the gaps or put a sheet of 5mm ply over the slats instantly you will have a better performing matress more supportive and even.

woodenwookie

I would have suggested the same thing.

Wood is living so you can rehydrate it and "fix" it. The downside of this method is time to dry for use. Nothing a couple of heaters can't fix... or your Aussie summer heat. 🤣

Jewelleryrescue

Hi @woodenwookie this dosnt apply to you more a general comment for other readers

The real smart money is to select straightest wood at the time of purchase if possible saves a lot of time it is your money so you get to pick the bits you want. Some might have not had the selection opertunity due to a blind delivery. Also select less knotty wood if you need timber strength and better visual appeal.

Bent knotty wood is perfectly ok to use if fixed in to a frame it will be forced to straighten up and in time will loss its bow not that it matters as it is fixed into place.

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