Apply veneer to Metal?

[Matthew Poeller]

Hello all. I know that some of you worked in mixed media and I was wondering if anyone has experience applying veneer to metal. Powder coated metal to be exact.

I have been doing some web searching and there are some places that offer some special veneers and adhesives that can be applied to metal but they are pretty expensive and the selection is not as expansive as a regular veneer shop.

Does anyone have experience with this? Thank you.

[Bruce Volden]

Don't know your specific application but, for the most part, powder coated metal is basically "plasticized". I'm thinking perhaps plain 'ol contact cement might suit your purpose (after a proper set-up time):confused::confused:

Bruce

[James K Peterson]

My company does this all the time using wood backed and paper backed veneer on aluminum honeycomb sheets (and composite honeycomb) for the aircraft interiors. They do it with a spray on contact cement (I'll have to find out what particular kind) I believe it is from 3M. They don't seem to have any bleed through problems or adherence problems.

Thanks
James

[Dave Sabo]

for the aircraft interiors:


I was going to suggest asking folks that do that kind of work too., Work for Gulfstream , James?

I also wonder if the powder coating will have an effect on adhesion, James your stuff is going onto brushed aluminum yes?

[Joe Jensen]

My company does this all the time using wood backed and paper backed veneer on aluminum honeycomb sheets (and composite honeycomb) for the aircraft interiors. They do it with a spray on contact cement (I'll have to find out what particular kind) I believe it is from 3M. They don't seem to have any bleed through problems or adherence problems.

Thanks
James

I used contact in years past, and I had had problems with the glue failing after I used Watco oil finish. Surface finish may not be a problem. In my case, the glue failed over time, 1-2 years later. I had to redo three expensive sets of speakers :mad:

[Dave Sabo]

Joe, why were you using metal for speaker boxes? The only co. I know of sucessfully doing it is Bang & Olufsen - even theirs are really just the shell portion, the speakes are enclosed in a more damp fiberglass or plastic?

[Joe Jensen]

I wasn't using veneer to metal. I was doing veneer to partical board with contact cement. I finished with Watco and over time, the oil must have caused the contact cement to fail.

The design evolved to one with 1" radius round overs on the top left, top right, bottom left, and bottom right corners. I then wrapped them with brushed stainless steel. The faces were veneered wtith whatever wood the client wanted, but usually Rosewood. I sold 10 sets of these during college 1981-1984 for between $2000 and $3000 a pair. Paid for a fair bit of college :)

[Jamie Buxton]

I've applied standard sliced veneer to bare metal using epoxy and a vacuum press. The epoxy was from System Three. Epoxy bonds well to metal and wood. I dunno whether it bonds to your powder-coated surface. I think it would, ya never know about plastics. I'd test it before I commited to the real thing, or else just sand the powder-coat off.

[Matthew Poeller]

Thank you for all your input. Now I have a place to start. Basically we are going to be using this stuff to go into Hosptals. Our marketing department wanted to be able to apply a wood veneer to our powder coated product so that we can customize to any hospital decor. In classic engineer fashion I told them that I was offering it in any color they wanted as long as it was black. That did not go over so well.

I think that I am on the right path. I think the next step is a vacuum press setup, some system 3 epoxy and a trip to Certainly Woods.

Thanks again for all you input.

Matt