need suggestions re:veneer

[steve rogers]

I am replacing my kitchen cabinet doors with walnut doors
> and veneering the face frames. I have a column on one side of the
> kitchen which houses a microwave and oven as well as a small cabinet.
> I am considering putting walnut veneer on 1/4\" mdf with mitered sides
> and ends to look like walnut paneling for the sides of the column. I
> have never veneered anything (other than face frames with peel and stick on top of contact adhesive) so I thought I would ask someone with
> experience whether this would work, and secondly does it sound like it
> might have a pleasing result.:)

[James Hart]

Steve,

When you say column, are you referring to something round?

Not sure if this is similar, but I once used 1/4" oak plywood on the sides of my cabinets. Flush trimmed it to the face frame from the side, then veneered the face frame so the veneer covered the end of the plywood.

Is that close?

Jim

[steve rogers]

Jim that is close. Basically the difference is that I am thinking of buying a veneer vacuum system, and veneering individual random length and width sections of mdf to simulate walnut paneling. Width of paneling probaby 21/2 to 4 inches with mitered sides and ends, and then sticking them up with construction adhesive or something of that nature. Since I don't have the veneering equipment yet, I thought it might be a good idea to make sure I'm not overlooking something important before I buy the kit.

The column sounds like its probably the same as yours, and I'm basically trying to get away from the obviously veneered look. I could actually apply quarter inch walnut strips with machined corners, etc, but then I would worry about wood movement, etc, if I glued them up, and I would rather not nail them up.

Thanks, Steve:)

[steve rogers]

ps-then I will veneer the front, as you did to hide the paneling. Steve

[george wilson]

Veneering only one side can likely cause your panels to suck in hollow on the veneered side as the glue dries. Non water base glues,like contact cement will let the veneer pop loose in oval 'bubbles" that will not stay stuck back down.

There are ways to veneer 1 side only,but I would advise a beginner to just veneer both sides with the same veneer,running in the same direction. I'd go slow. Do 1,and wait several days to see if the sample stays flat.

The proper way to veneer is with hide glue and a veneer hammer,but that requires advanced skills. That's how it was done centurys ago,and in Williamsburg by my old journeymen still there making spinet harpsichords.

[steve rogers]

that's a good point. Thanks, Steve