Oak Cluster Veneers 220 x 36 cm

Oak Cluster Veneers 220 x 36 cm

Genuine wood sliced-veneer sheets, in sequence.

Dimensions:

Length: 220 cm.

Width: 36 cm.

Thickness: 0.6 mm.

Measurement scaling:

The width is rounded to the covered centimeter. For example, 15.8 cm is given 15 cm.

The length is rounded to 5 centimeters. For example, 257 cm is given 255 cm.

Pictures:

These photos are taken from the veneer sheets you will receive.

While we strive to capture the color as accurately as possible, please note that the color may vary slightly from the photo. The screen on which the photos are viewed can also affect their appearance.

What are burl and cluster veneers?

Burl and cluster veneers are rare and reserved for prestigious projects.

Burl veneer is composed of grouped pin-knots, which are densely packed and usually cover a good portion of the veneer sheet.

Cluster veneer, on the other hand, is characterized by the wild movement of its wood grain. However, clusters can also have pin-knots, either isolated or in clusters.

The presence of numerous pin knots means that some pin knots are piercing, and open cracks are considered a natural part of this type of wood.

After gluing, you can fill the small holes with wood putty for a complete finish, or before gluing, cut out the larger holes with a cookie cutter and insert a veneer disc of the same size taken from a scrap.

By nature, burl or cluster veneer has a lot of end grain, and therefore, its sheets are often warped. Even when they have been pressed, they may still be slightly warped.

However, it is necessary to differentiate between two types of warping:

Hard warping, which makes a "pop" sound when you press on it with your finger. -- In this case, it is advisable to flatten these veneers before using them. There are several methods; please inquire.

Soft warping, which does not make any noise. -- In this case, there is no major problem; however, if you want to join several sheets together, it is better to press them beforehand.

What is This Oakwood?

Considered in France as the noblest wood par excellence, it is the sacred tree of the Druids and also the tree under which Saint Louis dispensed justice.

It is particularly prevalent in state forests whose organization and silviculture are due to Colbert, minister of Louis XIV, who desired a powerful navy and, therefore, numerous and well-organized oak forests in sustainable renewal. However, Colbert could not foresee that 250 years later, when the trees were old enough, warships would no longer be made of wood.

Oak is a very tannic wood, hence the Gaulish name for oak, "tann," which gave rise to the words tanner, tanner, tannin, etc. Oak tannin has been used since antiquity to tan hides. It is also what develops woody flavors in wine and deepens its red color.

What are the common Names for this Oakwood?

Oak, European white Oak, Common Oak, Pedunculate Oak.

What is the botanical name for this Oakwood?

Quercus petraea and Quercus robur.

Where can we find European Oak in nature?

Generally, oak can be found throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

In France, the common oak and the pedunculate oak are the main species that make up the northern French oak forests. A sessile oak is more rarely found, but this remains anecdotal.

In southern France, the evergreen oak and the cork oak are emblematic.

How to Recognize European Oak Wood?

Oak is a wood with a hard texture and large pores. It is recognizable by its fine and discreet grain on the flat-sawn surface, but it is more present, even omnipresent, on the quarter-sawn surface.

Its raw color is generally a sandy blonde. However, it varies depending on the soil (siliceous or calcareous) and the type of plantation (high forest or coppice).

Among the different appearances of oak, the most iconic are:

Brown oak: Generally, brown is an upward coloration of the base of the oak when the tree becomes old, a bit like human hair that turns gray/white. Like some humans, certain trees become completely brown, sometimes even in early adulthood, except for the sapwood, which remains white.

Smoked oak: This is an oak whose tannin has been reacted to give it a color ranging from milky coffee brown to charcoal black.

Swamp oak: These are oaks that fell into a swamp several thousand years ago. They are generally discovered during agricultural earthworks.

These oaks are in the process of fossilization. They have a very particular charcoal gray hue, and of course, they are rare.

Flaky oak: The flake is the oak's medullary rays, in other words, its "skeleton." When you cut a plank or a veneer on the quarter, you find yourself parallel to the medullary rays, and as a result, the flake is obvious and creates special aesthetic patterns.

Other specialties are oak burl, oak crotch, and knoty oak... will complete this non-exhaustive list.

What are the mechanical properties of European Oak?

Weight: approximately 675 kg/m³ at 10-12% moisture content

Janka hardness: 4980 Newton, for comparison: ash is 6580 N and poplar is 1650 N

Elasticity: 10.60 Gigapascals, for comparison: US maple is 12.62 GPa and poplar is 9.75 GPa.

