The material is veneer. Manufacturing technology of veneered doors

Doors covered with a thin cut of precious wood (veneer) are called veneered. The basis for the application is an inexpensive array of conifers and MDF. The technology is so popular and in demand that it is veneered doors that make up the majority of model range in the middle price range.

Veneered doors ... modern, beautiful, diverse and so durable ... - all this is true, but in part. No, they certainly deserve the highest praise, but with the fact that they are a product modern technologies, one can argue. The fact is that methods for obtaining doors by applying adhesive-free coatings were developed several millennia ago. They did it in China. Only the name of the person who worked in this direction has survived to this day - the inventor's name was Li Peng.

At the same time that he was creating man-made canvases using the then fashionable technologies, another art was born in ancient Egypt, based on obtaining veneer and using it as a finishing material. Lacquered doors also appeared there for the first time. Of course, the very method of applying materials had nothing to do with modern options processing, but, unfortunately, information about the ancient methods of finishing has not survived to this day.

Only the following is known - veneering (the so-called method of applying coatings to the surface of the finished canvas) was originally used to finish those types of wood that show minimal resistance to factors external environment. Moreover, for processing, veneer was taken from more resistant types of wood, which were less accessible for this region. Nevertheless, the main purpose of veneering was not protection, but the improvement of decorative characteristics.

What is veneer made of today

Veneer for finishing doors and furniture is obtained using two technologies:

peeling.
planing.

Accordingly, the veneer is peeled and sliced. Hardwood and coniferous wood is used:

The best species for peeled veneer are beech, linden, birch or alder. Coniferous varieties began to be used later - these are pine, larch, fir and spruce.
Solid mass is more suitable for sliced veneer - beech, oak, ash, elm, walnut, maple wood is more often used in production. Rosewood, mahogany and exotic species such as red, rosewood are also considered excellent raw materials.

Of particular beauty is the veneer obtained by processing the butt parts of the trunk (those that are closer to the base and roots), as well as its vicious fragments with influxes, burls.

We foresee the question - what is peeled and sliced veneer, how are they produced, how are veneered doors made from them, which are better and more stable?

Everything comparative characteristics and the service life given below refer only to high-quality interior doors manufactured in compliance with all technologies. You can choose veneered doors from trusted manufacturers, read reviews and photos of the work in the catalog at the link.

Rotary cut veneer is obtained as follows:

The trunk is divided into churaks - the so-called logs as long as the future veneer sheet.
Churaks are cleaned from the bark.
The cleaned fragment is installed on the machine, a blade is applied to the surface. When the machine is turned on, the axis on which the churak is put on begins to rotate in one direction, and the blade creates translational movements in the opposite direction.

It turns out a spiral movement of the knife, from under which a thin ribbon of wood comes out from 1 to several tens, or even hundreds of meters long. Before turning on the equipment, the blade is adjusted to the desired cut thickness parameter, thus obtaining a material with a thickness of 0.3-4 mm.

Sliced veneer is obtained differently:

Take a straight stem.
Remove the bark.
Cut into vanches.
The blanks are sent to steaming chambers for heat treatment so that the material becomes softer and more elastic.
With special machines, vanches are planed into thin strips - the thickness of each does not exceed 1 mm.

Next, the veneer is sent for drying, faceted and packed in packs. In the future, already in production, a single sheet will be assembled from individual sheets, creating a certain pattern. Here it is necessary to make sure that in each package there are cuts from one vanches, so that several large sheets with the same pattern can be made. In the production of interior doors, sliced veneer is more often used.

What conclusion do we draw from the above information? Yes, the production process of veneered doors is not as simple and fast as it seems. Theoretically, it is much easier and faster to make a canvas by simply sawing out the base from a single piece of solid wood. Why, in this case, veneered doors are the most massive collection in the assortment of each manufacturer?

Why are veneered doors so popular?

