Veneer, Color Effect

PSA - Pressure Sensitive Veneer - New Sizes!

“Peel-and-stick" veneers now are available in convenient 24" x 32" sheets. The 32" lengths are great for doors, face frames and end panels on vanities as well as on standard cabinets.Pressure Sensitive Veneer

Veneer

I get quite a few questions about veneer, so I'll periodically include some questions and replies. Although those of you who are familiar with veneer and have done some veneering will think there is repeat information, there are a lot of different applications for veneer and lots of people who wonder if veneer will work for their application.

Veneer on antiques

Many people have the idea that veneer makes furniture a lesser grade, but in antiques the opposite is generally true. If a grain pattern is fantastically beautiful, you can bet a bunch that it's veneer.

Veneer on particle board

> Far too much modern day furniture is made of particle board with a veneer. If it's a wood veneer it's best. If it's a plastic laminate it looks good and is durable, but isn't repairable if it's scrached or the surface is damaged in another manner, except to re-veneer with wood.

If it's a plastic film, which is often refered to as a veneer, it's very short term furniture. The plastic film runs anywhere from the thickness of plastic wrap with a photo imprint design of wood grain to the thickness of shelf liner. The plastic film is easily damaged and is non-repairable. It's generally not a good idea to veneer with wood veneer over a plastic film, because although the wood veneer will stick tight to the plastic film, the plastic film is notorious for lifting on the edges and at corners and those areas are still no better for sticking with a wood veneer over the plastic film.

Lots of times I'll make some changes in the email replies that I put in the newsletter, because, like today's two emails had very different questions, but the answers were pretty much identical.

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Desk with a veneer top

email question.....I recently purchased a desk that has a veneer top. It has some water damaged and some splits and gouges. If I want to replace the veneer do I have to remove the current veneer to glue a new top on ? Or should I attempt to sand lightly and restain?

Re-veneer over old veneer

reply.....If the old veneer is glued down tight without lifted edges or bubbles, then it's as sound to re-veneer as a solid wood surface.

You should fill any voids, like splits and gouges. If there is any lifting near the splits you can take a razor knife and cut away the lifted portions and fill them, so there won't be any voids under the new veneer. Wunderfill is a good filler and easy to use and clean up.

Clean with furniture cleaner

Clean the whole top surface well with a good Furniture Cleaner to be sure there isn't any wax or polish.

Pessure Sensitive Veneer

The pressure sensitive veneer is as easy to use as self stick shelf paper, actually it's easier because it's solid and doesn't get little wrinkles in it. You just peel the paper backing off and position it and fasten it down with as much pressure as you can muster. Be sure it's positioned right the first time, because when you use pressure on it, it's stuck tight.

See more about working with veneer in our kitchen cabinet refacing section, starting with the contents page which has various pages listed that deal with veneer.

If you decide to refinish you'll need to strip the old finish off before staining. You can find lots of refinishing information starting with our basic information contents page.

Veneer plastic laminate

2nd veneer email question.....Is it possible to refinish furniture that has a melamine type surface? My description may not be correct, but it appears to have abaked on finish with a shine. Iam wondering if it possible to refinish it? reply.....If it appears to be melamine it probably is a plastic laminate, such as formica. Most plastic laminates have a paper coat which is impregnated with melamine and other resins and has the design in it. It's compressed at extreme pressures so that it actually becomes part of the plastic sheet.

You can't refinish plastic laminate, but you can veneer it with wood veneer, which isn't difficult to do and the wood can be finished however you would like to have it.

Clean the whole top surface well with a good furniture cleaner to be sure there isn't any wax or polish.

The pressure sensitive veneer is as easy to use as self stick shelf paper, actually it's easier because it's solid and doesn't get little wrinkles in it. You just peel the paper backing off and position it and fasten it down with a lot of pressure. Be sure it's positioned right the first time, because when you use pressure on it, it's stuck tight.

Strip the old finish

Generally when the flat surfaces are plastic laminate the balance is stained and clear finished wood, so it can be refinished with standard procedures. I recommend Citristrip stripper for inside stripping, it's easier on your health than most other strippers and has a nice orange scent.

Keep dirt outside

Help your furniture by keeping dirt outside. A lot of the dust on your furniture is brought in on feet, both people feet and pet feet. A heavy coarse textured door mat outside the door will catch a lot of dirt, even if the feet aren't wiped. Some pets don't like the feel of the coarse texture so will jump over the mat. If you have it a few inches from the door, when the pet jumps over the mat the jar of landing will knock a good portion of dirt from feet and fur or hair, which will stay outside instead of gritting away on your furniture.

Replace cabinet hardware

Make a big change in the appearance of kitchen cabinets or other cabinetry by replacing the hardware with something new and different.

Color effects on mood

Commercial design engineers work toward changing home furnishing and accent colors yearly, so we'll all have to keep up with the trends and buy new stuff annually to keep the economy robust.

Keep a close eye on things, because colors can effect mood and you don't want some stranger loose with your moods.

It's good to know how different colors effect people in general and how they effect you and your family in particular. You wouldn't want to change colors to keep up with trends, then walk around glaring at each other, because a color combination punches your grump button.

Color in a childs room can make a profound difference in their general demeanor and the wrong color in a teen's room can really make a jutting chin jut farther.

Primary colors -

Secondary colors -

Tertiary colors

All colors, hues, shades and every other definition of color originate from the primary colors red, yellow and blue. There aren't any colors that can be mixed to make any of the primary colors, but they will make every color imaginable.

The secondary colors are next and are made by mixing the primary colors, then the resulting adjoining colors are mixed to make the tertiary colors and the whole thing keeps going and intermixing to make every color imaginable.

Colors opposite each other on the color wheel are complementary. A color wheel is handy when you're standing with your pointy finger on your chin and a studious look on your face while you're deciding what color to paint the hutch you just bought. After you decide what color would go well with the rest of the decor in the room, then it's important to check the effect of the color on mood, whether it'll make you want to wink at your spouse or heave a sigh of exasperation.

It just might be that your husband hasn't earned a whack with the rolling pin, maybe it's just that a color has had a bad effect.

More on color next time.

Double stick tape for kitty claws

If you have a cat that likes to sharpen it's claws on a table leg or chair leg, put several strips of double stick tape on the trouble spot. Most cats don't like the feel of the sticky stuff and will stop scratching. Don't leave the tape on more than just a few days at a time until the problem is taken care of, because if it's on too long the adhesive will cause other problems.