Is Wood Veneer Furniture A Style Steal Or A Red Flag? We Dug Into The Research To Find Out

Veneer is similar the boob occupation of the furnishings industry. It tin look amazingly earthy and fool reasonably discerning eyes, oregon it tin instrumentality retired similar a rock-hard and overly perky boob sore thumb. Not to adjacent get started connected the “this is cheating” treatment connected either topic. And readers, arsenic idiosyncratic with some a precise ample born-with-it thorax and a penchant for preferring coagulated wood each clip successful the sanction of “better,” I’m present to say, aft immoderate thorough research, that “fake” isn’t ever the bull retired you deliberation it is.

Let maine rewind.

For arsenic agelong arsenic I tin recall, coagulated wood furnishings has reigned ultimate successful consumers’ minds and held up apical successful their intelligence pedestals, portion veneer tends to get the stink oculus for being cheap, low-quality, and destined for the landfill. I get it. I was that idiosyncratic for astir of my purchasing years, but I’m not truthful definite I broadside with this position anymore.

I wanted to larn much and get the existent intel from radical elbow-deep successful the sawdust (a.k.a. successful the furniture-making world). So, I reached retired to a fistful of companies, some new, hep and direct-to-consumer and dyed-in-the-wool American classics—think Bassett, Baker, Century—to inquire them each astir the wrong way of veneer versus coagulated wood. Is it arsenic atrocious and inexpensive arsenic truthful galore of america deliberation it is? Is it…totally fine?

And then…

No 1 got backmost to me. Seriously. This seldom happens. So I plucked astir my contacts and recovered a fewer much radical to ask, and yet heard backmost from idiosyncratic astatine Hedge House Furniture, but that was it.

I was determined to get this communicative going, truthful I enactment connected my “took-one-investigative-reporting-class-in-college” hat, and got to researching. If the experts wouldn’t travel to me, I’d spell find what the experts person already written connected the subject.

Readers, plan lovers, friends…I learned truthful much! And today, I’m sharing with you each the truths I recovered astir veneer during my Internet heavy dive. Some things I knew. Some things I didn’t. Some things amazed me.

anything burlwood oregon successful a akin uncommon atom similar my beloved armoire is astir ever going to beryllium veneer, FYI.

Fact #1: Veneer is existent wood.

As mentioned, determination were immoderate facts I already knew, and this is 1 of them, but it’s important to commencement disconnected present due to the fact that not everyone knows this. Veneer is so existent wood, if lone conscionable a precise bladed sliver of it. I deliberation it’s a communal misconception that veneer is fake. Printed oregon insubstantial oregon faux. Nope, that’s laminate, and we’ll speech a small much astir that successful a bit. But yes, the wood atom successful veneer is real. This bladed sliver is bonded to a backing worldly specified arsenic plywood oregon adjacent coagulated wood.

Fact #2: Veneer isn’t ever utilized arsenic the “cheap cop-out” by manufacturers.

By far, this talking constituent educated maine the most. So, here’s the thing: We often deliberation veneer is immoderate benignant of cop-out. Like utilizing polyester for a blouse alternatively of silk. But it’s simply not true. While coagulated wood has truthful galore merits, veneered furnishings does, too. For instance, galore furnishings pieces that person a much analyzable plan than conscionable consecutive angles mightiness necessitate veneer to marque it possible. All of those sinuous curves we each emotion truthful overmuch close now? Not truthful casual to execute successful coagulated wood. It tin beryllium done, yes, but the outgo to screen the craftsmanship would beryllium greatly limiting to most.

This constituent isn’t conscionable for modern furniture. Veneer has been utilized for centuries—it virtually dates backmost to Ancient Egypt circa 3000 BC—though it reached its heyday during the mid-century. So galore collectible favorites similar Eames lounge chairs, Broyhill Brassilia lawsuit goods, Kent Coffey Perspecta pieces…they each usage veneer to execute their elevated design. Even immoderate of the astir renowned furnishings designers similar Chippendale utilized veneer techniques similar marquetry. And backmost successful those days, veneer was hand-cut, which made it adjacent much of a labor-intensive process than utilizing coagulated wood. So successful fact, it wasn’t a cop-out but alternatively a specialty method to marque much unsocial furniture!

Another information is that immoderate wood types are conscionable not disposable successful the size you request for, say, a eating array apical oregon the agelong long of a credenza. This is particularly existent successful uncommon and exotic wood species, similar burl, rosewood, teak, macassar ebony, zebrawood, wenge, adjacent walnut. Using veneer of these wood types really helps to sphere these trees arsenic 1 chopped goes endlessly further successful a veneer exertion than utilizing it solid.

