Question about veneer and duplexing to cotton paper

[Jay Selway]

Hi guys, I asked this in the engravers forum, but didn't get a reply. Thought I'd try here.

I'm trying to figure out the best way to duplex (glue) 2-ply veneer to thick, cotton paper stock. I'm planning on doing some cards that are wood on one side, and paper on the other.

I want to make sure that the veneer doesn't warp, and we use a glueing method that is fast and durable.

The vendor I've been talking with about doing this is being tightlipped on the process, which is fine, but makes me nervous. I really want to make sure this is going to work out before dropping any money.

Check out the attached photo for the desired look.

[Andrew Hughes]

Have you tried contact cement, or maybe spray adhesive? Water based glue would be my last guess.
Testing out some different glues and working out all the bugs is a good idea.Even if it's not a piece of furniture.

[Jamie Buxton]

What's the order of your process? That is, do you cut the holes in the wood, and then attach the cloth? Or do you attach the cloth first and then cut out the holes? I would have guessed the former, so the cutter doesn't cut the cloth. However, the interior parts of the letters look like they'd wander around before they could get glued to the cloth.

[Jay Selway]

What's the order of your process? That is, do you cut the holes in the wood, and then attach the cloth? Or do you attach the cloth first and then cut out the holes? I would have guessed the former, so the cutter doesn't cut the cloth. However, the interior parts of the letters look like they'd wander around before they could get glued to the cloth.

No process yet to be honest. We're trying to figure it out.

I guess I just need to buy a bunch of different glues, wood veneer and paper and test it out.

[Kevin Jenness]

Whatever glue you use, a single thickness of veneer bonded to paper seems unlikely to stay flat. Does your vendor have a process that he will warranty? In which case, let him have a go and demand satisfaction. A three ply veneer layup mated to paper might work; veneer and paper with epoxy might work, though I doubt it; clearly some trials are in order. Good luck.

[Jay Selway]

Whatever glue you use, a single thickness of veneer bonded to paper seems unlikely to stay flat. Does your vendor have a process that he will warranty? In which case, let him have a go and demand satisfaction. A three ply veneer layup mated to paper might work; veneer and paper with epoxy might work, though I doubt it; clearly some trials are in order. Good luck.

Good idea. I'm going to order a bunch of different types and see what works best.

It'll be a damn cool business card when we're finished!

[roger wiegand]

1) Hot hide glue and a veneer press. 2) dry mount as done for photographs. Veneer on one side of anything will curl with changes in humidity. Hide glue has the advantage of being brittle when cured so it can fracture and still maintain a tight joint when used on a flexible surface. We take advantage of this property all the time in player piano and organ work where we're bonding leather or rubberized cloth to wood or cardboard and want it to lay flat and stay airtight.

[Jay Selway]

1) Hot hide glue and a veneer press. 2) dry mount as done for photographs. Veneer on one side of anything will curl with changes in humidity. Hide glue has the advantage of being brittle when cured so it can fracture and still maintain a tight joint when used on a flexible surface. We take advantage of this property all the time in player piano and organ work where we're bonding leather or rubberized cloth to wood or cardboard and want it to lay flat and stay airtight.


Thanks Roger! I'll give that a try.

I don't have a veneer press, but have a friend with one.

[roger wiegand]

Thinking a bit more, in your case perhaps liquid hide glue would be easier--apply it with a roller, squeegee out the excess, then put it on a flat surface with some newspaper to absorb the water under a flat board with a heavy weight on top or in a press. With hot glue you can apply cloth to wood by essentially hammer veneering--spread the glue on one surface with a paintbrush or roller, apply the cloth or paper, use a brayer to squeeze out any excess, then use weight or a press to keep it flat as it dries. With the hot glue you have to move very quickly or have two people, one to glue and one to squeegee if you are working with a piece of any size as the glue will set up in less than a minute. With the liquid hide glue you've got a lot more working time. I did this recently with some photos printed on canvas to mount them to thin plywood.

[Jay Selway]

Thinking a bit more, in your case perhaps liquid hide glue would be easier--apply it with a roller, squeegee out the excess, then put it on a flat surface with some newspaper to absorb the water under a flat board with a heavy weight on top or in a press. With hot glue you can apply cloth to wood by essentially hammer veneering--spread the glue on one surface with a paintbrush or roller, apply the cloth or paper, use a brayer to squeeze out any excess, then use weight or a press to keep it flat as it dries. With the hot glue you have to move very quickly or have two people, one to glue and one to squeegee if you are working with a piece of any size as the glue will set up in less than a minute. With the liquid hide glue you've got a lot more working time. I did this recently with some photos printed on canvas to mount them to thin plywood.


Thanks for the heads up.

We actually ran a test with regular PVA glue (pot devin) and watered it down a bit. Worked like a charm!