How to glue veneer at home. Practical recommendations: how to glue veneer? What material can veneer be glued to?

The technology of surface veneering allows you to create textured imitations of valuable wood species, spending a minimum of investment on it. Conventional wood chip material can be used as a base, however, due to the lamellas with original design even the surface will change beyond recognition. At the same time, the question of how to glue veneer is not so simple. Despite the appearance simple technique gluing, there are nuances, ignoring which it will not be easy to achieve a good result.

What is veneer?

IN furniture industry There are many ways to aesthetically design objects. Just one group paint and varnish materials allows you to decorate surfaces in the most different colors and shades, not to mention the graphic capabilities with modern visual effects. However, as the demand for eco-style with its craving for naturalness grows, natural veneer has again become relevant as a means of design. What is this in practice? This is a wood processing product, which is thin wooden sheets (lamellas) with a thickness of 0.2 to 3 mm. At home, it can be used not only to decorate pieces of furniture, but also in additional registration door leaves, floor coverings and wall cladding. But how to glue veneer without special skills? Technology requires more vocational training, but attention and ability to perform precise physical manipulations. In terms of tools, it is also unpretentious - you can get by with a standard set home handyman.

Preparing veneer for gluing

The problem of preparing material for work events lies in the delicacy and fragility of its structure. According to the instructions, the veneer must have a dust-free and cleaned surface, that is, it should be very carefully wiped with napkins and, if necessary, treated with non-aggressive detergents. After this, the sheet is dried under natural conditions without the use of heaters and other devices that generate artificial heat flows. If the question is how to glue veneer onto chipboard and other wood-based products with a rough and rough surface, then you will need to initially observe some nuances in choosing the lamellas. Firstly, it is advisable to give preference to coniferous fleecy veneer, which will organically adhere to the surface of the base. Secondly, it will be necessary to comply with humidity indicators (approximately W=8±2%) and thickness stability. By the way, thin veneer in in this case won't do. To eliminate the effect of unevenness of chipboards, you will need thick and thick sheets.

Preparing the base for gluing

On the quality of gluing direct influence The surface of the base also has an effect. Regardless of the type of target material, its working side must also be cleaned and, if possible, leveled. The only exceptions in a certain range are particle boards, which have a structurally complex surface, which was already mentioned above. But even in such cases, it is important to carry out external cleaning and eliminate possible defects. How to glue veneer correctly in order to reduce the risk of defective zones forming at the joints in the future? Risks of swelling, delamination and deformation are largely prevented the right choice adhesive base. As for the base material, you can only prevent obvious threats associated with existing damage. It is very important to troubleshoot the entire structure, identifying chips, cracks (even small ones), bends and dents. If such defects are discovered, in principle it is worth refusing to operate with such material, but as a last resort, you can try to restore the problem area with special primers and wood sealers.

Glue preparation

First you need to decide what kind of glue can, in principle, be used in this operation? A universal solution will become a one-component composition, the basis of which is a dispersion based on PVA. It is desirable that the set of components does not contain formaldehyde, but modification as such should not be abandoned either. Much in the use of additives will depend on the characteristics of the veneer itself and the working substrate. For example, how to glue veneer onto MDF with a rigid structure? If dense lamellas are used, then it will be necessary to maintain the optimal degree of thickening of the glue, adjusting this indicator with swelling fillers like wood flour and water as a thinner. Thus, sufficient viscosity must be maintained, otherwise the adhesive layer simply will not cope with its function between two materials with rough structures.

What tool will you need for the job?

As already mentioned, you don’t need any special consumables or equipment. You can limit yourself to carpentry equipment for performing the procedure, rags or napkins to remove excess glue and directly working materials. Another thing is that, if desired, you can modify the technology in order to optimize labor costs. For example, how to glue veneer in an in-line mode with the achievement High Quality? In workshops, artisans use special devices for spot application of glue, use heating devices and pressing equipment. If with the last one in living conditions Difficulties may arise, then a glue-applying device can be purchased on the market (such as the Gupfo-Leimer model), and the industrial heater can be replaced with an iron.

