The Benefits of Using Veneer
It’s time to rethink veneer. Wood veneer isn’t a shortcut or second-best, it’s the material of choice for luxury interiors, high performance design, and refined craftsmanship. You’ll find it inside super-yachts, luxury vehicles, boutique hotels and statement furniture. Veneer delivers the natural beauty of wood in its most efficient, versatile form and it’s far more sustainable than solid timber.
One of the most compelling reasons to use veneer is resource efficiency. While a solid timber plank uses up a significant volume of wood, a single cubic metre of felled timber can produce up to 900m² of veneer, around 45 times more coverage than solid wood. That means less waste, less impact, and better value.
When paired with environmentally responsible substrates, veneer becomes part of a sustainable, modern, solution to surface design and a natural fit for projects with environmental targets or FSC/PEFC certification requirements.
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Beautiful
Veneer production techniques unlock some of nature’s most precious creations in the endless colour and grain variations of wood. In the hands of skilled craftsmen, the beauty of veneer takes on wider expression.
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Versatile
Veneer can be applied to flat or curved surfaces, it can wrap delicate structures or it can be used in large format surface treatment. As it is light and flexible it is suited to far wider applications than solid wood.
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Strong
All you’d expect from natural wood but with additional benefits, veneer is long-lasting and durable and offers increased stability versus solid wood which can be subject to movement and shrinkage.
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Sustainable
Less raw material is required to create luxurious results using less of the earth’s precious resources. New environmentally friendly growing policies mean most veneer is available with FSC certification.
The Character of Real Wood
Straight from the tree, veneer retains all the inherent character and benefits of real wood. Slicing techniques enhance grain characteristics and create multiple grain options from a single species. Unlike solid wood, veneer gives you far greater control over grain matching, consistency, and aesthetic cohesion across surfaces large or small.
Whether you’re specifying for a hotel suite, a multi-apartment development or for bespoke cabinetry, you can benefit from all the character of natural wood whilst reducing the unpredictability of solid wood.
Demanding Spaces
Veneer is the quiet workhorse of many high-end industries.
MARINE — Lightweight and stable, ideal for cabinetry and wall panelling in high-humidity environments.
AUTOMOTIVE & AVIATION — Used in dashboards and trims for its weight-to-strength ratio and premium finish.
FURNITURE & JOINERY — Offers unmatched visual control and flexibility in grain, colour, and thickness.
COMMERCIAL INTERIORS — Feature walls, reception desks and panelling that demand luxury, consistency and performance.
HOSPITALITY — From boutique hotel headboards to entire suites — all while meeting sustainability goals.
PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL — Veneer delivers uniquely characterful luxury finishes and hardwearing surfaces to home interiors.
Design without Limits
Veneer offers design flexibility that solid wood can’t match. Whether you want bold patterning with dyed veneers, consistency across large panels, or precise grain matching using slip or book matching, veneer opens the door to creativity.
With innovative ranges like Tabu dyed veneers and multilaminar engineered options, you’re not limited to what nature alone provides. Tabu multilaminar veneers are available in standard sheet sizes for manifold production benefits.
Samples and Support
Explore our unrivalled range of natural wood veneers. Order your free samples or give us a call. Our expert team is here to help match products to your brief by grain, colour, species, or technical requirement.
A Quick History of Veneer
The very origin of veneer lies in sustainability with its first known use by the Ancient Egyptians who, in desert climes, cut scarce timber into thin layers to maximise its use. The decorative potential of the material became popular in the 15th century, leading to the intricate marquetry creations of Thomas Chippendale in the 18th century.
Today, veneer is an indispensable and versatile design material in contemporary interiors, bespoke furniture and many other products from musical instruments to surfboards where durability and pliability are paramount.