how to keep wood from warping?

Keep it dry. Dry the wood thoroughly before you begin and keep it that way. Seal the wood with a clear varnish as the final finish steps before polishing it with a cloth.

For the board:

Wood warps when growth rings are uninterrupted and moisture levels change.

To counter that tendency, the wood should be sectioned, and that growth ring pattern must be alternated so the bending of one section is off-set by the reverse bending of the next section.

To visualize this over the field of the board, I'll use these symbols to mimic the ring pattern:

" ( " and " ) ".

So the pattern would be:

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (

As you progress right to left there is alternating ring orientation, but also note the subsequent row is alternated as well. That alternation should be maintained.

Cut sections from boards and reverse them, then glue those following that alternate pattern, or cut small equal squares, again gluing in alternate pattern.

Tighter growth rings also helps. That is the gap between each ring.

Trees from 'farms' (or cultivated) are in controlled, optimal growing conditions, which result in large growth rings.

'Old growth' or forest trees have resource competition, and therefore grow slower, resulting in tighter rings.

If you're buying your own lumber, bring along a magnifying glass so you can sort through the choices and get the tightest samples you can find. (A small pen knife can be use to shave the end grain to get a better look at those aspects.)

Your trees need felling by a professional, before you can use them, the trunks will need to be sawn length-ways and either air dried with sticks between them for air circulation or if you want to use or sell them in the next 3/4 years have them kiln dried. Discuss it with the sawyers but of you want 2" planks they will probably cut over size. A kiln dried sawn 2" plank will usually plane up to 1 3/4" finished.

wood warps when one side absorbs more moisture than the other. Varnish both sides equally and it will not warp.

==== go to a fine woods lumber yard and order walnut and mahogany and oak woods == it goes like this ===== good wood properly used has never failed or warped ============== cheap lumber has not been properly kiln dried and it will warp and twist ... perhaps you can order fine wood online and have it shipped to your home ...........