Essential Materials Knowledge for Design Departments ③ Engineered Veneer

Engineered veneer is a recycled veneer made from natural wood. It's essentially a log that undergoes extensive processing, including designing, dyeing, reconstructing, and pest control, followed by high-temperature and high-pressure processing. This treatment results in a richer, more beautiful wood grain and a smooth, knot-free surface.

Detailed Process

1. Material Selection: The base material for engineered veneer must have a straight, even grain, be easy to cut and bleach, and have good gluing properties. Commonly used wood species include fast-growing species such as sycamore, poplar, paulownia, pine, and eucalyptus.

2. Softening: Soaking the logs before peeling reduces cutting resistance and improves the quality of the peeled veneer.

3. Peeling Veneer: Peeling the softened wood into veneer.

4. Bleaching: Because engineered veneer contains color-producing components such as lignin and minerals, it generally requires bleaching. The degree of bleaching varies depending on the color of the wood species being simulated. 5. Dyeing: The bleached veneer is cleaned and then dyed according to the color of the precious tree species being simulated.
6. Drying: After dyeing, the veneer is cleaned and dried to a moisture content of approximately 8-12%.
7. Gluing: Glueing veneers of different shades are applied according to the color and grain of the tree species being simulated and then layered. The adhesive should be water-resistant and flexible enough after curing to facilitate planing.
8. Compression Gluing: The gluing process involves applying pressure to fully bond the veneers together and remove excess moisture. The temperature and time required depend on the compression gluing method, type of glue, and board thickness.
9. Shaping: The resulting planks are sawn to the desired planing dimensions. The ends are sealed with PVC film to prevent the thin veneer from cracking or breaking after planing. 10. Slicing: The thickness of the veneer is generally 0.2mm~2.0mm. More complex textures can be produced by repeatedly combining wood blocks and slicing to obtain rich and colorful veneer colors and textures.