Differentiating Natural Wood Veneers from Engineered Wood and Laminates |
Posted: February 21, 2018 |
Despite the sustainability of wood as a building material, new and improved materials are still being developed to serve specific purposes. Structural and budgetary reasons are some of the main factors that drive the production of many wood-based products. Veneers, composites, and laminated materials are produced as solid wood alternatives. Both wood veneers and laminates are used to provide a more interesting and attractive decorative surface to indoor structures. Although they work similarly, they have different properties, cost, and maintenance, to name a few. It’s important to distinguish one from the other, so you can choose the right product for your projects. Natural Wood Veneers These are thin sheets of wood glued to core panels or substrate, which can be a composite material, such as particleboard and medium density fiberboard (MDF) or glued layers of veneer like plywood. Wood Veneers manufacturing has been around for hundreds of years. Because they are made of wood, they can be stained and polished with the same finishes and methods meant for real wood. Veneers are sliced, cut, or sawed from logs using specialized equipment. Types of Wood Veneers
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Engineered Wood Engineered wood is also known as composite wood and manufactured or man-made wood. In contrast to interior wood veneers, they are made of derivative wood products, which are created by binding the particles, fibers, strands, or veneers of wood with an adhesive, or using other fixation methods. Scraps from sawmills and other wood wastes are used for wood products composed of particles and fibers. Those types made of veneers mainly use logs in production. Types of Engineered Wood
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Laminates These are decorative surface materials produced by gluing sheets of boards together. The term laminate may indicate different types of products. For contemporary designers, laminates are pre-finished boards that may or may not have a wood surface. Some would also mention laminates to refer to a plastic coating often used in countertops. These materials are rarely made of wood. Types of Laminates
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