What is a Wood Veneer?

Wood Veneer

Wood Veneer is made from thin sheets of wood that are sliced from a log and used for decoration or construction (as plywood). Today, special cutting equipment can produce large decorative “leaves” less than 0.5mm thick. Traditionally veneers were produced by carefully sawing logs into thin layers about 3mm thick. Such saw cut veneers are still made today and are largely used in mass furniture and mass door production.
Wood veneers are available in a range of natural colours and thicknesses. The thickness is determined by the species of wood, and where it is cut from the tree. Veneers allow the use of fragile timbers to be used for more purposes, as the veneers are applied to a solid “ground” of wood. When you buy veneered doors or furniture - cleaning will be easy - just a quick wipe with a damp cloth.

This is why veneered wood doors and furniture are a good buy.  There are many views on wood veneer - some like it - some not - either way it's hard to ignore that it's a huge market and many furniture manufacturers use wood veneer on products as a cheaper alternative to solid wood.

Veneers have existed for centuries and were applied to furniture by artisans in the 18th century, it was in the late 1900's that mass production started and quality became an issue due to poor application techniques which led to bubbling and splitting.  Availability plays its part too - rare lumber and exotic woods are becoming increasingly expensive and hard to source and wood veneer can be a useful substitute.

Wood veneer doors go through a process like any other veneered product - normally a glue or concrete is used to attach the layer of veneer to the door followed by clamping or vacuuming to press out any air or bubbles.

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