In fact, we are talking about the advantages of veneered doors, in particular about how they better designs from an array. And you know - better, and sometimes even irreplaceable. Their main advantages:

A veneered door is cheaper than a similar model, for example, from expensive solid oak. Savings are especially noticeable when replacing several doors at once.
You can refuse models with synthetic coatings: veneer - one might say, a compromise between the very naturalness and price.
They show a high level of moisture resistance: one cannot say that they are better than others in this indicator, but it would be wrong not to note this advantage. Manufacturers use a special veneering technology, when not a whole canvas, but its individual parts are wrapped in veneer. The cuts remain inside the grooves, which means that there are no “bridges” on the surface for moisture to penetrate. If you are thinking about whether to install a veneered door to the bathroom, the answer is yes.
Light weight does not create strong loads on the box and adjacent walls, so if the partition is weak or made of drywall, the array will have to be replaced with veneer.

How to find out which veneered door is better and better

When comparing doors, as well as any other furnishings, two criteria are taken into account - beauty and quality. It depends on them how the design of the canvas will be perceived by others, as well as its durability, the ability to resist scratches, moisture, ultraviolet radiation. And if you can appreciate the beauty yourself, then we suggest consulting with the seller regarding the level of performance, as well as looking into the technical passport of the product and doing a visual inspection to identify errors.

From myself, we only add that its high price is considered a direct proof of the high quality of the door. The indicator, though relative, but effective. This means, for example, that expensive veneer of good quality from noble wood was used in the production.

Still - it's time to learn to distinguish one type of veneer from another. As a rule, uninformed buyers do not see the difference between the three types of coatings:

natural veneer;
a product called fine-line;
eco-veneer.

Here is a small and understandable reminder of how to distinguish one type of veneer from another:

Natural veneer is an absolute copy of the array, because this is the tree. It has the same pattern, shades, there are beautiful fragments with knots and stains.
Fine-line: also made from natural wood, but using a different technology. First, the trunk is cut into several layers. After they are glued together, a plywood sheet with a thickness of about 2 m is obtained. Next, the sheets are cut into thin layers of veneer. The drawing has the form of parallel ordered stripes that look unnatural - this is the main difference between a fine line and a natural product. The price of such structures is significantly lower than the cost of doors made of natural veneer, and if you want to check the seller whether he gives out a cheap product for an expensive one, pay attention to the picture.
Ecoveneer is a polymer. Rather, the waste of the pulp industry mixed with polymer and adhesive composition. The fact that you have a film in front of you can be recognized by the end sections and by color: a wide palette of shades is allowed here, incl. those that do not occur in nature.

Well, do not forget that the main features of a quality door:

Smooth surface - check the tactile sensations.
The absence of pronounced chemical odors - we connect the sense of smell and do not let ourselves be deceived.

Veneered doors - differences in design, or - is it possible to veneer a relief canvas

Let's start with the main thing - there are three types of veneered doors by design:

paneled - for a classic interior;

molded (modern with large triplex glass);

tsargovye (also modern, prefabricated)

As you can see, none of the listed options has a completely flat surface. That is, veneered canvases in most cases have a relief, but in order to cope with differences of different heights, they came up with several technologies for applying veneer to the surface.

The veneer can be applied by one of the following methods:

Cold veneering: only glue and press are used. Application and bonding is carried out under normal conditions.
Hot veneering: glue is applied to MDF panels, then veneer is applied. The workpiece is sent under a hot press for baking. The semi-finished product is carefully polished and varnished. As a result of the use of adhesives with a different formula ready product becomes more durable, the risk of delamination of the coating is minimal.
Membrane-vacuum veneering: the very method that allows you to apply veneer on surfaces with a very complex relief. Very important technology, which opens up a lot of possibilities for modeling.

It remains only to add that paneled structures - in their spirit, lines, reliefs - are close to classic interiors. Molded - these are light models with glass without bottom and top rails - an original plot for modern interiors. And tsargovye doors with wooden or glass inserts - these are endless possibilities for designing canvases for natural wood.

Veneer door restoration

You can often hear: I scratched a veneered door - what should I do? It will not be possible to completely get rid of the defect, although we can offer such an option - to find a store that sells doors from the same manufacturer, and negotiate with them to be taken to the workshop for repainting.

Other methods will help decorate the defect, but not get rid of it completely.

