Using veneers in your furniture at www.plesums.com/wood

So you want to consider using veneers

to incorporate exotic woods in your custom furniture

©2008 by Charles A. Plesums, Austin, Texas, USA

There are many very interesting woods that you might incorporate into the design of your custom furniture. The most interesting are either rare (expensive or unavailable) or are not as structurally sound as they are pretty (a burl can be pretty, but I wouldn't bet on the strength in a structural piece). So what is involved in using a veneer?

I can cut "shop made" veneer from a solid board... generally a good technique for a small area such as a table leg, but probably not the best approach for a large area. Therefore one of the first decisions is selecting a commercial veneer. Most often, I have you buy the veneer of your choice for the project, and have it shipped to me. If you have a specific requirement and want an expert salesman, I suggest you contact Certainly Wood in East Aurora New York, 716-655-0206. If you want to look at the specific pieces you might buy, try the exceptional web site of Veneer Supplies.com.

There are several components to the cost of veneering a modest part of your project.... modest part meaning it can be readily handled with ordinary techniques in my existing equipment - not a giant conference table! This will give you a ballpark number - the actual charge will be incorporated in your project proposal.

The cost of building the project without the veneer. For example, a door with a plywood center panel includes the cost of making the door, but if you want a table, figure at least $15 per square foot, plus veneer for both sides of the table (so it doesn't warp)
The cost of the veneer itself, plus shipping. If the veneer is 10 inches wide, and your panel is 12 inches, you will need to buy two 10 inch wide strips even though there will be 8 inches of waste after two pieces are joined. (Leftovers and scraps become my property so I don't have to worry about taking care of them or delivering them to you.)
If the veneer is flat, and already comes with a perfectly flat edge where it must be joined, no extra cost for preparation. But some veneer needs to be flattened, patched, and have many joints... for this extra work, figure $50 per hour. I have used some veneer that needed no extra work, and other that took hours of extra work.
Once the veneer and the substrate are ready, the glue must be mixed and applied, and the project pressed in a vacuum bag. For one or several pieces figure about $100; if there are a large number of pieces or very large pieces the time (cost) will be higher.

Generally the cost of veneering a modest part of your project will be the cost of building the project with the "ordinary" plywood or MDF under the veneer, the cost of the veneer, the cost of preparing the veneer, plus the time to glue and press it. For example, the TV console was part of a set that had three larger doors, plus the small door shown. "Ready to use" Bubinga veneer cost $102 delivered, plus my charge of $100 to do all four doors.

Interesting designs and patterns can be incorporated in a veneered piece - for example, a texas star in a headboard, or a medallion (don't worry, fancy medallions can be purchased "pre-assembled" at a reasonable price. The opportunities are endless.

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