Warping refers to a distorting effect observed on wood as a result of the uneven drying of wood fibers. Wood fibers slightly contract as the wood dries. A flat wood can become curved as a result of the difference in the contraction rate of the wood fibers which shifts the overall lay of the wood fibers. Wood warping can be prevented by allowing the woods to be used for a project to dry completely. There are three types of wood warping and these are briefly explained below. Bowing is a common type of wood warping common in longboards.

 

The wood fibers at the upper side of the board are exposed to air, and so they dry faster, the fibers on the underside dry slower, and this makes the board contract at both sides. The resulting wood has an archer's bow shape. Crook, which is another type of warping affects the whole board. It occurs when the fibers on the edges of a board dry faster than those on other areas which leads to warping of the side of a board. Kink, twist and cup are other types of warping that occur due to different combinations of the two types already explained above. All five types of wood warping affect the alignment of drawers and cabinet doors negatively.