I've vacuum veneered many panels to date, but this current project has me with a big question mark above my head. I'm replacing the veneer on a dining table. It is split in two halves, and a pretty basic leaf table - Duncan Phyfe to be exact. Anyway, I stripped the two panels down and took of all the table slides, hardware, apron, etc, so that I had basically two flat slabs. After that, I took them to a friend's cabinet shop, where he ran them through his (completely amazing) wide format drum sander. Trouble is, it's been two weeks until I could get around to the veneer step, so they've warped a bit. Both slabs have about a 1/4" warp to them, in a downwards(toward the floor as the table would be oriented) slope. I suspect this is from two reasons: 1) leaving one side not veneered, and the underside still has the balance veneer, the bottom side "pulled", thus dropping the top downwards, and 2) the bare top surface absorbed some water from the air, thus expanding, further drooping the table downwards.

Anyway, I could just go ahead and veneer these panels, but I'm scared that after I do so, and finish them, that they will straighten out, which would effectively "pinch" or "compress" the veneered top surface, and the finish. I'm concerned of the possibility that this might sort of crinkle the newly veneered top, or finish.

Is this basically a non-issue, or am I on the right track for worrying? In retrospec, I should have veneered these panels immediately after they were sanded, but I don't have a time machine, so I Can't worry about that now. I took them outside today and put them face up(so warped downward) in hopes of some direct sunlight, but the weather is not good for the next few days. I fixed a warped door that way once.

What's a guy to do?