Wood warping

Wood warping is a deviation from flatness in timber as a result of internal residual stress caused by uneven shrinkage.

Warping primarily occurs due to uneven expansion or contraction caused by changes in moisture content.

Wood slabs can also become warped as a result of insufficient support from underlying shelf hardware (commonly referred to as sagging or bowing).

[citation needed] Straight wood boards that leave a cutting facility sometimes arrive at the store yard warped.

[citation needed] Zhiyong Cai, researcher at Texas A&M University, has researched wood warping and was working on a computer software program in 2003 to help manufacturers make changes in the manufacturing process so that wood doesn't arrive at its destination warped after it leaves the mill or factory.