Fact #3: Veneer is superior to laminate, truthful work closely.

Let america beryllium clear. Veneer does not adjacent laminate. If you took a veneered nightstand and looked astatine it broadside by broadside with a laminate nightstand of the aforesaid coloring, you would instantly spot the difference. An IKEA Besta oregon Hermes? Laminate (hence the cost). You tin spot from the screenshot beneath that it uses selling talk similar “white stained oak effect” alternatively of “white oak laminate.” Laminate is simply a printed representation of the wood either successful insubstantial oregon vinyl. Hence, not earthy materials.

When buying furnishings online, you’ll privation to beryllium definite to excavation done the specs. Typically, determination connected the page, you tin find the materials utilized to marque the furnishings piece. It’s not ever straightforward, caput you, but you tin work betwixt the lines often. I pulled the details of that IKEA Besta with the “white oak stained effect,” and you tin spot that it’s made of particle committee and fiberboard (a benignant of MDF) with a “paper foil and integrative edging,” which means laminate.

If you can’t find this accusation connected the website, you tin ever scope retired to the shaper and petition it. Buying done a vintage/antique dealer? They should besides beryllium capable to archer you astir the guts of the piece, though support successful caput that if you’re purchasing second-hand from conscionable immoderate regular Susie connected the internet, you mightiness not beryllium capable to get this level of detail.

Fact #4: Veneer tin beryllium overmuch much unchangeable and little prone to warping than coagulated wood.

I watched a fistful of furnishings restorers connected YouTube amusement coagulated wood dressers, for instance, wherever the apical had wholly warped and was nary longer flat. I mean, I’ve ne'er personally seen this but I apt conscionable haven’t owned thing for agelong capable oregon adjacent been live agelong enough. But it happens. Especially if the wood is simply a thinner piece, similar connected bookshelves, for instance. Something similar plywood is overmuch much stable, which is wherefore galore furniture doors some connected furnishings and successful kitchens/bathrooms are made of veneer-wrapped plywood. I ever dreamed of having a coagulated wood kitchen, but present I’m wondering if that’s adjacent the astir durable choice.

Susan Bower of Hedge House Furniture said the following: “Plywood maintains structural integrity amended and is lighter than coagulated hardwood. Veneer contains existent wood atom patterns, for the aforesaid ocular appeal. Plywood is mostly stronger and much durable than MDF, particularly successful moisture-prone environments. Plywood is besides beardown and resistant to bending, warping, and impact.”

Fact #5: Most furnishings is made of a operation of coagulated wood and veneer implicit plywood, MDF oregon particle board.

I ain Article’s Seno sideboard and these are the worldly specs. It’s a coagulated portion of furnishings that inactive looks and feels beauteous since I got it astir 7 years ago.

By “most” furniture, I mean astir modern furniture, by the way. For a wood retention piece, you’ll often find veneered plywood oregon MDF connected the backs, undercarriage, and adjacent the bottommost of drawers. Bower mentioned adjacent utilizing it astatine Hedge House, who makes beauteous heirloom-quality furnishings astir exclusively retired of coagulated hardwoods. “We usage high-quality plywood with matching veneer for our backings connected pieces with doors, arsenic good arsenic the bottoms of drawer boxes and for immoderate parts connected different items, similar the sides of our Avers pieces. The veneer is glued onto the high-quality plywood, with the plywood itself besides made from bladed wood layers. Technically, it’s an engineered merchandise containing existent wood.”

According to Dashner Design & Restoration, 80-90% of American mill furnishings uses immoderate veneer successful its construction, particularly if it’s walnut oregon mahogany). Birch, maple oregon oak has a amended accidental of being coagulated wood.

Fact #6: Veneer isn’t ever the cheaper enactment arsenic compared to coagulated wood.

I utilized the examination of polyester to silk antecedently due to the fact that it feels apt to this conversation. And I cognize immoderate radical volition inactive deliberation veneer is crap aft speechmaking this BUT, due to the fact that it is successful information a earthy merchandise and utilized often to execute immoderate higher plan pieces, don’t presume that conscionable due to the fact that thing is costly that it’s escaped of the “dreaded” veneer.

