Understanding Veneers & How They Are Used
The word "veneer" is defined as slices of wood, usually thinner than 3 mm (1/8 inch), that are typically glued onto core panels (usually wood, particle board, or medium-density fiberboard) to produce flat panels, such as doors, tops and panels for cabinets, and furniture.
Veneer furniture begins with thin layers of wood glued together with the grain at right angles over a thick core. This crisscross design reduces the chances of splitting or cracking. Plus, the glue is the same strong, waterproof adhesive used in aircraft and marine construction, so the end result is actually stronger than the natural wood.
Many people mistakenly assume that veneered furniture is inferior to, or cheaper than solid wood. However, veneers quite often are used for most expensive furniture pieces and can often be more costly than solid wood.
Some of the most interesting and beautiful logs are selected for veneers. This is mostly a decision made by the seller as more money stands to be made processing these logs into veneer, as opposed to trying to saw into boards. This also allows for the most beautiful pieces of wood, such as burls, to be used. Otherwise these ornate cuts would never be used, due to being structurally unsound in solid wood form.
Veneers are glued onto stable substrates that are not prone to warping or flexing. By using medium density fiberboard, manufacturers have a perfectly flat surface to adhere the veneer to that will not have any seasonal changes. Solid wood, even kiln-dried, moves or warps from changes in temperature and atmospheric conditions.
A radiant table top would be impossible in solid lumber because the seams would open in winter and swell tightly shut in summer. Cross grain designs such as aprons and edge bandings are also impossible in solids. Solid burls are also largely unusable, but are frequently used in veneer as inlay and decorative trim.
Customers will often confuse laminates with veneers, and they are two VERY different products. Veneers are real-wood, cut from an actual log and wood species. Synthetic laminates are nothing other than a photograph printed on paper, or some other synthetic material, to simulate the look.
