Oak veneer is a product applied to the surface of some furniture in order to give it the appearance of being made of oak. The underlying material, not only when applying oak veneer, but any other veneers, is usually of somewhat less quality than the veneer itself. Thus, the final product gives the appearance of being a more expensive piece of furniture.

As with any hardwood veneer, oak veneer comes in a wide variety of grains and finishes. This helps to expand the homeowner's or remodeler's choices when undertaking a project, or trying to match other furniture in a room. In most cases, veneer is used when the project is of such a scale that doing the entire project in genuine oak would be unaffordable for the owner. A veneer may be used at other times as well, such as when a project manager wants a contrast in wood styles to create a specific effect.

Oak veneer has many common uses. It can be applied to cabinets, tables, chairs, staircases and doors, just to name a few. Typically, using the same veneer will be done uniformly throughout the home or room, wherever wood is used. This gives a cohesive sense to the interior.

In most cases, oak veneer is only an eighth of an inch (3.17 mm) thick. This means it must be handled very delicately. Most of the time, veneer comes on rolls. It is often recommended to unroll the veneer and store it vertically for at least a day prior to applying it. This gives the material time to straighten, which can make the application process somewhat less difficult.

Once the project is ready, it is good to make sure the surface to which the oak veneer will be applied is clean and free from all debris. An adhesive is then added to the wood. This is usually some sort of carpenter's glue. Finally, the oak veneer is carefully applied and worked into the desired position. Due to the delicate nature of the work, many homeowners will buy products with the veneer already applied, rather than trying to do it themselves.

While oak veneer remains a very popular product, there are other wood veneer products that are also very popular. Birch veneer and maple veneer are examples of two other types used regularly. Each will have a distinctly different appearance. Therefore, the final choice of which wood type to use is often a personal preference, based on what the interior design is supposed to convey. Staining the wood a different color, is a popular alternative to using veneer.