The use of veneers to cover common woods with more expensive varieties is often seen as a cheap trick. This taste of yesterday's soup does not leave this technique even when we consider that the history of furniture making is rich in top quality veneered pieces. The famous Maggiolini furniture pieces, all of them, were completely covered with veneer (besides being inlaid, even with semi-precious stones). Even the Pharaohs had furniture covered with veneer, and so appreciated to be part of their tomb sets.
I don't share this opinion of poverty that goes along with this technique. When the use of veneer is done with taste, it enriches a lot the piece. Moreover, given the low cost, the veneer is ideal for the hobbyist to achieve first level visual results, without incurring in significant expenses. In the following pages, I only give some simple suggestions of technique and stile, while I recommend to read the copious literature in existence.
| Types Of Veneers | The types of veneers commercially available, and their main characteristics. |
| Cutting Veneers | The tools to use and some suggestions for the trouble less cutting. |
| Geometrical Veneer Inlays (marquetry) |
Simple geometrical inlays are easy, don't need a lot of time, and help decorate a piece in an original way. Your good taste will do the rest. Spread sheets for the automatic sizing of the inlay are available to users of JavaScript compatible browsers. The related formulas are available to everybody. |