How to Use Wood Veneer for Your Project: A Comprehensive Guide
- Rajvardhan Agarwal
- Mar 17, 2022
- 4 min read
What’s a fool-proof idea to upgrade the visual appeal of a room?
If you said, “Good surface finishes,” you got us.
Surface finishes provide an excellent opportunity to experiment with design, material, pattern, color, and texture. You can explore a variety of finishes such as paint, wallpaper, and cladding by installing them on walls, ceilings, and furniture.
The building material industry is an innovation hotspot that keeps discovering a wide range of materials and products for surface finishes. Of these, the finishing material that truly stands out is wood veneer. This is because veneer finish wood is a naturally-sourced material and provides an exquisite surface finish.
Veneer VS. Laminate
While many people confuse veneer with laminate because of its visual similarity, both materials are starkly opposite in their manufacturing, application, and cost. A veneer is an actual slice of wood, whereas laminate is a multi-layered synthetic sheet that is made to look like wood.
There is no direct answer to declare a winner between veneer vs. laminate. In order to select the best-suited material for your project, weigh them on the basis of maintenance, durability, cost, appearance, and resistance to heat, water, and scratches.
Veneer Finish Wood: All Things Basic
Wood veneer is a thin slice of wood glued to a base sheet of plywood, particleboard, MDF, or any other less expensive piece of wood. Veneer sheets are thinner than 3mm yet give an authentic wood-like aesthetics to a surface. The most commonly used trees for procuring veneer in India include cherry, maple, white ash, teak, mahogany, oak, and eucalyptus.
The most interesting thing about veneer is that no two pieces are the same. Even if two pieces of veneer are sourced from a single tree, their grains, color, and texture would differ. Hence, veneer finish wood can be customized to suit your design needs. The quality of a wood veneer depends on the texture, color, and amount of defects such as knots, holes, and cracks.
Here’s how veneer is manufactured –
Veneer is mill-processed from wood logs. The manufacturing process involves boiling or submerging wood in hot water to soften its fibers. This helps in easing the slicing of veneers through the methods of flat cut, rotary cut, quarter cut, and crown cut. Besides, the appearance of the wood grain on veneers comes from slicing through the tree rings and varies based on the angulation of wood slicing. Thus, every method of slicing produces different kinds of grains on the veneer finish wood.
Once it’s manufactured, you can buy veneers for your projects at a per square foot rate. Available in a standardized size of 4’X8’ and 4’x10’, veneer finish texture can be applied to wall panels, false ceiling panels, and furniture. The 4’ length of a veneer sheet is achieved by creatively arranging sliced veneer strips known as stage grouping.
Discover more about veneers on this "Material Things” episode from Archmozzo.
Types of Veneer Finishes
Along with the variety of grains, there are many types of veneer finishes such as smoked, dyed, weathered, and wire-brushed. Smoked veneers are exposed to ammonia vapors to achieve a warm and rich color. Dyed veneers are colored throughout their thickness and are sanded on site.
Weathered veneers are deliberately given a worn-out antique look for the application in a vintage interior designed space. Wire-brushed type of veneer finishes is textured to remove soft areas from the wood surface.
If you are worried about making market visits to check out veneers, explore the digital medium. Platforms such as Archmozzo bring varieties of building material under one roof to help architects and designers easily discover and source new products. They have a wide range of veneer varieties from big brands like Realply listed on their website.
Advantages of Wood Veneer Finish
Wood veneer is considered a sustainable material because it extends the usability of a piece of timber. Veneers are naturally non-toxic, and they store carbon, thereby reducing the environmental impact of their manufacturing process.
A veneer sheet provides a wood-like finish at a reasonable cost. Many architects today are switching to sustainable building practices, and using veneer for your projects can take you a step closer to being a part of the league.
And since veneer is not solid wood, its chances of cracking and splitting are less. It is a strong and durable finishing material that protects the surface against physical damage. Having a thin cross-section allows the veneer to quantitatively make the most of a wood log.
Disadvantages of Wood Veneer Finish
Veneer installation on-site needs to be planned well in advance. Veneer sheets should be acclimated before installing for 3-5 days to map the impact of physical environmental factors on them. You require skilled labor to avoid air gaps while installing a wood veneer sheet.
Wood veneer is not water-resistant. A sealant should be applied to the veneer surface to reduce the possibility of any damage from water. Veneer finish wood demands more maintenance because they need polishing at regular intervals.
Unlike solid wood, veneer cannot be repaired. Since it is a very thin layer of wood, any cracks or chipping cannot be restored by sanding.
Final Thoughts
Veneer surface finishes serve a purpose beyond aesthetics. They add character to the room by reflecting the user’s persona and lifestyle through color, grain, and pattern. Coupled with good craftsmanship and an eye for detailing, wood veneer can transform the visual appeal of a surface.
While selecting veneer sheets, research about manufacturing brands, innovations, trends, and quotes to ensure the right one lands on your site. You can also discover veneers at Archmozzo and check their suitability for your project.
Got more questions about veneer sourcing and selection? Write to us here.
Comments