Step by step gluing operation

When all the materials and necessary tools will be prepared for laying veneer, you can begin the work process. So, how to glue veneer at home? The operation is performed in the following order:

  • If it is possible and we are not talking about a stationary structure, then the target product is additionally secured physically. For example, workbench guides.
  • Prepared and diluted glue is applied to the base for gluing.
  • The veneer is carefully applied to the treated surface, after which the lamella must be delicately smoothed with a cloth over the entire area. At this stage, as when gluing wallpaper, it is important to avoid leaving bubbles in the joint area. Smoothing is carried out strictly in the direction of the fibers.
  • At the final stage, the veneer can be slightly moistened warm water, which will improve the process of adhesive joining of structures.

Modifications to bonding technology

Conventional veneer gluing technology can be improved by applying heat and pressing. As already noted, in the first option, a home iron can also be used - but strictly in the presence of a thermal insulating lining and at a minimum temperature conditions. As for the press, its use is justified if you plan to form a multilayer structure of lamellas. For example, how to glue veneer onto plywood in several layers? IN the simplest scheme You can use a clamp or a household hydraulic press. The main thing is to put paper or lining in each layer, which will create a reinforcement effect. After clamping, the structure is maintained in this position for several hours during the period of adhesive activity. adhesive composition.

Features of gluing stone veneer

Essentially, it is the same analogue of wood veneer, but in a stone base or a stone structure imitating it. These are mini-slabs with a thickness of 1-3 mm, which are used in the decoration of walls, facades and interior items. In the question of how to glue stone veneer, the following technological features are important:

  • The reverse side is weak and reinforced with a cotton backing or thin cork.
  • Special stone or wood sealants can be used as an adhesive composition.
  • If installation is planned on the side of the facade, then the adhesive is selected taking into account external factors impact. At a minimum, it must be moisture resistant and have increased mechanical resistance.
  • Stone veneer cutting is carried out circular saw or with a special jigsaw followed by grinding.

Conclusion

Veneer is a fairly simple and effective solution to design transformation problems various surfaces. High-quality lamellas are quite expensive, but in practice this material justifies itself. How to glue veneer so that it long time retained its qualities? Cases where problems arise with the bonding zone are rare. Much more errors are allowed when the lamellas are positioned with deviations. Otherwise, everything will depend on the care of the renewed surface. Thus, to maintain the optimal technical condition of veneer, it must be regularly treated with special impregnations and protective paint and varnish primers.

Give furniture made from inexpensive materials(MDF, chipboard, plywood), a noble appearance will allow imitation of their surfaces to resemble solid wood. To do this, you need to learn how to glue veneer in order to achieve a high-quality result.

Purpose of veneer

Veneer is a thin plate natural wood, obtained by peeling, planing or cutting. This material preserves the texture and decor of wood, which allows you to give the renewed surfaces the sophistication of ash, the presentability of oak, the splendor of mahogany, the delicacy of birch, etc.

The main purpose of veneer is home interior– This is the lining of doors and furniture. If necessary, cornices and portals are finished to look like wood decorative fireplaces, picture frames and mirrors. If an apartment renovation project involves the use of wall wood panels, then in this situation, veneer glued to cheaper material will cost less.

Preparatory work

Items on which veneer is to be glued must be wood-based. The doors are removed and removed decorative elements, the fittings are unscrewed. The old coating is removed with a heated spatula. All surfaces are carefully checked.

If coniferous materials were used as a base, it is necessary to treat the places where resin leaks appeared. They are cleaned with a knife and wiped with 25% acetone (you can prepare a solution of soda ash for this purpose).

