Tracy When choosing the right veneer for your project, there are several important factors to consider. These include species, color, grain pattern, size, and cut.
Veneers are a beautiful alternative to solid wood and can be used for cabinets, doors, furniture, and more. They are also great for adding a rich, luxurious look to your home or commercial space.
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Species
Veneers are made from thin slices of wood cut from a log. This process maximizes using a single log and makes veneers more environmentally friendly and less prone to warping and splitting than solid wood. Depending on how the veneer is cut, it can have a variety of grain patterns and appearances. These include rotary, quarter, plain and rift cuts. In a rotary cut, the log is peeled and sliced into thin pieces or “flitches.” These are 6’’ to 12’’ wide and vary in size. A quarter cut produces straight-grained veneers that reveal decorative figures in certain species, like white oak.
Texture
When choosing wood veneers, it is crucial to consider the texture. This will help determine whether your product is right for you. Natural woods will display a regular pattern of lines parallel to the face. On the other hand, veneer items have been cross-aligned into layers and therefore display much more visible patterns and colors. When identifying solid lumber from wood veneer, it is important to look at the end grain of the piece. If it has a line running parallel to the face of the product, it is most likely a veneer
Grain
Veneer is a thin slice of real wood pressed onto or laminated to a thicker solid wood product. These products often replace thicker wood pieces as a backer board in cabinet doors or create plywood. The grain of the veneer will be different than that of a solid piece of lumber. This is because the pieces are layered in cross-aligned angles rather than being cut straight along the length of the piece. The grain will vary based on the species, how it’s cut, and whether or not it’s figured. Grain patterns range from straight to wavy.
Color
Wood veneer products come in various colors and can be stained or painted to match your design theme. Standard paint colors include White, Ivory and Black. If you see a piece of furniture with wood grains going in different directions, it is most likely a veneer product. Natural wood grain doesn’t cross, so this is an indication that it is not solid wood.
Origin
Wood veneer products come from various species that grow in different climates. This gives them a unique texture, color, and grain that will never be replicated. They can also be produced from man-made wood, such as reconstituted veneers. This type of veneer is defect-free and can be used in various decorative applications. The most important advantage of using veneers is their color, grain, and texture consistency throughout the entire surface. This makes creating attractive patterns and contrasts easier, which would be difficult or expensive to accomplish with solid wood.
