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Hi,
On Saturday & Sunday I worked on re-purposing 2 bar stools into deck tables.

I used pine wood, tile adhesive, tile squares, and grout.
Everything went great until I took the tables inside because it was humid outdoors, to dry overnight. The next morning my tables had bowed like umbrellas.

I came to the conclusion that I put the grout on too soon, which cause the tile adhesive to not be able to dry properly on the wood and then the grout further wet the adhesive AND wood...so the weight of the tile caused the bowing of the damp wood?

Question:
Now having described the above, my question is:

If I wet the pine and then place some heavy weight on it would it flatten back out? Or...do I just need to scrap the project and start all over?

Also, if the above plan works, would it be advisable to attach some cement backer board to the underside of the table for stability?

I have attached a picture of the tables for your viewing/advice.

HELP PLEASE ME MAKE IT RIGHT MIKE!

Thank you

Choices:
Wet the wood and weight it?
Screw Cement backer board to bottom for stability?

 

quote:

If I wet the pine and then place some heavy weight on it would it flatten back out?

Mike doesn't read this. You will have to put up with us who just read it and sometimes know what we are doing.

It was a cool idea put you should have sealed the wood first. Nothing like stating the obvious.

Will the weights work? Maybe. Maybe not. But if your alternative is to scrap it, what do you have to lose?

Can't you take the top off and start with a new piece of backing? Like fiber board.