Existing knots to which the veneer does not adhere well are first removed. Remaining notches small sizes filled with putty. For large holes, corks from chipboard are cut to shape and placed on glue. If defects in the form of chips, cracks, or gouges are detected on the prepared surface, they are puttied with a special compound for wood. After the putty has dried, sanding is carried out.

First, fine construction sandpaper is used, and then zero-grade sandpaper is taken. The prepared base after sanding should have a velvety, slightly rough surface, ensuring better adhesion of the glue. The last stage is defatting.

The next step is preparing the veneer. It is unpacked and the sheets are laid out on a horizontal plane. This will allow you to study the texture pattern and select individual fragments to obtain a complete image. If you have artistic taste, you can select interesting combinations from different wood species.

Selected and carefully joined sheets are connected at the joints with adhesive tape. The total size of the set should be approximately 10 mm on each side larger than the surface prepared for gluing.

If the material was rolled up, after rolling it out on a horizontal, flat surface, it is necessary to evenly moisten it with a sponge, spread paper on top, which will absorb moisture, and lay a sheet of chipboard (plywood, MDF).

Without the skills to feel how to properly glue veneer, it is advisable to start with surfaces that have small dimensions and are not façade, for example, shelves.

From the video you will learn more:

Which glue is better

When choosing glue for veneer, it is advisable to study its main types and take into account the advice of experts. For perfectly smooth small planes when gluing veneer tightly, you can use PVA glue.

If it is necessary to veneer more complex elements, a special adhesive composition oriented for wood, for example, Titebond, is selected. Wood glue has proven itself to be good for gluing veneer on large surfaces.

Bonding methods

Studying information on how to glue veneer, we can distinguish three main methods for carrying out this operation.

Watch the video to find out more:

Cold contact method

Involves the use of contact adhesive, characterized by a short period of exposure and setting. Because of these features, problems may arise when applying the method to large planes, since it will be impossible to correct inaccuracies when applying veneer, which very quickly sticks to the base. Important for high-quality veneer gluing is the compression force applied at the initial moment. Contact method not recommended for large planes, considered the most difficult, but it does not require the use of additional devices.

Cold gluing method with pressing

When it is used mainly on small objects, the glued veneer is fixed to the base with a clamp and the time necessary for the glue to fully set is maintained.

Hot gluing method

The layer of glue applied to the planes to be glued must dry for some time. Then the veneer is carefully and precisely applied, which, using a heated lapping hammer or iron, is straightened from the center to the edges along the grain. Glue due high temperature(≈ 150°C) melts and provides reliable, uniform gluing.

Find out more from the video:

When using this method, it is necessary to take into account that the glue is taken with a thick consistency. During grinding, it is recommended to moisten the veneer with warm water, preventing the glue from drying out excessively. If during work, in places where the layer of glue was insufficient, swellings form, then it is necessary to make a small incision in the air bubble with a blade, introduce a little adhesive and rub it in.

When determining the algorithm for gluing veneer at home, to achieve high quality, it is necessary to first glue the side edges. A veneer plate with 10mm allowances is glued onto the façade planes, which are then carefully cut and sanded.

Before gluing veneer from the rarest and most expensive wood species onto a particle board, it is advisable to first glue cotton fabric or cheap veneer to the base as an intermediate layer.

To avoid deformation of the finished cladding due to different shrinkage of the material from which the item being renewed is made and the veneer, it is advisable to glue it across the fibers of the base.

The veneer is sanded along the grain using sandpaper No. 3. After the entire surface is cleaned of dust, the veneer is immediately varnished to avoid its possible peeling due to its ability to absorb moisture. You can use quick-drying transparent furniture nitro varnish.

If you follow the rules for gluing veneer, you can independently update the interior by decorating furniture and other items. beautiful finish with imitation of the texture of valuable wood species. It will cost less than purchasing new furniture, and the effect will be no less impressive.

If we talk in simple words, then veneering is the gluing of thin plates of wood with a beautiful structure (in fact,) onto a wooden base - be it a table, wall or door - of lower decorative qualities. It turns out that veneering furniture means dressing it in beautiful clothes.

