In veneer terms, a bundle is a collection of consecutive veneer leaves stacked together. Depending on the species, bundles can contain anything from 12 to 32 leaves each with slightly variable sizes. Each bundle has an identification number, so consecutive bundles for larger projects can be identified and each offers a different total sq m of veneer.

Wood veneer is a thin layer of natural wood, sliced using different methods to create different grain effects. It is glued onto a substrate such as plywood, MDF, or particle board and gives the appearance of solid wood while using less raw material.

Yes, our veneer is produced from natural wood. Our range of engineered veneers are also created from natural wood.

Veneer is often mistakenly linked to laminate which is a different product entirely as it is manmade with a printed, durable, and low-maintenance surface, designed to look like wood, but not the real thing.

A wide variety of species are available in veneer form, each offering distinctive individual growth characteristics, from classic oaks and walnuts to more unusual, exotic species.

Standard veneer is produced in thicknesses of around 0.55m to 0.6m. This can vary depending on the species and the slicing technique. We also offer additional constructional thickness for certain wood species including 0.9mm, 1.4mm, 2.4mm and 7mm sawn veneers. See our Constructional Veneers section for more information.

The most common cuts of veneer are Crown and Straight grain, also known as Quarter cut. These are slicing techniques through the length of the tree log. In addition, Rotary Cut, is available with many species where the tree is sliced rotationally, producing richly figured results though in smaller leaf sizes. For more information see Veneer Slicing.

Crown and Quarter Cut are two different slicing methods for wood veneer. For crown cut veneer the log is cut in half before slicing vertically. This method exposes the natural, tapered growth habit of the tree, often delivering the sought after cathedral grain pattern as well as wider leaves. Quarter cutting involved cutting the log into quarters before also slicing vertically. This delivers a more linear and often stripy grain effect, in long thin leaves. For more about slicing methods and the different grains produced, visit our Slicing Guide

Veneer delivers the natural beauty of wood in its most efficient, versatile form and it’s far more sustainable than solid timber. Benefits include strength, pliability, variety and beauty. For more see our Why Veneer section.

Veneer is used in a wide range of applications including small decorative items from furniture, cabinetry and accessories to larger scale applications such as wall panels, doors, flooring and decorative surfaces. Less well know is veneer's role in the creation of musical instruments, lighting, surfboards and even coffins and it is increasingly used by artists in a contemporary marquetry. For a snapshot of veneer applications visit our Gallery section.

This veneer is natural wood which has been dyed using a water-based industrial process. This produces a veneer in a vast array of colourfast shades across a wide range of tree species, each with their own distinctive grain characteristics.

Just as with natural wood, veneer can be affected by environmental factors such as light, humidity and temperature which can change colour over time. This change can be minimised with the use of different finishes, lacquers or oils. Pale veneers may yellow, fruitwoods such as cherry may redden and dark woods turn darker still.

Veneer is usually glued to a substrate such as MDF, plywood or particle board. The process involves trimming raw veneer, jointing it together by stitching or taping to create the required panel size, bonding to the substrate - with industrial heat presses in some cases - sanding and finishing. A balancing veneer is applied to the reverse of the substrate to equalise any natural movement of the surface veneer. See our The Veneering Processing section for more information.

Veneer can be applied to MDF, particle board or plywood. Many of these are now produced using recycled materials. More environmentally friendly options are also emerging such as bamboo and recycled textiles.

With a thickness of only 0.55mm only a fraction of wood in veneer form is needed to create furniture, cabinetry and panelling compared to solid wood. Just one cubic metre of felled wood yields 900m² of veneer. This is 45 times more than solid planks. For more on the sustainability of veneer, visit our Sustainability pages.

Veneer is pliable enough to be used on curved surfaces but for edges, strips of veneer can be cut from regular leaves. Alternatively, dedicated 'edge-banding' products can be used.

Marquetry is a decorative woodworking technique using veneers in differing species or colours, cut into particular shapes to create intricate designs, patterns, or images. The veneer pieces are assembled and glued to a substrate to create beautiful designs within furniture, wall panels or works of art in their own right.

Veneer is charged per square metre. As we sell by the bundle, no two bundles offer the same square metre coverage so will be priced individually. We offer pricing breaks based on a range of volume thresholds. The individual prices of each veneer vary enormously depending on species, grain and availability. Rarer, difficult to source species will command a higher price, whilst more popular species such as Oak and Walnut are more cost effective.