When you think of the word ‘veneer’, what do you picture? For many, it’ll be a poorly put-together veneering job, a way to fake solid wood and cover up cheap materials.
However, this simply isn’t the case. Veneering has a vast history that dates all the way back to the Egyptian era and is a solid technique that creates some of the highest-quality finishes.
Today, the experts at Adkwik are diminishing the common stereotype of wood veneering and looking at the best types of resin for the perfect wood veneering finish.
What Is Wood Veneering?
Wood veneering is the process of glueing thin slices of wood to various flat panels, including doors, cabinets and even walls.
Pieces of furniture commonly made with wood veneering include wardrobes, chests of drawers, tables and desks.
Wood veneering is an excellent alternative to solid wood, which can often be overly expensive and heavy – characteristics that are great for some pieces but not for others.
You can generally use any type of wood in wood veneering as long as it is cut thinly. According to the Architectural Wood Institute, today’s standard veneer thickness is 1/52”, or roughly 0.5mm.
What Are The Benefits Of Wood Veneering?
There are many benefits to choosing wood veneering over solid wood, one being that it’s generally cheaper. Although expensive woods can be used in the veneering process, the amount is minimal compared to the amount used with solid wood. Therefore, wood veneering is a perfect choice if you still want an expensive finish without incurring high costs.
Another benefit of wood veneering is that you can use a less commonly available wood because you only need to use a small amount of it. This results in you being able to use rarer, more expensive wood for much less.
Wood veneering is also seen as being stronger than solid wood. This attribute is because the wood veneer is glued onto a substrate such as an industrial-grade particle board or medium-density fiberboard, making it much more sturdy and stable.
Solid wood is hygroscopic, meaning it expands and contracts as it takes in and gives out moisture. Wood veneer still expands and contracts, but not as much as solid wood. These properties make wood veneer much less likely to warp and split and more efficient in humid conditions.
What Is The Best Resin For Wood Veneering?
Resin can be used twice in wood veneering, the first being during the glueing process to bond the thin sheet of wood to the flat panel.
This bond must be solid and sturdy, and the process involved must prevent the materials from falling apart and creating gaps.
Prefere 4152 UF Resin Adhesive
Prefere 4152 is a Urea Formaldehyde (UF) resin-based adhesive explicitly designed for bonding wood veneers, making it the perfect adhesive veneer resin. It’s suitable for most timbers, plastic laminates, timber veneers and boards.
You must mix this adhesive with the required hardener, which in this case is Prefere 5689 fast-setting hardening powder or Prefere 5353 acid hardener. You can use filled hardeners, in this case, Prefere 5664, to counteract adhesive penetration through thin or open-grain veneers.
You can use this UF resin-based adhesive with a hot or cold press, a bag press, or RF equipment, and you should apply it by using a brush or roller.
Titebond Original
Titebond Original is a high-strength aliphatic resin adhesive and a traditional woodworking glue used by professionals.
This resin glue is incredibly fast-setting and is well-known for creating a stronger bond than the wood itself.
After sanding any wood veneering down to remove sharp edges and rough patches, a resin coating is a great way to finish with a high-quality appearance.
Aerolite One Shot Resin Adhesive
Aerolite One Shot Resin Adhesive is a powdered urea formaldehyde (UF) resin-based adhesive, also known by many in the industry as an excellent alternative to the old Cascamite (or Cascomite), designed for high-quality joinery and furniture-making applications, including for veneering, laminating and joint bonding
This resin product is water-resistant and great for filling any gaps in veneers.
The second time resin can be used in the wood veneering process is after sanding has been completed, when a high-quality sealed finish is required.
Using resin as a finishing material is often chosen over a gloss, as it creates more of a barrier between the material and the environment.
West System 105/205 Epoxy Resin & Fast Hardener
The West System 105/205 Epoxy Resin makes for the perfect finish for any wood veneering project and can even be used in timber repair applications.
This epoxy resin can be fully sanded when cured, making it easy to remove any sharp edges if required.
It is also suitable as a base for paints and varnishes, so if you’re looking to paint or varnish your finished wood veneering project, this epoxy resin is ideal.
To conclude, wood veneering isn’t synonymous with poor quality and cheap materials. Some of the most expensive wood materials available today can be used in a wood veneering project, and it’s more about the quality of the artistry than the materials used.
There are also multiple resins to choose from when finding the perfect finish for your job.
Look at our extensive store with impressive branded products for the ideal wood veneer UK resin.
For additional information or technical enquiries, please contact us. You can count on our dedicated and skilled team to match you with the precise solution for your adhesive, sealant and abrasive needs.