Wood Veneer FAQs
What Is Flexible Wood Veneer?
Flexible veneer is real wood. The wood is sliced very thin, approximately 1/50″, and made into sheets of varying sizes. These veneer faces are then permanently bonded to paper back, poly resin back or wood backing material and processed to become flexible and more durable at the same time.
What Is 10 Mil And 20 Mil Paperback in regards to wood veneer?
The 10 or 20 refers to the thickness of the backing material, in this case paperback. The thickness of 1 mil equals 1/1000″ so in the case of a 10 mil veneer the backer thickness is 10/1000″. Equally, in the case of 20 mil veneer the backer thickness is 20/1000″. In both cases the thickness of the wood veneer face is the same.
Is The Wood Veneer Ready To Use When I Receive It?
Generally speaking it is ready to use right out of the box but there is an important step to take before you begin any project. Because wood will react to environmental conditions such as temperature and relative humidity or dry conditions it is advisable to allow the veneer to acclimate to the conditions in your work space prior to using it. This can be accomplished by removing it from the box at least 48 hours to up to 4 days prior to the time you will be using it.
Why do I need to acclimate the veneer sheets? What do I need to do?
Wood veneer is a versatile, organic material that reacts to changes in environmental conditions. Veneer is hygroscopic which means it emits and absorbs moisture. When you receive your veneer it needs to acclimatize to conditions in your environment to reach equilibrium. The ideal environment to achieve equilibrium with your veneer is defined as 30-55% relative humidity at a temperature range between 55-85 degrees F. Prior to application, allow your veneer a minimum of 48-72 hours lying flat out of the box within the range of conditions stated. It’s also important that your substrate be acclimatized in the same conditions as the veneer to have greater success and avoid problems.
Will My Wood Veneer Look Like The Picture On Your Website?
There are many factors that influence the color, grain and appearance of natural wood veneer so the picture you see on our website is a representative sample of that species of veneer. The veneer you receive can be slightly different in color and grain appearance because each tree growing in nature is unique unto itself. Another reason for a difference in color is that you are viewing a sample picture on a digital computer monitor and colors will not reproduce the same on all monitors.
Can I Get Flexible Wood Veneer Sheets That Are Matched?
Yes it’s quite common to be able to get consecutively matched sheets from the same log. You have to specify during the order process that you want “Sequence Matching”. This is normally possible on 3 to 6 sheets or more but there are some exceptions. There is an option for sequence matching during checkout and there is a small up charge. When appearance is critical this is the only way to ensure that all of your wood veneer will look the same.
What Surfaces Can I Apply Wood Veneer To?
The best surfaces or “substrates” for wood veneering are MDF, particle Board and cabinet grade plywood in that order. It is ok to veneer over hardwood when necessary and there are some other surfaces that can be successfully veneered. When in doubt it’s best to utilize our Technical Support team for more specific applications. WiseWood Veneer doesn’t recommend applying our wood veneer directly to drywall or plaster wall surfaces.
Does Flexible Wood Veneer Need To Be Sanded?
Yes. Even though our flexible wood veneer is sanded during manufacturing you will not have good finishing results unless you properly sand it. We suggest sanding with a normal progression of 120 to 150 to 180 grit sandpaper. It can be machine sanded but if you’re not comfortable with that method then thorough hand sanding with a sanding block is fine. Once the wood veneer is sanded it should be finished right away or you may have to repeat the process or worse, you may end up with lifting or de-lamination problems.
PSA Backed Wood Veneer & Cabinet Kit FAQs
What Is PSA Wood Veneer?
PSA Wood Veneer is paperback wood veneer with a Pressure Sensitive Adhesive applied to the back. This Pressure Sensitive Adhesive, commonly referred to as peel and stick, is specially formulated for wood veneer applications. Wisewood Veneer is proud to offer only 3M adhesive on our product. PSA Wood Veneer is easy to use and because the adhesive is conveniently applied it eliminates the need for messy glues. This veneer is ideal for re-facing such things as kitchen cabinets, speaker cabinets and much more.
What surfaces can I apply PSA wood veneer to?
The best surfaces or substrates for veneering are MDF, particle board or cabinet grade plywood generally speaking but with PSA wood veneer it’s possible to veneer over plastic, glass, fiberglass or other non-porous surfaces. When in doubt it’s best to contact our technical support team for more specific applications.
Are special tools required to apply PSA veneer?
There is no need for special tools. PSA veneer can be easily cut with a good sharp utility knife or razor knife. When applying veneer it is best practice to use a veneer scraper or other similar smoothing tool to smooth the veneer and apply pressure at the same time. We don’t recommend J-rollers as they don’t produce enough pounds per square inch of pressure.
How do I determine what size cabinet kit I need?
The size of cabinet kit you need is determined by how many cabinet openings you have and how many exposed end panels you are covering. In the product description there is recommendation of approximately how many cabinet openings you can cover. If you have other variables like more cabinet ends or other panels to cover, then you can figure your requirements based on this chart for average sizes. We recommend you allow 10-15% more veneer than your actual total to compensate for mistakes or allowing extra for cutting pieces oversize. Don’t fret if you run a little short, with our many size options you can order just enough to finish the job.
WiseWood Veneer Shipping FAQs
How Will The Wood Veneer Be Shipped?
Because of its excellent flexibility we are able to roll it and ship it in boxes. The box will be 4′ in length but the height and width will be determined by how many sheets of flexible veneer are being shipped.
When Will The Order Be Shipped?
We carry all of our wood veneer in stock and most orders ship within 24 hours. Using our standard shipping we can promise delivery in 2-3 business days anywhere in the Lower 48 States. Of course if you need your order faster we can expedite it at an additional cost.