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Increase the Beauty and Richness of Surfaces with the Best Quality Tasmanian Oak Veneer

Author: William Ramos
by William Ramos
Posted: May 07, 2021

A few centuries ago, solid timber planks were the only form of timber available which besides being bulky, were also expensive. However, new ways of milling have been introduced that have made new forms of timber available, such as timber veneer, that have changed the use of wood items forever. Today, craftsmen have the option of using imported timber in the form of wood veneer which weren’t even known about until recent decades.

Timber veneer is a thin layer of uniform thickness which is formed by either slicing, rotary cutting or sawing a log of wood. Wood veneer is commonly obtained by mounting logs on a machine and rotating them along their longitudinal axis while a cutter peels off layers from the logs.

It is usually glued to a lesser quality substrate or board, such as particleboard, MDF or chipboard to achieve a cost-effective solution compared to solid wood and increase the beauty and richness of surfaces. For example, when Tasmanian oak veneer is glued over a cheaper plywood surface, you receive the surface finish of expensive-looking Tasmanian oak woodwork while the cost remains minimal because unlike solid wood, the plywood underneath the veneer layer is of lesser cost. Tasmanian oak is a premium Australian hardwood timber with a warm appearance and is dense and resilient. It can be used in all forms of construction and in interior applications such as flooring and panelling, and produces an excellent finish.

Cutting methods used in wood slicing:

Timber veneer can be sliced in a variety of ways to bring out the pattern, grain and features of the natural timber. These include:

Rotary cut: The timber log is centred on a lathe and turned against a broad cutting knife set into the log at a slight angle.

Quarter slicing: The slicing is made perpendicular to the annual growth rings of the tree. This cutting method provides a straight grain appearance to the wood.

Half-round slicing: The wood log is sliced on an arc, parallel to the centre of log. This cutting method is used to achieve a flat-cut veneer appearance.

Rift cut: A red and white oak is sliced at a slight angle to obtain a straight grain cut and minimise the irregularities in the wood.

Plain slicing: This is done by slicing the wood log parallel to the centre of the log. This provides a cathedral effect using the innermost growth rings.

Why is timber veneer preferred?

Timber veneer is used for a variety of indoor and outdoor applications involving wood flooring, panelling, skirtings, window joinery, mouldings, and of course, furniture. Wood veneer is ideal for doors, panels, and curved surfaces as they are thin and can be glued over edges and rounded surfaces. Matching is often done in which Tasmanian oak timber veneer sheets are arranged to form a pattern that best shows the figures of the exotic or expensive timber used in a project.

Providing a variety of appearance choices in wood veneer

Tasmanian oak veneer is one of the most commonly used timber veneer types in Australia and other parts of the world. It can be dyed to obtain a uniform tone and an enhanced natural grain. This method offers colour consistency to your projects.

To obtain a smoked or fumed look from the Tasmanian oak veneer, it is exposed to ammonia vapour to give it a rich, warm colour. This way, the timber veneer also becomes more elastic and less brittle. Besides Tasmanian oak veneer, other timber veneer varieties such as larch, sapelli, eucalyptus, douglas fir, red gum and cherry can also be provided a smoked appearance with the appropriate treatment.

To provide a stone veneer appearance, the natural slate surface of Tasmanian oak veneer is split and separated into very thin layers. It is then combined with fibre glass and polyester resins to create a flexible panel. This method makes it possible to use stone wood veneer in places where typical stone cladding would not be viable. Thin stone slim veneer can be used on curved walls and partitions, wet rooms, ceilings, columns, bathrooms and also on doors and furniture items.

How to choose a wood veneer supplier

As wood veneer is a natural product, select veneer types from a natural timber supplier that has more quantities of the shades that you desire. For example, if your requirement is of 18 sheets, look for a trusted wood veneer supplier which has more than 18 shades of that timber veneer available, so that you can always source additional sheets in case there is a last-minute requirement. Also check the thickness of the veneer that you choose. It should ideally be more than 0.4 mm thick. This is because before applying the coat of stain or paint on veneer, the surface may be rubbed by the carpenter, and its face can get destroyed. Also check whether the base plywood used for making veneer is of good quality.

Providing uniqueness to your projects

Matilda Veneer is the leading supplier of Tasmanian oak veneer and other timber veneer varieties including birch, teak, walnut, mahogany, maple, cherry and more. It uses the industry’s best practices to provide you with only the best quality timber veneers for use in various indoor and outdoor applications. Matilda Veneer sources its timber veneers from sustainably managed forest resources, so that there is minimum impact on the environment. The uniqueness of each log available at Matilda Veneer means that each project will have its own uniqueness and characteristic appeal, while you can remain assures that the veneer was sourced from sustainably managed forests that are regrown to continue the supply. Visit Matilda Veneer’s official website for more details about the wood veneer varieties available.

About the Author

If you are looking for trendy or classic decorative wooden surfaces that deliver the highest standards in environmental performance, Matilda Veneer has the right solutions for all your projects.

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Author: William Ramos

William Ramos

Member since: May 03, 2021
Published articles: 52

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