Veneers and Laminates

Veneers sometimes evoke negative connotations of being inferior to solid wood; in reality they are commonly used on high-quality furniture as well as budget pieces. Veneer is a thin sliver (about 1/28 inch) of wood applied to a wood or plywood base.

A single slab of wood, such as a tabletop, can warp and split over time. For a tabletop made of a secondary (cheaper) wood, several boards are edge-joined, then covered with veneer of a finer wood. A veneer can also be applied over plywood.

Veneers add interest by making the most of the grain-lines in the wood. Grain-lines can be matched to look like one solid piece, or they can be arranged in diamond, radiating, checkerboard, or other patterns.

Tips for Quality Checking: When purchasing veneer furniture, inquire about the base material as well as the face veneer. If the base is of inferior material, a veneer will not solve all the potential problems. Check the underside of tables; pull out drawers or slide out shelves and check areas that are not covered by the veneer.

If the base material is particleboard or a soft, open-grained wood, it may still warp and split. Run your fingernail along the edge of the veneer to see if it is tightly attached to the base material. If there are gaps and loose spots right after manufacturing, the veneer will pop loose eventually.

Learn about laminates below.

Laminates cover a base material. Most laminate is glued to a medium-density fiberboard or particleboard, but some office and kitchen pieces have laminates applied to wood to make the furniture more durable, more practical, smoother, and easier to clean. Such laminates generally mimic the wood used for table legs, chairs, and other exposed surfaces.

Tip: Check the match between the laminate and wood as well as the composition of the core wood.

Commonly, laminates are solid colors that are used in children's, contemporary, or casual furniture. Particleboard may split or warp, and screws work loose, resulting in unstable furniture. Fiberboard is more stable, and the furniture is likely to be of higher quality and a better investment. When considering laminate furniture, check quality, using the method for veneer furniture.