Veneering is more correctly called veneering. But it just so happens that the slang word “veneer” is more familiar to the average person’s ear than “veneer.”

Why veneer furniture?

Two main points can be highlighted.

Firstly, price. You can veneer a pine table with your own hands, “turning” it into oak, and the appearance will hardly be inferior to real oak. But the price will be much lower. And if you remember that it does not dry out, does not deform, and is not affected by moisture and temperature, then you should seriously think about whether it is worth spending money on furniture made from valuable wood?

Secondly, ample opportunities design. Do-it-yourself veneering allows you to turn a tattered window sill into a new one, and a boring cabinet into a completely new one. new thing in Art Nouveau style without special costs, just by applying veneering.

Veneering: types

There are several main types of veneering, let's take a brief look at them.

- Hot veneering. With this method, the veneer is glued to the base using adhesives. The most accessible method for home conditions, it will be discussed in the article.

- Cold veneering. Here the veneer is pressed onto the base. It's about about pressing machines or screw clamps, which not every home owner has.

- Membrane veneering. An industrial method used for veneering complex surfaces. Membrane veneering is based on vacuum joining of veneer and boards - both smooth and textured.

How to veneer yourself?

Let's move on to a step-by-step examination of the hot veneering process as the most acceptable at home.

Basic tools and materials:

-veneer

- the base that we will veneer

- plywood knife

- PVA glue

- iron (preferably an old, Soviet one)

- Blank sheet paper

- wooden block, roller (for grouting)

- emery cloth

- cutter

Do-it-yourself veneering: preparation

The base for do-it-yourself veneering must be perfectly flat; all defects must be repaired with putty or sydenticone glue. After the putty (glue) has dried, we clean the surface with sandpaper.

Before directly do it yourself veneer, it is necessary to prepare the veneer for work. Natural veneer is often deformed - twisted into a roll, warped, etc. Give veneer sheets correct position not difficult: moisten the veneer with a damp sponge and place it under a press between layers of plywood. For absorption excess moisture Place wrapping paper between the veneer and plywood (on both sides of the veneer).

Now you need to take care of the size. Today, for finishing furniture and walls, planed veneer is most often used - long but narrow sheets (no wider than 30 cm). To cover, for example, a table, you need to prepare in advance pieces of veneer of the required length - as a rule, it should protrude slightly beyond the edges of the base (at the end, the excess can be cut off and sanded). It is not recommended to cut veneer with a knife or scissors - it will crack or be cut unevenly. It is better to use a plywood knife or planer.

Do-it-yourself veneering: gluing

Do-it-yourself veneering at the next stage involves gluing the veneer and base.

For DIY veneering, PVA-based glue is perfect. You can read more about wood adhesives.

So, we apply glue to the veneer, and on the base we coat an area of ​​the appropriate size with glue. Experts advise applying glue twice: the first time it should be dried until almost completely dry, when the glue practically does not stick, and the second time it should be dried until it is tacky. Double coating with glue guarantees a “death grip”.

But if for some reason, when veneering with your own hands, you decide to coat the veneer and base with glue once, wait at least 10 minutes for the glue to dry.

Next, we will use the ability of PVA glue to exhibit fluidity when heated: we heat the iron to medium temperature, about 50 degrees (but you cannot bring the glue to a boil, this will nullify all its functions), and iron the veneer through a sheet of white paper (for those with little experience). Immediately after using the iron, we begin to work wooden block, roller: grind, compress the veneer and base.

Veneering with your own hands it is necessary so that the veneer sheets overlap by 3-4 mm. When gluing the joints, pay special attention: as if pressing it in with an iron.

Now we determine whether we have created voids or places that were not captured by glue: we simply lightly drum our nails on the veneer. If a defect is detected, iron the area again. It didn’t help - you’ll have to cut the swelling with a thin cutter and fill it with glue (with a syringe, for example).

