Wood veneer is used to give furniture or other materials a fine wood grain appearance. It is also used to make plywood, which consists of thin layers of wood veneer glued together. Wood veneer comes in very thin sheets, less than 3 mm thick, and is made of various species of finished or unfinished wood.

Wood veneer is often used on common or less valuable materials to give them a superficially attractive appearance. Other than furniture, wood veneer is often used for cabinet remodeling. Using wood veneer on functional but unattractive kitchen cabinets is easier and less expensive than replacing the cabinets entirely. Wood veneer is also used for parquet floors. Wooden products that have large surfaces may be made from wood veneer to avoid the great costs associated with making large items entirely of solid wood.

Wood veneer can be used in craft projects. Martha Stewart created a unique lamp shade made from wood veneer and serving trays. Wood veneer is used on speaker coverings and luxury car interiors. Its various creative uses are limited only by the imagination.

Wood veneer can be made from the wood of various species of trees. It is often made from species such as cherry, oak, maple and birch, as well as rare and exotic species such as Brazilian rosewood and eucalyptus. There are hundreds of different types of wood veneer available. When wood veneer is applied properly, it gives a piece the illusion that is made entirely from the same type of wood as the veneer.

Wood veneer is applied with an adhesive such as carpenter’s glue, using a specialized roller and clamps to hold the veneer in place while drying. The choice of adhesive should depend on the experience of the person applying the wood veneer, since some adhesives are so strong that they do not allow for any mistakes. Wood veneer should also be applied only to flat surfaces, because it doesn’t adhere neatly to curves.

Most finished wood veneer comes with a paper backing which eases the application process. Raw wood veneer may or may not be finished, and it does not adhere as easily as paper backed veneer. Raw wood veneer is also more likely to allow the adhesive to seep through to the surface, giving the veneer a warped or stained appearance.