Replies

1. 
   sapwood | Jun 29, 2008 09:18pm | #1

   There have been many discussions regarding max. veneer thickness here. Do a search for more info. My vote, my experience, my insistence is for a maximum of 3/32". Yes, you should veneer both sides, but not necessarily with the same species.

   Certainly Woods has 1/16" veneer you might find interesting.

2. 
   borre | Jun 29, 2008 09:43pm | #2

   Hi Jeremiah,

   I did this about a year ago with kitchen doors. I resawed 1/8 inch thick cherry veneer and glued them on a base of MDF. I also used a vacuum bag. After resawing I flattened only one side of the veneer. The side that was to be glued. Final finishing of the doors was done after glueing up. The only thing to consider is that your resawn veneer won't be as accurately sawn as normal veneer. To avoid pressure problems due to different in thicknes on parts of the veneer during the vacuuming, I first put some polystyrene plates on the veneer and then a thick plate of MDF to provide even pressure. The plates were about 1/4 inch thick. Veneering should indeed be done on both sides. After a year none of the doors moved or anything. Altough your tabletop will probably be larger I don't think it will be a problem.

   Ed

    

    

    

1. 
   sharp | Jun 30, 2008 01:20am | #3

   thanks for the responses.I will be using plywood rather than mdf like Ed's doors.
   Doesn't ply move a bit more than mdf. I need to figure out the right way to do this. I would plan to lay the thick veneer opposite the direction on the ply's veneer.. No?

1. 
   saschafer | Jun 30, 2008 01:43am | #4

   MDF actually moves a bit more than plywood does. On the other hand, it's smoother and generally flatter.

   With decent quality plywood, the orientation of the grain of the veneer with respect to the substrate doesn't matter, although you do want to ensure that the face veneer and the backing veneer are oriented in the same direction, of course.

   I echo the other comment that 3/32" is about the thickest you want to go. It's not that thicker can't be done; there's just an increased risk of surface checking and cracking.

   -Steve

    

3. 
   [email protected] | Jun 30, 2008 06:23am | #5

   I wouldn't veneer both surfaces if I was using plywood. 

   The idea behind veneering both surfaces is to keep equilibrium on the panel.  If you are using a plastic veneer, like Formica, then it is very vapor resistant, and you can get cupping of the surface from the bottom swelling while the top doesn't. 

   Plywood is stable, and you are not going to decrease how vapor permeable the top is, enough to cause cupping, using a wood veneer. 

1. 
   sapwood | Jun 30, 2008 07:13am | #6

   Plywood or mdf, unless it is very thick, will warp or bend when veneered on only one side. I've got dozens of finish sample boards in my shop where this has happened.