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Current lead time for cut & edge orders is 5 - 6 working daysCOLLECTIONS: 8AM - 4PM
Current lead time for cut & edge orders is 5 - 6 working daysCOLLECTIONS: 8AM - 4PM
Real wood veneers are a very thin sheet or layer of wood considered superior or posessing a highly decorative grain. Mostly used in an interior setting, such as furniture or wall panelling, the thin veneers are bonded to a relatively cheaper board such as plywood or medium density fibreboard (MDF) so that it has structural integrity on par with real wood.
A typical notion is that solid wood is of higher quality than veneered MDF. This, however, is not entirely true. Solid wood can be prone to warping and splitting, making it somewhat less stable and challenging to work with, while veneered boards don't present such problems thanks to their construction. Thin slices of wood are glued together into large sheets called lay-on and then bonded to a board preventing veneers from splitting or cracking. Some projects built using wood veneer would not be possible to construct using solid lumber due to the expansion and contraction of its internal fibres caused by fluctuating temperature and humidity.
In many cases, veneers are more readily available than solid wood as exotic hardwood lumber can be scarce and expensive.
Wood veneer is obtained either by "peeling" the trunk of a tree or by slicing large rectangular blocks of wood. Veneer grain and figure appearance are a result of cutting through the growth rings of a tree and depend upon the angle of cutting. Each slicing process gives a very distinctive type of grain, depending upon the tree species.
The way the manufacturers slice the wood and join the pieces together determines the appearance of the veneer sheets.
Our standard stock veneered MDF boards are a commercial grade A/B and suitable for a broad range of projects including furniture manufacture, interior fit-out, shop fitting and wall panelling. The A grade veneer covers the face of the board, and B goes on the reverse. The two most popular wood veneer species in the UK are White European Oak and Black American Walnut. Being so widely in demand causes a lot of strain on the manufacturers to obtain quality lumber and to remain competitive in the market. It is why the two veneers often fall short of customer expectations; therefore, whenever possible, we buy these products in a higher, A+ grade.
For customers working on high-end projects, we offer some veneered boards in a Superior grade. The veneers are initially graded in their appearance and then carefully matched. The grading criteria includes natural defects, colouration, veneer leaf-width and the overall appearance of the panel. The boards are then veneered and labelled in batches to give maximum appearance consistency between individual sheets, which is essential on larger projects.
Medium density fibreboard (MDF) is generally used as a core board for veneers. By themselves, veneers are fragile and lack support, which is why they need to be bonded to MDF, creating veneered MDF boards. The surface of MDF is smooth and uniform, allowing the veneer to adhere evenly and not get damaged during the bonding process. MDF is one of the most easy-to-use materials available, making veneered MDF cut to size, drilling and shaping relatively effortless processes.
Veneered MDF boards have got good structural integrity similar to solid timber but without the risk of warping or splitting—issues common with solid wood. Veneered MDF also has the benefit of having uniform grain, since veneers used to create lay-ons contain veneer leaves from the same tree.
Natural veneered boards also make the finishing process easier since veneers require very light sanding to even out any blemishes and take to lacquers and varnishes well.
Lastly, when getting veneered MDF cut to size, you won't have to worry about any rough edges, chips or knots, issues that usually come with solid wood.
Oak veneer is the most popular veneer; the light colour, medium texture and alternating grain makes this veneer timeless.
Cherry veneer has a satiny texture and tight uniform grain, begins with a reddish tone and ages into a reddish brown colour.
Ash veneer is a pale creamy to yellowish tinted coloured wood, and is well known to be a robust veneer.
Maple veneers are a popular veneer that starts as a creamy white coloured wood ageing into a lovely pale gold.
Wenge veneer is one of the very few naturally dark, chocolate-like colour veneers that has a highly textured grain.
Walnut veneer is a common veneer used in furniture making; the semi-coarse texture and uniform grain produce a superior finish.
At Cworkshop, we offer veneered MDF cutting service for professionals and DIY enthusiasts. We use Cutting Optimisation software to map out the cutting pattern for every job to eliminate time and material wastage. Advanced industrial-grade and computer-aided cutting machines, managed by professional operators, deliver unparalleled precision and accuracy.
The machines are equipped with two saw blades, and in addition to the primary saw blade, a scoring blade is used to ensure that each cut is smooth and chip-free on both sides. We inspect all veneered MDF panel cutting quality and replace saw blades regularly to ensure a clean cut every time.
Here is some more information specific to our veneered MDF cut to size service.
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