Easing Warp...Will this work?

[Bill Waller]

I am using 1x4, #1, clear white pine as trim for wainscoting in a small room. I have done this in the past, when #1 meant something.

The problem that I am facing is the one of the ten foot pieces that I must use has a wonderful set of curves and waves in the flat plane.

I am considering cutting kerfs along the length of back of the plank (3/8" or

1/2" deep) to relieve some of the strength of the board, allowing me to make it conform more easily to the flatness of wall.

Would several single blade width kerfs, or a single wider (2") channel be a better option? I do need to leave some edge "meat" to nail through.

Bill Waller New Eagle, PA

[e-mail]

[Bill Waller]

Bill Waller New Eagle, PA

[e-mail]

[Unisaw A100]

Kerfing the back of moldings is done all the time with wider millwork pieces like door jambs. Typically we leave 1/2" (+/-) along each edge and run a 1/8" kerf 1/8" (ish) deep every 1/2", 3/4" or 1" across the full width. This can easily be done with a table saw.

Alternatively "letting out the back", what you are calling "a single channel" is common/typical for most moldings over

3"-4"(ish) wide. This would be harder to accomplish with most machines found in a typical hobbyist's shop. It's doable, just that after the first one you might regret this path.

For what you are doing it wouldn't hurt to kerf the backs. You could even go deeper than the normal 1/8" but I'm not sure I'd go deeper than 3/8". You could leave as much as

3/4" to 1 1/4" along each edge depending on the edge treatment.

To make a long story short(er), yes it will work/it is standard practice.

UA100