Try:

restoration oil in the color of the leaf: moisten the fabric with it, rub the door. Scratches will become invisible, and the door itself will be cleaner and brighter;
soft wax;
pencil with stain;
lacquer spray that does not leave halos.

If the veneer has peeled off the base, then it is pointless to restore, in the case of budget doors, because. the cost of this event can be comparable to the cost of a new door. Judge for yourself: you need to buy a new veneer, remove the old one, prepare a canvas, glue a new veneer and paint and varnish everything completely, so that the color matches the rest of the doors in the apartment, which are not damaged and have stood for some time. If the doors are of artistic value or are a museum piece, this process is justified, in all other cases it is better to install a new door. By the way, if problems with veneer begin before the end of the warranty period, then the manufacturer, according to your application, will do just that - he will not restore anything, but simply exchange the door for a new one.

Veneer or eco-veneer - which is better?

Door store consultants hear this question very often. We have already touched on this topic, but we will explain it again so that there are definitely no questions left.

Both are used as an external, decorative coating of the door leaf. But, veneer is a natural tree, its thin cut, and eco-veneer is a polymer film. Veneer is more expensive than eco-veneer, and therefore veneered doors, for the most part, are more expensive than eco-veneer ones.

Differences in price are due not only to coatings that are different in cost, as a rule, in more expensive veneered doors, the manufacturer deliberately makes a more expensive base. Samo door leaf it is heavier, it has no cavities or honeycomb filling, it is more expensive to feel when closing, it is better in terms of sound insulation. Here, as everywhere, for example, in cars - you take a more powerful engine, you automatically get a more expensive equipment.

In terms of beauty, naturally, natural veneer is more interesting than eco-veneer. Of course, there are very high-quality films, with a very beautiful multi-color pattern and a reliable relief. But in any case, natural wood, which is veneer, is better. It's like a massive board and a laminate - it happens, and you can't tell, but in 90% of cases you can see it right away.

In terms of wear resistance and convenience in everyday life, there are no differences. But only if both options are made with high quality and the eco-veneer is really a polymer film, not paper. They do not need any special care, both options can be put in the bathroom.

Because veneered doors appeared on the market much earlier, we can say for sure about them that they stand for a long time, more than 10 years - easily, if they are not specifically broken. Eco-veneer doors appeared relatively recently and it is difficult to talk about such terms. Yes, and they differ greatly in quality, because. the price range in which such products are presented: from the cheapest paintings - for 2500 rubles, to 6000 rubles. Doors costing from 4,000 rubles can be correctly compared with veneer. Everything else is a product in which the manufacturer saved on everything.

As a result, ceteris paribus, except for the price, you will have to choose based on the appearance of the door structure. It is important to take into account all other elements of the interior. If there are wooden parts in furniture, floors, etc., then veneer is better. If everything is covered with films: kitchen facades, cabinets, laminate flooring, then there is no point in overpaying if the design of the door leaf suits.

Veneer or PVC - how to choose?

If you haven't read the previous paragraph, be sure to read it! Eco-veneer and PVC film are, in fact, one and the same. They differ only in composition: eco-veneer based on polypropylene, in the second coating, in bound form, chloride is present. In color and relief, they can be generally the same. Therefore, when compared with veneer, all of the above about eco-veneer is true.

Why is there an “eco” prefix in one coating, and not in the other, and does it sound somehow very “synthetic” - PVC? In short, this is a marketing ploy. The film "eco-veneer", based on polypropylene, is a safe type - it does not emit anything, therefore it is "eco". And about the film "PVC" there is a bike that it releases a chlorine compound in some form, therefore it is not "eco". Decorative coatings based on PVC appeared a long time ago, and eco-veneer based on polypropylene - relatively recently. To increase demand for new material and this information came up.

In fact, chlorine is not released from the PVC film in the normal state, and the coatings themselves evolve and become more beautiful embossed, similar to natural wood. Finishing film suppliers offer door factories huge selection materials: PVC films and polypropylene (eco-veneer), which are now generally indistinguishable from each other. The difference is only in the method of application to the surface of the door leaf and the equipment necessary for this. This is where door manufacturers come from.

