I live in Nashville.
Where is a reputable place to purchase Teak Plywood from? looking for 3/4"
I live in Nashville.
Where is a reputable place to purchase Teak Plywood from? looking for 3/4"
You may have closer sources, but I have ordered from Boulter.
http://www.boulterplywood.com/
"Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're doing."
I know this isn't what you asked, but might it be cheaper to get a vacuum veneer setup and some teak veneer? The times I've seen teak ply it was several hundred $ per sheet. A quick search near me (New England) yielded 1/2" teak ply for $330/sheet.
If you went the veneering route, you'd have a veneer setup to keep and maybe save a significant amount of money. You'd also get more control over the grain matching.
Well, I was thinking of doing that.. But frankly, this is the first time I have built cabinets and I am terrified of something like vacuum bagging veneer.
I am great at following instructions though. I just do not have HOURS to research and learn how/what to do.
if the steps were something like,
1. cut veneer to size of board.
2. rolls glue on everywhere
3. put inside bag
4. turn on vaccuum
5. return next day and it is done.
well then great!
Last edited by mike waters; 11-05-2017 at 6:15 PM.
You'd need to joint the veneer so you could lay the strips side-by-side with little to no seam showing. None of the teak veneer I saw online was wide enough to cover a cabinet-size panel, so learning how to do this would be essential.
Also, step one is actually the last step - cut the veneered panel (which was oversize) down to its final dimensions.
Other than that, your outline is basically correct.
Best of luck to you. I'd be extremely nervous working with a sheet of plywood that cost that much, let alone enough sheets to build cabinets!
BTW, if you want to see a guy who knows how to veneer a panel WAY better than I do, check this out: https://youtu.be/TC--FfGSeGU
Edit: forgot to mention that you'd have to veneer the other side of the panel with something as well in order to keep the panel stable - even if it's MDF. If the other side of the panel won't be visible you could use something cheap.
Last edited by Brian W Evans; 11-05-2017 at 7:32 PM.
Just order the teak plywood you need.
"Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're doing."
Certainly Wood carries a re-constituted teak that comes in 24" widths. That will save you time splicing veneer sheets.
Try Hardwoodweb.com. It's Atlanta Hardwoods where I live and I've been buying from them for years and years. They have a location in Clarkesville:
http://www.hardwoodweb.com/distribution/html/HWWDistribution.html
Last edited by Bill Graham; 11-07-2017 at 9:17 PM.
Not sure what the intended use of these plywood panels is, but if it is for doors, drawer fronts or potentially high wear panels on cabinets, you probably don't want to use plywood. The veneer on plywood will be too thin and the edging will be not up to your expectations. The cabinet will not hold up.
The preferred approach (recommended to me in this forum some years ago) is to spec out your panels and have a place like KB Woodworking in Cairo NY fabricate custom panels. Fabrication of veneered panels is "all they do" - the old adage of "let the plumbers plumb." You will need to be exceptionally organized to get them to talk to you, and you will own your mistakes. But, they'll source the veneers (much thicker) and hot press them on whatever substrate you want (typically MDF). Before gluing on the veneers they will glue on 1/2" wide edging. When finished they will sand to your specification. When you get your panels you rip and crosscut to final size through the substantial edging you spec'd. The final product will be beautiful. Plus, if you are doing a stack of drawers, your veneer pattern will match.
Below are some photos of a job I recently did in the shop, but the approach is similar to what the large fabrication house would do (except they would do it faster and better and ultimately cheaper). The photos should give you some idea of what the process is. I actually glued end grain onto the top and bottom (and middle) of each panel, but that is unusual ... in fact I'd never seen it done (which is why I did it). Typically you just glue on edging in an orientation that will have lowest visual impact.
Last edited by Bill Adamsen; 11-08-2017 at 9:27 AM. Reason: added closeup photo to show veneer thickness
"the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.” Confucius
Bill, the attention to detail around the end-grain, etc., is an outstanding bit of craftsmanship. While not everyone would even notice it, it's a valid thing, IMHO. Laying up panels like that is also a great way to leverage "expensive" wood on the surface, while creating a stable and reasonably costed panel for the type of work you illustrate. Bravo!
--
The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...