Solid wood veneer substrate

[Jeff Royle]

Anyone used solid wood as a veneer substrate?
I have read/heard multiple opinions from various experts(?) that are totally opposite. Some claim you should crossband a veneer layer before applying the face veener. Others are equally adamant that you should only apply 1 layer parallel to the grain of the substrate.

I have been using my vacuum bag for about a year now with great success. Seems like it's hard to screw it up. I've made a bunch of flat panels over MDF & plywood plus a number of curved lids for treasure chests over bending ply. Everything seems to work.

Now I want to build a buffet using solid wood as the substrate.
I have tons of oak & poplar to use. I mention oak because I read something recently of someone restoring an antique mahogany desk that had mahogany veneered over a 1.5" thick oak slab. Seems like one would want to fill the grain first tho.

Thoughts/experiences?

[Doug Littlejohn]

The problem with a solid wood substrate is movement accross the grain and what that will do to the joint between the substrate and the veneer. It is generally accepted that you apply veneer to a substrate that is plywood, MDF or the like.

If the width of your substrate is small enough to rule out movement as an issue, then I would think which way the veneer was oriented would be moot. For wide solid substrates, cross graining the veneer will only help as the wood is still going to move. The cross grain will only put the stress on the glue bond or the veneer. Either way can yield a failure.

[Ray Dewey]

on solid wood substrate to use at least 1/16" thick layer at 90 degrees to your grain orientation and then apply the good layer with the grain of your substrate, do this to the FRONT and BACK. the 1/16" can be a lessor wood, although if the edges are not covered it will show.

as to pore filling the oak substrate, can't see the need.

Unibond 800 glue is my choice.