Veneer or Solid - Tough Choice

Solid wood doors are called so because they are made entirely of some kind of wood. In veneered doors, the frame is made of cheap softwood, then comes the MDF substrate, and on top is a thin layer of expensive wood (veneer). The difference in approaches is obvious and each has its own advantages.

A normal veneered door costs about 8,000–12,000 rubles. Solid pine doors can be bought starting from 4,500 rubles, solid alder - from 12,000 rubles, solid wood: ash, oak, beech - from 20,000 rubles. So we will compare, because Obviously, the comparison "as a whole" is useless, given the completely different properties of different types of wood.

Pine or veneer doors

The pine is very beautiful, with large streaks, if you leave knots, it suits popular styles such as country, chalet or Provence, especially under white wax. The material radiates with “naturalness”, even creates a certain aroma in the room. But that's where the positives end and begin. back side medals: a very soft surface quickly collects damage, and a “living” tree can significantly change its size with the change of seasons and even crack. On Finnish doors, for example, around the panels, non-painting may appear, because. the canvas is painted at the factory assembly, and in the apartment, when the humidity changes, the panel shrinks. There is nothing of the kind in veneered doors, although they are half made of the same solid pine. The MDF layer perfectly holds the geometry, regardless of its importance in the apartment, being an ideal basis for veneer. On such a substrate, hard veneer becomes even stronger, maintaining an impeccable appearance for quite a long time.

Alder or veneered doors

Alder is slightly harder than pine, not as loose, but has an inexpressive pattern. Its wood is not as resinous as that of pine and strongly absorbs moisture, so coatings for alder are chosen more dense, often covered with opaque enamels. It is scary to paint pine with enamels - cracks may appear. In general, if doors made of 100% solid wood are fundamentally needed, but there is no money for an expensive, beautiful and very durable oak or ash, alder can be a good option. At the same time, for this money you can take doors with oak or ash veneer, and they will definitely be more interesting in terms of beauty, but not a fact in terms of strength and durability.

Solid oak and ash or veneer

And now let's compare oak and ash doors with veneered ones, and this comparison is very interesting, because. it is oak and ash veneers that are the most popular.

Doors made entirely of oak or ash are very heavy and durable. According to this parameter, they are, of course, better than veneered ones, but this is not always appropriate, especially in flimsy urban, plasterboard partitions.

The second point that may affect the choice in favor of cheaper analogues is the frequency and quality of all repairs. An average repair will require updating in 15 years for sure, and veneered doors are designed just for this period. But the whole doors can stand for several decades, but they may not survive the repair.

And of course, veneer is just an imitation, albeit a natural one. A real tree has much more room for decoration. Large height differences, beautiful edges, carving, surface brushing - all this is not available for veneering technology. But I must say that the creation of such doors from an array will cost far from the minimum 20,000 rubles.

We hope that the above information was useful to you and will help you in your choice. Materials for the article were prepared by specialists from the interior door store

Sections of the article:

Among all the numerous offers on the building products market, veneered doors occupy an important place, as they allow you to bring the warmth and aesthetics of wood into the interior at an affordable price. How to choose the right veneer doors?

First you need to understand some of the features of this material, namely:

What is veneer and veneered interior doors? How are they produced? What varieties exist? How to take care of such products?

Veneer and its varieties

The veneer is a kind of cover for the unpresentable base of the door leaf, as well as the upholstery for the sofa, which gives final view furniture.

There are two types of veneer used for doors. One of them has a completely natural origin, the second is synthetic.

Natural veneer for finishing an interior door consists of thin plates cut from a piece of wood using planers.

The thickness of the cut ranges from a few millimeters to half a centimeter. From one square meter of wood 5 cm thick, up to 50 square meters veneer. Thus, veneer also helps to solve the problem of economical use of natural resources, in particular forests.

Typically, natural veneer is made from valuable wood species: deciduous or coniferous.

Eco-veneer is a partially artificial material, essentially a polymer film interspersed with wood fibers on the surface of an MDF or chipboard panel, imitating the texture and pattern of wood.

Eco-veneer is several times cheaper, but completely natural material has some advantages that are not available for plastic products.

