Hello,
I am sanding some oak veneered MDF, and on one of the pieces, I am noticing some lines that run across the grain (pictured) . They are not sanding marks because I only sanded along the grain. Do these lines appear because the veneer is too thin? Or does it have to do with how the veneer was laid on the MDF, i.e. the veneer was not pressed evenly on the sheet? I should also note that there are other pieces where the veneer is not pressed well to the MDF because you can feel/see bulges when you run your hand along the faces. I was not careful not to oversand, and thankfully did not burn through the veneer.
I would also like to know if there’s any chance that they will go away with a film finish. Thank you!
Replies
I can't see the cross grain lines in the photos. If the veneer wasn't glued properly to the substrate, you're likely to have problems going forward. When you apply finish, the moisture in the finish can make the bubling worse.
Sometimes you can slice through a veneer bubble, inject some ca glue and clamp a Board to it to flatten the veneer. If the problem is widespread, it may be time to look for new material.
I've heard the veneer-bubble injection cure, in a David J. Marks video. He used white glue and an injector you can buy from Rockler or Woodcraft. And of course be sure to flatten the section via clamps or weights while the glue dries.
If you do this, be sure to allow an escape for excess glue. Otherwise, hydraulic pressure won't allow the bubbled area to lay flat.
Also, be very careful sanding. Some of the commercial veneers you buy these days are extremely thin.
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