wood warping is a deviation from flatness in timber as a result of stresses and uneven shrinkage. warping can also occur in wood considered "dry" (wood can take up and release moisture indefinitely), when it takes up moisture unevenly, or – especially – is allowed to return to its "dry" equilibrium state unevenly, too slowly, or too quickly. many factors can contribute to wood warp: wood species, grain orientation, air flow, sunlight, uneven finishing, temperature – even cutting season and the moon's gravitational pull are taken into account in some traditions (e.g., violin making).