First of all, it is the environmental friendliness and safety of natural wood. Doors in which the veneer does not emit harmful fumes under the influence of elevated temperatures, are recommended for use in children's rooms and in the bedroom.

A small organism is most susceptible to various secretions emanating from low-quality plastic, and in the bedroom we spend most of our lives. Therefore, the need to ensure the most comfortable rest is driven by the desire of many people to buy veneered doors made of natural wood.

An important factor is the fact that veneered doors have an unequal structure and pattern of wood. In contrast to the monochromatic and same-type "stencil" of laminated structures, natural veneer products have a unique charm and uniqueness.

Veneered doors can last more than 10 years (or even more than 15 if proper care). So another plus is the durability of veneered products.

One of the main advantages of natural material is a wide selection of various types of wood. Cherry, oak, wenge, maple and other valuable species provide an opportunity to enjoy a variety of colors and textures of wood.

non-natural veneer

Variations of natural veneer are:

Fine-line veneer or modified veneer;
Multiveneer.

The so-called fine-line is an interesting type of veneer. It is made by peeling wood and then staining it. Sheets of wood from inexpensive fast-growing trees, such as poplar or alder, are given the shade required for door production, thanks to which the material takes on the appearance of a valuable tree. In this way, interesting color combinations and combinations are created that give unusual view product surface texture.

Multi-veneer is a type of veneer similar to fine-line, with the only difference being that its surface bears little resemblance to wood. It is an imitation of various decorative patterns: stripes, cells, and you can also imitate the texture of the fabric.

Fine-line production

After peeling, wooden sheets with a similar texture and pattern are selected, then they are glued and pressed with a hydraulic press and painted. When the material is ready and formed into blocks or slabs, sheets of the required thickness are planed from it for veneering.

The advantages of fine-line veneer are that:

The material is safe and environmentally friendly;
Excellent resistance to temperature changes and humidity changes;
There are no characteristic irregularities and defects of wood;
The flexibility and plasticity of such veneer allows it to be used for pasting curved surfaces.

The resulting product is not inferior in characteristics to natural veneer and contains in its composition: 94% wood; 0.3% dyes and 7% adhesives.

The disadvantages of modified veneer include a large porous surface and brittleness, as a result of which an increased amount of adhesives is consumed for its production.

Features of the production of veneered doors

Veneered interior doors are a fairly popular product on the domestic construction market, which is a structure made of a frame, filler and slabs covered with fine wood veneer.

Most often, veneered structures are produced in two variations: from solid wood or MDF.

The production of veneered doors is possible from solid wood as a base. It looks like this:

Various pieces of natural wood are selected and glued together;
The product is pressed, calibrated and other manipulations are performed to obtain the effect of a solid canvas;
The veneer of any tree is applied to the surface;
The finished door is varnished.

There is also an economy option with a different production technology. Inside the canvas there is a special cavity, which is filled with corrugated cardboard, and MDF sheets and finishing are attached on top of it.

The structure of the economy class door is:

Frame made of cheap wood, most often pine;
Filler in the form of corrugated cardboard;
MDF panel attached to the frame;
Natural veneer over it;
Protective lacquer to create a waterproof surface.

The MDF panel is the link between the base and the coating. It is attached to the frame so that the space between the two plates can be filled with corrugated cardboard (a special material that creates the structure of the door and also serves as sound insulation). Cardboard fills the cavity inside the door like a honeycomb, so that the structure is strong and can withstand mechanical stress.

On top of the finished MDF sheets, natural veneer is applied cold or hot. After that, a paint and varnish coating is applied to the door to protect the surface. It allows you to protect the door leaf from damage and makes it possible to operate veneered doors in rooms with high humidity.

The production of economy class veneered doors is almost no different from the production of laminated doors, the difference is only in some technological processes.

In laminated doors, the top layer consists of an artificial film that imitates wood. In veneered products, the top layer is a cut of wood with a protective varnish coating.

Applying veneer to the surface

There are two methods for veneering a door structure:

Hot;
Cold;

hot pressing

For gluing veneer on an MDF surface, formaldehyde-based glue is most often used, which is not very safe for human health, but is cheaper than the adhesive used in the "cold" method. The gluing process takes place at temperatures above one hundred degrees.

cold pressing

PVA glue is used, which is safer, although more expensive. The temperature at which the surface and veneer are bonded is from 30 to 35 degrees.