Take the Maiden Home Rivington Dresser above, for instance. (I reached retired to Maiden Home for remark but I heard thing back, sadly). This portion is implicit $4,000 but features a achromatic oak veneer. The signifier and benignant of this dresser would astir apt conscionable not beryllium made utilizing coagulated wood. And from what I understand, Maiden Home does not marque low-quality furniture, truthful portion this is veneer, yes (and rather pricey for a dresser), arsenic agelong arsenic the craftsmanship is determination successful the materials and construction, it volition apt past conscionable arsenic agelong arsenic thing akin successful coagulated wood.

Fact #7: Veneer tin beryllium fixed and refinished, but not arsenic easy arsenic wood.

There are craftsmen dedicated to fixing and restoring veneer furniture, arsenic it is an creation form. Where a coagulated wood portion could conscionable beryllium sanded, restained, and holes filled with putty, thing with veneer takes a spot much finesse (but yes, it tin beryllium done).

Fact #8: Just similar coagulated wood, veneer furnishings tin past for centuries, if well-maintained.

At this point, I consciousness similar I’m moving for “Big Veneer” trying to person radical that it’s “just similar wood!” As successful each maize syrup oregon Splenda commercialized from my youth, I’m astir to accidental thing to the dependable of “It looks similar wood due to the fact that it comes from wood!” But well, it’s true. Remember that galore pieces, particularly from the Art Deco play and onward, had to usage wood veneer to execute a plan similar the Bo Lindahl furniture below. This 1 uses Rosewood marquetry—a wood that is highly regulated present due to the fact that of being endangered—and it perfectly stunning. It’s successful exquisite information from the 1950s. And yes, it costs conscionable southbound of $28,000, the aforesaid arsenic an introduction level Ford Escape, though I warrant this furniture volition past longer than that car.

What to look for to marque definite your veneer is precocious quality.

Alright, present that I’ve laid retired the facts, I privation to dive into what you request to cognize if assessing a veneer portion of furniture. Just due to the fact that it’s veneer doesn’t mean it’s low- oregon high-end. With thing successful the furnishings world, determination are levels, and the aforesaid plays retired here.

#1: What’s under the veneer is astir important to longevity and durability. You’ll privation thing that has a framework made of existent wood oregon plywood. Particle committee oregon MDF are prone to moisture harm and conscionable aren’t arsenic precocious prime (not to notation overmuch harder to recycle aft the extremity beingness of the product).

#2: Well-made veneer furnishings should person smooth, adjacent borderline finishes and accordant atom patterns. Look for thing astatine slightest 0.6mm heavy if you tin find that information. You shouldn’t adjacent announcement seams oregon a alteration successful atom signifier unless it’s cheap. Dashner Design & Restoration says that if you travel the atom signifier implicit the borderline and it continues, it’s coagulated wood. If it changes, it’s veneer. A high-quality portion volition person the aforesaid veneer portion on the edge, but a low-quality 1 volition person thing different; you’ll announcement a antithetic colour oregon adjacent wood grain.

#3: Construction matters still, whether veneer oregon coagulated wood. Look for dovetail joints oregon mortise and tenon joints connected drawers.

Still conscionable privation coagulated hardwood? Read intimately and inquire questions.

Really well-done veneer tin fool a batch of people, yes, adjacent you. BUT, I get if you’re inactive conscionable similar “nah, nary thanks.” “Big Solid Wood” has america each convinced it’s the excelsior level of furnishings for a multitude of reasons. Read merchandise descriptions closely. Anything made of coagulated wood is going to deterioration it similar a badge of honor, truthful look for that. If it’s an existing company, inquire questions astir construction. Is it wholly coagulated wood? Are determination immoderate parts that are engineered? You whitethorn person to leap done a fewer hoops to get your answers, but it’ll beryllium worthy knowing for sure.

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So that’s it, friends. My heavy dive into the misunderstood satellite of veneer. I anticipation we each learned thing unneurotic and tin person a greater appreciation for the material, whether we yet privation to walk our wealth connected it oregon not. To permission america with a last punctuation from Susan Bower, “I judge the main contented with veneer is nationalist perception. The vendor and shaper process determines quality. If decently cared for, veneer volition past for many, galore years.”

Until adjacent time…

Opening Image Credits: Left: Design by Arlyn Hernandez | Styled by Emily Edith Bowser | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: 3 Years In The Making Then An Unexpected Move: Arlyn’s Bedroom Reveal Is A Lesson In The Beauty Of “Unfinished” Design | Right: Design by Arlyn Hernandez | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Arlyn’s Bright & Happy Rental Living Room Makeover

The station Is Wood Veneer Furniture A Style Steal Or A Red Flag? We Dug Into The Research To Find Out appeared archetypal connected Emily Henderson.