A veneer is the real surface of a tree that we peel and use to make furniture and other wooden objects. It is susceptible to scratches like real wood but because it has the qualities of real wood, many people prefer it for making their furniture. We also get veneer by slicing large blocks of wood called flitches.
There are three kinds of veneer making machines – rotary lathe, slicing machine, and half-round lathe. We use the Veneer Pressing Machines to make veneer by pressing wood material. Veneering is an ancient art dating back to the times of the Egyptians who used expensive veneers to make their sarcophagus and furniture. The Romans also used veneers to make furniture on a mass scale.
Advantages of using veneers:
The biggest advantage of using veneers is that the quantity of wood becomes increased many folds. We need only thin slices for each veneer and use the wood of the highest quality. The owner of the log is thus rewarded in a big way for the log. Veneers get cut as thin as 1/40th of an inch. Wood logs used for timber is not lesser than ⅛”.
The veneer is stable compared to wood. Wood might warp or split while this is not possible in the veneer because the thickness is very small. Sometimes the projects involve high-temperature fluctuations. This causes expansion and distortion of the wood. If we use natural wood, this might cause ugly distortions in the workpiece. Use of veneers helps us overcome this possibility.
Types of veneers
Raw veneer: Different types of veneer are in use today for a variety of purposes. The first is the raw veneer that we apply with either side upward because it has no backing. There is a difference in the cell structure for the two which becomes clear when the finish gets applied. The second is the paper-backed veneer that has a paper backing. The advantage of this is that we can join small pieces of veneer together using paper to form a large veneer.
Reconstituted veneer: A reconstituted veneer is got from the fast-growing tropical species. The raw veneer gets cut and dyed as needed. They make a block by laminating the sheets. The block is then sliced so that the edges form the grain for the reconstituted veneer. Laid Up veneer is another type where we make large pieces by joining raw veneer together. It is possible to make veneer of many types and designs using this process.
Phenolic veneer: This is not used often, we use it to make artificial or composite wood veneers. Since this helps in the conservation of natural resources, it is finding more takers. We use various types of Veneer Pressing Machines for this.
Ecological impact of using wood veneers:
Wood doesn’t have much impact on greenhouse gases and energy cycle. It is recyclable and renewable and the impact on ecological resource use, solid waste, water, and air pollution is minimal. Use of veneer extends the life of the timber piece. We can extend the utility of a piece of wood by making a veneer out of it.