At the initial stage, the front part of the door leaf is pasted, then the sidewalls. After the adhesives have dried and hardened, the surface is sanded, removing dried adhesive residues and other flaws. The last step in processing door block is lacquer.

With the help of veneer, you can also decorate metal doors. Veneered metal door with outer side finished with eco-veneer or other artificial analogue, and with inside- natural veneer. To do this, an MDF-sheet is attached to a metal sheet with glue and self-tapping screws. And then the pasting technology repeats the same that is used for wooden doors.

Choice of veneer doors

Veneered doors have somewhat conflicting customer reviews about their features and practicality. In most cases, this is due to the fact that there are many fakes and unscrupulous manufacturers of door structures on the market. How not to make a mistake in choosing a door for the house?

First of all, it is necessary to purchase doors from trusted manufacturers with considerable experience in this field. It is desirable, of course, that the company does not produce everything at once (furniture, doors, etc.), but specializes in only one market segment.

When purchasing veneered doors, it is important to pay attention to what pattern is present on the doors of the same model. If it repeats exactly and the texture does not change, then the frame and door leaf are covered with laminate or artificial veneer.

In addition, the surface of the product must be smooth, without bumps and scuffs, cracks and chips. Also check how firmly the veneer “sits” on the door, there should be no delaminations anywhere. And it is also important how the interior door smells. If an unpleasant smell of glue and other extraneous odors emanates from the door block, it is better not to buy such a door.

Veneered doors exist in various configurations and colors, you should not rely entirely on the photo from the manufacturer, at least you need to ask for a sample of the texture and color of the veneer.

Door Care

Wooden structures need regular preventive care and veneer products are no exception.

How to start caring for veneered doors? First of all, it is necessary to provide products with partial shade and indirect sunlight. Since in direct sunlight the veneer coating fades and loses its original qualities.

Avoid getting too much moisture on the veneer. It is impossible to wash and rub with abrasive powders wooden veneered doors, for this you need to use soft cleaning wipes without alcohol, as white spots may appear from it.

Care for a veneered door is carried out with a simple, slightly damp cloth (microfiber, as an option) and wood polish. In case of severe contamination, a normal soap solution is used.

Wax-based polish has dirt and dust repellent properties and the surface of the door after treatment will remain clean for a long time.

Veneer is a thin cut (sheet) of natural wood. Of course, natural wood and solid wood furniture are very beautiful, but, like any material, it has its drawbacks. The array is expensive, subject to a change in linear dimensions at different humidity, even if it was previously thoroughly dried and varnished. Veneer finishing of furniture parts or surfaces is a way to make it cheaper and more affordable, while maintaining the attractiveness and nobility of natural material.

The basis for veneered furniture can be an array or a glued board made of inexpensive wood species, chipboard panels, MDF or other materials. On such a base, a cut of natural wood of valuable species is glued on top - veneer. MDF and chipboard surfaces veneered in this way do not change their dimensions from humidity fluctuations. Thus, veneered panels for the production of furniture, for interior decoration are the only way to decorate a large room with a relatively small amount of natural wood (ceiling, Wall panels) or release a mass batch of furniture. Some types of veneer are unique - they are produced from the roots of a tree, from growths and burls, from knotty areas of a massive trunk, such veneer reveals bizarre patterns of wood, wood fibers are located, for example, in numerous spheres, a kind of "wood malachite" is obtained, giving the product a unique look . An example of furniture with a combination of solid wood and veneer is the Belarusian furniture of the series, in ours.

In addition to the aesthetic and consumer aspects, the widespread use of veneer for furniture decoration saves a huge number of trees of rare species from destruction. We can say this: if veneering technology did not exist, it would simply have to be invented to conserve forests and improve the environment.

