pine wood protection

[DanielOB]

I am making a counter-top. Constrauction is from 2x4x... construction Pine studs used for house-walls e.g., cutted in various shapes and size. I got it from HomeDepot.
That wood is not clear Pine. It has 10-14 % moisture.

What is the best way to protectet it from twisting and bending during moisture content change?
is there something in HomeDepot i can buy for that purpuse?

Thanks

 

[wrightwoodwork]

The best thing to do is the way you arrange the end grain so the forces counter act on each other. Where abouts do you intend to use the counter top

 

[DanielOB]

It will be kitchen counter-top

 

[fdengel]

I'd be a bit cautious about using that kind of material for a counter top... definitely make sure it is not treated lumber!

You might want to consider putting a layer of thick plywood (at least 1/2") underneath it and gluing the 2x material to the plywood.  The plywood should add stiffness and help to reduce the warping?

 

[tjbnwi]

Wrong material for this purpose. Consider a different wood.

Tom

 

[wow]

Agree with fdengel - this isn't an ideal use for this wood. It's just not gonna be stable unless you do something like was suggested, i.e. attach it to a stable base like plywood.

Also, your moisture content is awfully high? If you insist on using the wood you have, I'd put it in the house for at least a couple of weeks to let it acclimate before you cut it to final dimensions or install it.

 

[DanielOB]

Wrong material for this purpose. Consider a different wood.

Tom

Which wood would be the best choice for frame (not visible part).

The plywood 3/4" will be screw and glue attached to the counter-top. Part of the frame is Oak (stained and polyethane applied, two layers)

MIGHT BE IS NOT CLEAR MY QUESTION : COUTER-TOP PLATE IS STANDARD PARTICLEWOOD WITH FORMICA AT TOP. UNDER THAT IS 3/4" PLYWOOD ATTACHED TO THE TOP-PLATE WITH FORMICA.

THIS CANNOT STAY IN AIR, SO THERE IS A CONSTRUCTOION UNDER THE PLYWOOD TO WHICH PLYWOOD IS ATTACHED. THAT CONSTRUCTION (LEGS, SHELF RAILS, ... ) ARE FROM PINE STUDS. CONSTRUCTION IS ATTACHED TO THE FLOOR PLYWOOD AND TO THE WALL BEHIND IT ALL.

**** THAT PINE-CONSTRUCTION IS YTHE SUBJECT MATTER. IS IT RIGHT MATERIAL AND HOW TO PREVENT DEFORMATIONS OF THE PINE WOOD.

 

[DanielOB]

The plan has been changed, thanks to you guys:
- Parts under compression are 2x4 PINE no-treated (like legs)
- Parts under bending are TWO-plywood strips, 3/4" each, connected into one beam 1.5" thick x 4" height, by glue and screws (like a beam under doors 60" long ).

Hope this plan is better.
Thanks

 

[wow]

The plan has been changed, thanks to you guys:
- Parts under compression are 2x4 PINE no-treated (like legs)
- Parts under bending are TWO-plywood strips, 3/4" each, connected into one beam 1.5" thick x 4" height, by glue and screws (like a beam under doors 60" long ).

Hope this plan is better.
Thanks

I thought - and I believe others did as well - that you were using pine for the actual countertop. Hence my/our responses.

Pressure treated pine would be fine for the legs. In fact, I'd recommend it if it is going to be directly touching concrete. And a pine support structure is fine as well.

Now that we've got that sorted out, I'll try to answer your question. Pine from the big-box stores is notorious for being 'propeller wood'. If you have time, I would try to dry the wood down to about 8% MC before you build with it. If it goes squirrelly on you, don't use it. I know that sounds simple, but getting the bending/twisting out of the way up front just makes sense - and you really can't straighten it out later. If it's twisted, cupped, or bowed, it'll be that way forever (unless you machine it back to square, which would remove material so you'd no long have a 2x4 or whatever.

You can mitigate some movement by pairing boards, i.e. glueing the faces together with the grains placed opposite of each other. That way any stress created in one board is hopefully canceled ou by the same stress created in the other board. Hope that makes sense?

Once you have it READY to assemble, I'd either paint it with polyurethane enamel, or use a polyurethane clear finish if you like. The reason I would finish it completely at this point is that you can finish all of the cuts, ends, and sides...which is important to keep the wood stable. And polyurethane is TOUGH stuff - it'll keep the moisture content very stable as it won't easily allow moisture IN or OUT of the wood.

Hope this all makes sense and is helpful?