Advantages: Wood veneer furniture pieces use a minimal amount of natural wood, making them more affordable and environmentally friendly. Wood veneers are also less prone to the splintering and warping that can come from an all-wood design.
Wood veneer is inherently more expensive than laminate for a number of reasons... Fundamentally, this is primarily due to wood veneer being a naturally made product, whereas laminate is a man-made product. Ultimately, anything that can be 'mass produced' is usually going to be cheaper!
It's Costly. This is the biggest reason people decide not to buy wood veneer furniture. While it's an affordable alternative to solid wood, it's considerably more expensive than the most popular finish for office furniture: laminate.
Wood veneer gives you a solid wood look without the matching price point of solid wood furniture. Because the veneer is composed of natural wood, it has a richer and more varied look. Since more effort goes into crafting a veneer top, they are usually priced higher than laminate alternatives.
Did you know that porcelain veneers are permanent and they actually resist decay and staining better than real teeth? Because the veneers are non-porous, they resist stains and cavities better than your natural tooth enamel (which is porous). With proper maintenance, a dental veneer will last between 10 and 15 years.
How They're Made. Wood veneers are made by attaching a thin slice of natural wood onto a panel of fiberboard or particleboard. It's important to note that veneers use a piece of real wood, not manufactured material made to look like wood.
Scratches Easily.
Veneer is durable overall, but it is more susceptible to scratching than other furniture materials. This means you need to be a little more careful with veneer furniture than you would with laminate or solid wood.
The result is a strong, reliable cabinet that has the look and feel of wood. Says Ethan, “Wood veneer cabinets are an excellent way to combine modern door styles with more traditional wood types and grains.” Why we love wood veneer cabinets: Potentially more cost-effective than solid wood.
Our experts at Cabinet Coatings would never use veneers on your cabinets for 3 reasons: They damage easily. The material beneath them has a short lifespan. They don't look as good as other, high-quality finishes.
A lot of the cost of veneers in Los Angeles is due to the high quality materials and custom fitting that is required to make the porcelain veneer. They are made from a porcelain material that will not be stained by coffee, smoking, and other staining ingredients.
Special water-resistant plywood can also be used for hard weather conditions, exterior furniture. Veneers and Plywood have different applications however; veneer is more aesthetic and can be used along with other cheaper wood options.
Veneers require periodic maintenance as they are not waterproof and may get damaged by heat. Therefore, veneer finishes should be avoided in moisture-laden areas like the kitchens or bathrooms because moisture can seep under the veneer and loosen the top layer.
From contributor J: Veneer over a solid lumber substrate stands the best chances if it is cross banded - one layer of veneer on each side of the core with grain running perpendicular to the grain of the core; then face veneered, both sides, grain parallel to the core grain.
The standard thickness is 0.6 mm. Most frequently used wood types are also available as a thick veneer. Veneer retains the natural look and feel of real wood as well as its unique properties, showing authentic colour and pattern variations.
Contemporary designs that are hand made using traditional construction methods. This furniture is built to last a lifetime and you will no doubt be impressed by the superior quality and finish of each piece. London Oak also has a nice light finish crossed with a contemporary minimalist approach to design.
Cost. Wood cabinet doors are almost always more expensive than veneer in terms of upfront costs.
Wood Cost. Wood is expensive, and the price fluctuates based on market conditions (supply and demand). Plus, the wood used for cabinet making tends to be more costly than general construction lumber, like treated pine.
Veneer cabinets are created with layers of wood that are thinner than 1/8 inch - the material which forms the front face or "veneer" being bonded to less expensive materials in the back. Veneer doors will also have banding that is wrapped around the sides of the door.
Clean the surface of the veneer with a damp cloth, and then wipe it with a dry cloth. Avoid making use of soapy or detergent mixed water for cleaning the surface of the veneer, as it can harm the polish of the veneer. As a result, the veneer polish can start losing its natural shine in the long run.
Veneer is technically a thin layer of hardwood, usually thinner than 1/8 of an inch. Typically, veneer is bonded, or glued with adhesive, to a cheaper surface that is hidden below. A less expensive wood or particle board can often be found underneath.
To maintain the oiled wood veneer, very lightly brush wood areas with a fine Scotchbrite pad moving in the direction of the grain to open the pores of the wood and remove fingerprints and dirt. Never use wax-based products (Pledge, Endust), aerosol-powered cleaners, polishes, waxes, abrasive cleaners, or oily polishes.
If the underside of the furniture you are inspecting has a grain that looks completely different than the top, then it's a veneer. Top and bottom veneer pieces are made from two different pieces of wood, meaning they won't match.
Design Deviations. Natural veneers are sliced from tree logs that each have a unique pattern. No two trees, even from the same species, have identical patterns. On the other hand, engineered wood veneers are man-made sheets that are sliced, dyed in vats, and glued together in blocks.