I have a done a little veneering in the past but just on small pieces – boxes, tea trays etc.
I now intend to do a larger project. A small built in cupboard using 3/4″ baltic birch ply to which I want to apply a walnut veneer.
On the previous builds I obviously used a balancing veneer, not least because the undersides would be visible, but also because of the issue whereby the shrinking face veneer would pull on the substrate causing it to possibly warp without a balancer.
My question is what does one do with a cupboard that will largely be buried in a recess.
I want to veneer the interior, but what about the unseen exterior. Does the more substantial 3/4” ply mitigate the problem, or do I need to use something if not my expensive walnut?
Any tips gratefully received.
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Replies
I always use a backer veneer, even with 3/4 inch Baltic Birch. I have had warping with 1/2 inch and I’ve never wanted to risk it with large pieces. Nothing is worse than ruining $200 in plywood and veneer trying to save $50. I tend to use birch or maple for my unseen sides. I can normally find something around $1/sqft, sometimes less if I buy the whole flitch.
The more veneer I use the more I like it over solid wood in many places and I have started keeping a couple sheets of maple veneer on hand all the time for this application. It looks good inside cabinets and matches the prefinished maple plywood I use for built in cabinets. It runs a few cents more a sqft than other species for hidden faces, but for the few hundred feet I use a year it doesn’t make sense to use something else.
I don't think it's at all necessary to use a backing veneer with 3/4 Baltic birch.
The plywood is already comprised of several cross laminated layers and quite stable, one more thin veneer won't make much, if any, difference.
Most veneer, being so thin, does not have enough potential energy to change the shape of the substrate even less than 3/4". Keep in mind veneer is solid wood and should be acclimated before adhering to the substrate. All you are doing is making 3/4" plywood slightly thicker, I suggest not to over think it.
Use a backing veneer. It can be cheap and not match the interior - just need to have the balance and glue joint. Like another responder, I've veneered 1 side of a sheet good and seen how much the material will cup from that.
You may get away with it, especially in a cabinet where there are shelves, tops and bottoms to give structure, buy my feeling is why chance it?
Its not that much more work to veneer the other side.
Thanks for your response and to everyone else above. Food for thought.
It's great that we have this community and we can help each other along.
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