Wood Veneer - The Basics

If you're interested in veneering with wood veneer and haven't tried it or just don't know where to start then these basic articles will help. Veneering can get quite involved if you let it but it can also be very simple with the same results.

When you're learning the basics of veneering you shouldn't be concerned with knowing how to make your own veneer with bookmatched burls or how to stack and seam flitches to get the best look.

What you're simply concerned with is how to handle it, apply it and finish it. My guess is if you're just learning how to veneer a project you're working on then it probably isn't going to be your signature piece.

Veneer, for our purposes, is defined as a thin layer of wood glued to a suitable substrate. There are several reasons to use wood veneer instead of using solid wood, with the most apparent reasons being wood availability and design.

Certain species just aren't available in the quantities needed to meet the demands. In order to conserve limited supplies it's only available as thin strips. Even a readily available species such as oak is more economical to use as veneer.

One of the other main reasons to use veneer is getting the grain design you want. Some of the wood grain designs can only be made available thru veneers cut in various ways from the log.

When buying veneer material you'll find raw wood veneer just as it was sliced from the log and you'll also find veneer that has some type of backing applied. If you're just learning I'd recommend working with the latter.

Unbacked wood veneer can be tricky to work with when you're just learning. Veneer with a paper or phenolic backing is much more stable and easier to work with.

There are several purposes for the backer. It helps keep the veneer flatter as your working with it and that helps keep it from cracking. The backer, usually available in 10mil or 20mil, keeps the glue from soaking through to the surface and at the same time provides a barrier between the finish and the glue. This is necessary because some finishes aren't compatable with certain glues and could loosen the glue.

Another reason to start with backed veneers is the joints. The backed veneers come in various sizes with some sheets a full 4' x 8'. The seams are already glued together so all you have to do is cut it to size and glue it to your project.

You shouldn't be afraid to give it a try. The veneer and the glues have improved over the years to the point that, just by following basic guidelines, anyone can do a good quality veneer job.

Vacuum Veneering Kit with Pump and 36" x 54" Vinyl Bag A vacuum system is the perfect way to bond veneers and laminates to substrates without the need for special jigs, fixtures and whole lot of clamps. This kit is the perfect solution for those who want to start veneering Vacuum Veneering Kit with Pump and 36" x 54" Vinyl Bag

Vacu-Press Vacuum Veneering Tool Perfect results every time! Applies veneer over both curved and flat surfaces with 1,700 pounds of uniform pressure per square foot. Excellent results with difficult veneers like burls and crotches.. Vacu-Press Vacuum Veneering Tool

Edge Banding Machine Discover why the pros use this edge banding machine! Allows you to easily apply hot-melt adhesive-backed edge banding to straight edges... Edge Banding Machine

Power Roller for Laminates and Veneer Packs maximum pressure for applying laminates and veneer. Easy to handle, only 1-1/2 lbs. Non-marking roller made of durable rubber 3'' long with 1'' diameter. Heavy-duty bent handle made of zinc p.. Power Roller for Laminates and Veneer

Veneer Smoothing Blade An economical alternative to a veneer hammer. Beveled Plexiglas blade never scratches... Veneer Smoothing Blade

Veneer Saw Get a clean cut and a perfect fit every time... Veneer Saw

Veneer Rollers Economical tool for applying veneer and Plyedge strips... Veneer Rollers

Veneer Trimmer Quickly and easily make perfectly clean, square cuts on PVC, melamine, polyester and veneer. This trimmer features double-sided blades and will cut strips up to 0.5 mm thick and 2" wide. Simply place .. Veneer Trimmer

Rockler Veneer Trimming Guide Reface cabinets like a pro with this inexpensive and easy-to-use trimming guide!.. Rockler Veneer Trimming Guide

Double Edge Trimmer Simply squeeze to cleanly trim both edges flush with plywood faces. 9/16'' to 1-1/4'' range... Double Edge Trimmer

Edgebanding Iron An adjustable temperature control melts the edge banding adhesive perfectly. Wooden handle protects your hand by remaining cool... Edgebanding Iron