Techniques for repairing veneer, fixing surface damage, and restoring furniture without rebuilding it.
Sanded-through veneer, or burned-through veneer, occurs when the thin veneer is sanded until it exposes the substrate. This results in unsightly patches that are highly noticeable due to the colour difference. As the substrate is of a different material, you cannot simply use a darker stain on the area successfully and mask it. It will…
Over the years veneer can crack, bubble, chip and peel. And while there is a variety of ways which veneer can be damaged, it can also be fixed. Repair bubbled veneer is a very handy skill to learn. What is bubbled Veneer? Bubbled veneer can occur in a variety of ways. It could be due…
Most furniture which I pick up in the Netherlands is veneer. I would estimate 95% of the quality pieces I have come across is veneer. It’s rare to find furniture made from solid, hard wood with impressive wood figuring. So, it quickly became apparent to me that I would need to learn how to Sand…
How to apply veneer to a curved surface? This was the question that I asked myself when I came into possession of a beautiful vintage drinks cabinet from Stonehill. You can veneer on a curve, as the cabinet already had a failing veneer. The real question was, “Could a newbie veneer be on a curve…
Gosh, working with veneer has been a very steep learning curve! Which is why I couldn’t wait to share with you that I have learned so far by diving into the first part of this veneer series with wood veneer types. This was the first hurdle to overcome when I started researching and looking at…
Learning how to replace veneer banding might feel intimidating at first—but it’s one of those small repairs that can make a huge difference. Clean edges can elevate a piece—especially when working on mid-century drawers or vintage cabinets where the details matter. But what happens when those edges are chipped, lifting, or completely missing? I’ll be…
Learning to work with veneer quickly became apparent to me when I started refinishing furniture. Since approximately 95% of the pieces I currently refinish, are veneer, I had to get over the beginners fear of working with veneer quickly. One of the first steps you need to learn is how to remove veneer. Learn by…
As furniture refinishers, it’s key to know how to tell veneer from solid wood pieces. Knowing before you start or even purchase a piece is important, as the refinishing process when working on either veneer or solid wood pieces can differ. Unfortunately when you first start refinishing, it can be difficult to determine if the…