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What is Wood Veneer?

J.Gunsch
J.Gunsch

Wood veneer is used to give furniture or other materials a fine wood grain appearance. It is also used to make plywood, which consists of thin layers of veneer glued together. Wood veneer comes in very thin sheets, less than 3 mm thick, and is made of various types of finished or unfinished wood.

This material is often used on common or less valuable materials to give them a superficially attractive appearance. It's also used for cabinet remodeling, since it's easier than replacing functional but unattractive kitchen cabinets entirely. Wood veneer is also used for parquet floors. Wooden products that have large surfaces may have a veneer to avoid the great costs associated with making large items entirely of solid wood.

Some people also use wood veneer can be used in craft projects. It is used on speaker coverings and luxury car interiors. Its various creative uses are limited only by the imagination.

Oak is commonly used in veneers.
Oak is commonly used in veneers.

Wood veneer can be made from the wood of various species of trees. It is often made from species such as cherry, oak, maple and birch, as well as rare and exotic species such as Brazilian rosewood and eucalyptus. There are hundreds of different types of veneers available. When applied properly, wood veneer gives a piece the illusion that is made entirely from the same type of wood as the veneer.

Some furniture, like a dining room table set, is made more attractive through the use of a veneer covering.
Some furniture, like a dining room table set, is made more attractive through the use of a veneer covering.

Most of the time, veneers are applied with an adhesive such as carpenter’s glue, using a specialized roller and clamps to hold the veneer in place while drying. The choice of adhesive should depend on the experience of the person doing the applying, since some adhesives are so strong that they do not allow for any mistakes. Wood veneer should also be applied only to flat surfaces, because it doesn’t adhere neatly to curves.

Wood veneers may be featured on kitchen cabinets as finishing pieces.
Wood veneers may be featured on kitchen cabinets as finishing pieces.

Most finished veneer comes with a paper backing which eases the application process. Raw wood veneer may or may not be finished, and it does not adhere as easily as paper backed veneer. It is also more likely to allow the adhesive to seep through to the surface, giving the veneer a warped or stained appearance.

Discussion Comments

anon293508

Why does the FDA in the USA not allow products made using veneer to be imported?

anon292793

Can veneer be considered to be wood or is it a product of wood? Where can I find literature on this subject?

anon133524

do you know of any company/factory that deals in wood Veneer business? The thickness of the wood veneer will be 0.6 mm.

anon109422

do you know of any company/factory that deals in wood business and making of veneer? The thickness of the wood will be 2 mm.

anon94737

can you please tell me a bit about the differences between veneer logs, saw logs, and rotary logs? thanks

anon49926

how do i install a wood veneer wall?

anon48621

if i was to use wood veneer on shelving in say a kitchen would the color differ from shelf to shelf or would the color remain constant? If it did change would this be dramatic?

nixon481

how thin is wood veneer? is it 1/16" or is it thinner than that?

anon8169

How is veneer made?

anon4583

What is the difference between a veneer & the sunmica?

Rajesh Thamman

India

anon485

what is metal veneer

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    • Oak is commonly used in veneers.
      By: Aleksey Bakaleev
      Oak is commonly used in veneers.
    • Some furniture, like a dining room table set, is made more attractive through the use of a veneer covering.
      By: Dmitry Pistrov
      Some furniture, like a dining room table set, is made more attractive through the use of a veneer covering.
    • Wood veneers may be featured on kitchen cabinets as finishing pieces.
      By: Matthias Buehner
      Wood veneers may be featured on kitchen cabinets as finishing pieces.
    • Installing cabinet veneers allows homeowners to enjoy the look of more expensive cabinets without having to spend as much money.
      By: Daniel Krylov
      Installing cabinet veneers allows homeowners to enjoy the look of more expensive cabinets without having to spend as much money.