Tensile strength: 97 Megapascals; for comparison, US maple is 109 MPa, and poplar is 62 MPa.

What are the uses of Oak veneers?

Oak is a wood that combines strengths, like a decathlon athlete who is not the best in any discipline but is strong in several.

Thanks to its qualities, oak is used in many areas:

Construction: Oak is used to construct frames, floors, exterior joinery (doors, windows), and decorative elements (paneling, moldings).

Furniture: Oak is a highly prized wood for manufacturing quality furniture, such as tables, chairs, wardrobes and chests of drawers.

Flooring: Oak flooring is very resistant and aesthetic. It is often chosen for quality floors.

Cooperage: Oak is used to make aging barrels for wines and spirits.

Other uses: Oak is used to manufacture tools, decorative objects, and boats.

What are Wood Veneers?

Veneers are thin sheets of wood obtained by slicing or peeling.

Their surface has the appearance of planed wood without any finish or treatment. They are neither glued nor backed with any other material. This means that both faces of the sheets can be used.

Wood Veneers are mainly used to cover less aesthetic substrates such as plywood or particleboard to make furniture or wall panels.

Veneers are also used to create decorative objects such as lamps, jewelry, bookmarks, and more.

By assembling several sheets of veneer on top of each other, it is possible to manufacture objects requiring high mechanical resistance, such as skis, bicycle frames, or musical instruments.

The applications of veneer are as varied as they are multiple.

Since veneers are genuine wood, all wood finishing products, whether varnish, stain, or oil, are suitable. The choice of finish will depend on your personal preferences and the final use of the object.

The veneer offered here is a sliced sheet of uniform thickness, but the thickness might differ from one species to another. The standard thickness is around 0.6 mm.

Although the edges of the veneers have been cut roughly straight, the cut is not perfectly parallel. Some veneers may retain the natural taper of the tree, being slightly wider at the foot than at the top.

Some veneers may have a trace of a waney edge (an edge following the tree's natural shape) on the sides. In this case, the dimensions indicated correspond to the minimum width of the veneer, as specified in the "Dimensions" paragraph.

How to use veneers?

How to cut the veneers?

Veneers can be easily cut with a utility knife.

For straight cuts, the best results are obtained with a veneer saw.

Use a fretsaw, scalpel, or veneer knife for curved cuts.

Always allow for a slightly larger veneer sheet than your intended surface. This will allow you to adjust the size after gluing for a clean finish.

A flush trimmer can also be used to trim the veneer after gluing.

When cutting with a utility knife or veneer knife, it is best to cut with the grain of the wood. To check this, run your finger along the edge of the sheet. The direction that feels smoothest is the ideal direction for cutting.

What is veneer splicing?

As the veneers have the width that nature gave us, you might need to cover an area wider than the veneers available.

Therefore, you need to splice the veneers by gluing or fixing them, side by side, with tape to obtain the desired width.

Trim the veneer's edges with a straight and smooth cut to realize good jointing.

Stick the veneers with tape (the blue one is a good choice.)

Usually, the veneers are spliced side by side, but to obtain a longer length, they can be done foot by foot.

The splicing must be done before gluing the veneers on the substrate.

What Glue to Use for Veneering?

Several types of gluing are possible.

Vinylic glue (PVA or PVB) is well adapted to porous substrates such as plywood, particle board, or MDF. The veneers must be pressed with clamps over the entire surface at once.

Note: A technique using vinylic glue and an iron can also be used to glue veneers, but we strongly recommend choosing this technique only if other gluing solutions are impossible.

- Neoprene glue is applied to all surfaces, especially non-porous surfaces, using two coats of glue and marouflage.

- Animal glue, such as hide, sinew, or bone glue, are pellets that must be cooked in a double boiler and used hot.

How to Sand Veneers?

Veneers and all our products are genuine wood and can be sanded according to thickness.

Please do not use a belt sander, regardless of the thickness of the veneer, as this could pierce it.

With a 0.6 mm veneer, lightly sand with 120 grit and then finish with 180 or 240 grit. With an orbital sander, 180 grit is already sufficient for most applications.

How to Finish a Veneer Realization?

All finishing products generally used for wood are suitable for finishing our products. For example, you can use a varnish, wax, paint, or oil.

However, ensure that the product you want to use is compatible with the final use of your creation.

More information:

Please look at our TUTORIALS; you might find some valuable tips.

Please contact us by email or phone for any additional information.