Do-it-yourself veneering: the end of the process

A few hours after veneering with your own hands (directly gluing), when the object has dried, we begin trimming and sanding the excess.

I would like to say a few words about how to sand veneered surfaces. At the joints of veneer sheets, as a rule, there is a little PVA glue. While areas without glue are easy to sand, areas with glue form sticky pellets, but are not sanded. The result may be unevenness, so pay attention to the glue issue from the beginning.

When using veneer, you need to be extremely careful - it is a thin material that can easily wear out (especially when using a grinder).

DIY veneering almost finished! Now only aesthetic aspects remain - coating, final finishing.

As you can see, do it yourself veneering at home not difficult at all. And if you still have questions, we hope that the video on how to veneer with your own hands will answer them!

Tatyana Kuzmenko, member of the editorial board, correspondent of the online publication "AtmWood. Wood-Industrial Bulletin"

Those who make repairs with their own hands should take a closer look at such material as veneer. It is a thin layer of wood, that is, completely natural material.

It is classified into the following types:

  • standard: made from walnut, oak, cherry and other types of trees,
  • special: varieties of rare and valuable tree species are used for production,
  • root cuts unsuitable for furniture production tree species, but with an interesting pattern and texture (for example, eucalyptus or myrtle),
  • exclusive: has a non-standard texture or size.

The material can be peeled, sawn and planed. The latter has greater value and practicality and is used most often in the furniture industry.

Most often, veneer is glued to MDF, for example, on wall or façade panels. Doors made of natural veneer also look stylish.

This material is aesthetically attractive appearance, it can be glued to any wooden surfaces. At the same time, the price of the material is quite affordable, so without any special financial costs you can transform the interior of an apartment or country house.

The advantages of veneer include:

  • durability,
  • moisture resistance,
  • environmental friendliness,
  • strength.

It should be noted affordable price this material with high aesthetic qualities and practicality. That is why it is chosen for finishing furniture, doors and other interior items at home.

Let's look at how to properly glue veneer so that it lasts a long time and the surface acquires a beautiful new color.

VIDEO ON THE TOPIC

When working with veneer, it is important to carefully prepare the surface. If it is coniferous material, remove the resin with a knife and treat the area with acetone.

It is also necessary to remove any knots and irregularities, get rid of greasy stains, chips and cracks. To obtain a smooth surface, it is sanded and primed.

Many people are interested how to glue veneer on chipboard or plywood. It is easiest to work with flat surfaces, for example, a coffee table without protrusions or other shaped elements.

To finish it with veneer, you will need:

  • sheet of white paper
  • iron,
  • thin cutter,
  • sandpaper,
  • glue,
  • wooden block.

Select several sheets of plywood in width and length, preferably with a small margin. Veneer can be simple or figured. In the first case, the fibers are arranged in parallel; in the second, the pattern is more varied, and you can experiment with it.

Apply a thin, even layer of glue to the table surface and to the veneer sheets.

Place the sheet of material in the desired place and iron it with a heated iron. To avoid burning the veneer, use White list paper as a layer between the material and the iron.

Iron the heated area with a wooden block.

Place the next sheet slightly overlapping and repeat the procedure. Excess material is carefully cut off.

It is important not to overexpose the glue while it dries, as it quickly loses its properties.

After finishing gluing, make sure there are no air bubbles by tapping the surface. If they remain, cut them with a thin cutter, pour a little glue if necessary and heat them again with an iron.

VIDEO

  • the color of the veneer sheets should be matched to the color of the wallpaper, furniture and other interior elements,
  • The veneer sheets joined together look original different breeds trees,
  • If you decide to pre-paint the sheets, wash them after painting running water and dry in a warm place, but not near heating appliances.

Thus, following simple algorithm, you can quickly, easily and inexpensively give a second life to many things in the house, as well as realize your design ideas.