Using thick veneer (shopsawn or bought)

[Jim Belair]

I'm looking at doing my first veneered project - a table top about 15X40. I want to use 1/16 veneer (likely black walnut) so I can break the edges, give final hand smoother passes, etc. but am not quite ready to shop saw my own.

At A&M Wood (just down the road), 1/16 is $4.40/sq ft, 1/32 is $2.25 and "thin" is $1.50. I suspect the cheaper is peeled vs. sawn/sanded. I'm wondering if I'd have any problems with cupping of the substrate (3/4 MDF) if I used 1/16 on the top surface and thin on the bottom surface? I will likely use PVA glue.

I recall being taught 1/16 is thin enough so differential expansion is not an issue. So it's the moisture from the glue that causes the force leading to cupping?

Thanks
Jim B

[Jamie Buxton]

Yes, 1/16" veneer is thin enough that the substrate holds it in place as it tries to expand and contract, and you should not see gapping at the joints. That said, a balanced panel is a good thing. If you put the same thickness of veneer on both faces, they'll exert similar forces on the panel as atmospheric humidity changes over the year. That tends to keep the table top flat.

[John Fry]

Jim,

Almost all the veneer work I do is shop sawn at 1/16". As a practice, when veneering both sides is necessary, I always keep it balanced by doing both sides with equal thickness veneer. If the back side is not visible, I don't really worry about matching the species, but I would use the same thickness.