The veneer is subject to various processing, including, it is tinted in different colours, getting interesting results. In the process of gluing veneer to the base, sometimes different breeds and colors are combined, adding up mosaic patterns. In some cases, veneering is not only a technological and less expensive way to increase the attractiveness of wood products, MDF and chipboard, sometimes it is a unique, the only way to reveal the beauty of wood. An example of an unusual veneer is, in the decoration of the facades, a coating of a natural cut of the cork tree Valencia Narancha, which grows in North Africa, is used.

Veneering is subject not only to flat flat surfaces, but with some restrictions and relief.

Sometimes, a buyer inexperienced in the subtleties, under the guise of veneer, is offered a skillful imitation with a polymer coating. In other cases, with the intent or ignorance of the seller himself, the veneer is given out as a more expensive one. In addition to furniture, veneering is very widely used in the production of doors.

You only know that they are lined with veneer, it is for you that we have prepared this article. In it you will learn about the history, types and technologies of veneer production, as well as the advantages of veneered doors.

Well, let's start.

History of veneer production

The now popular technology for veneer finishing dates back to the time of Ancient Egypt. At that time, this material was worth its weight in gold, because it was mined with hard work.

More mass production of veneer appeared only in 1806 in Britain after a patent for a planer. Subsequently, this led to the active use of this technology for decorating products. And now veneer is widely used in the manufacture of furniture, and greatest application he got in the production of interior doors.

Veneer types

Thin slices of natural wood are called natural veneer. Since the properties of each type of tree are different, they use different ways obtaining veneer by planing, sawing and peeling.

Sliced veneer is one of the most expensive, as it is made from selected precious woods without any flaws and meets the highest quality. In turn, the planing method allows you to preserve the texture, color and properties, therefore it belongs to the decorative.

The manufacturing process begins with the receipt of a rectangular wood beam. Then, under the action of knives, straight or wavy, a thin veneer material is obtained, the thickness of which varies from 0.1 to 6 mm.

Sawn veneer or lamella is made from coniferous wood. This method of obtaining veneer also conveys the natural color of the wood, and due to the large time costs and waste, it is considered expensive.

Rotary cut veneer is obtained by cutting thin layers while rotating wood material, both hardwood and softwood.

Features of peeled veneer are that this technology allows you to create the largest sheet of the finished product in width.

In addition to the above types, veneer is distinguished, of course, by the types of wood from which it is made.

The most popular types include: oak, ash, pine, walnut and wenge veneer.

oak veneer characterized by increased hardness and strength. In addition, oak is malleable to tinting. One of the modern trends is bleached oak, which looks light and stylish.

Ash veneer strength is also inherent, although it is inferior to oak in this matter. Other advantages of ash include its pliability to various mechanical influences due to its elasticity. However, it is worth paying attention to an important point, ash is quite sensitive to moisture, so interior veneered ash doors must be installed in indoor areas with a certain climate.

Pine veneer has a light and porous texture, easy to process. At the same time, pine belongs to soft tree species, which means that its wear resistance is less, in addition, pine is susceptible to fungus and mold if special protective coatings are not applied. Often, veneered doors have a base made of solid pine, which has excellent heat and sound insulation qualities.

walnut veneer combines such qualities as strength and at the same time ductility when finishing. Walnut is in demand due to its original and noble texture.

Wenge veneer belongs to the noble species. The high strength of wood allows it to be used in the manufacture of both interior and exterior doors.

There is also a colored veneer - a painted look to give variety to products.

Also, to certain types veneer should be attributed fine-line.

Fine line technology quite complex, but truly revolutionary, it allows you to create not only a wide variety of shades, but also completely new unique textures and textures. Such veneer is perfect, without irregularities and any flaws, it is created by pressing and gluing. However, the disadvantages of this type of veneer include its fragility and the use of a large amount of glue.

As we can see, veneered doors are able to create original design interior, look natural and similar to solid wood doors, while being a more economical look.

And what other advantages of veneered doors, now we will analyze.

Characteristics and advantages of veneered doors

The main advantage of veneer doors is reliability and naturalness, combined with an affordable price. In addition, veneered doors have no less noise and heat insulation, and also have an original wood texture, like solid wood doors.

Another important characteristic is that natural veneer doors can be repaired with minor mechanical damage.

And the environmental friendliness of veneer provides natural ventilation space, which is undoubtedly favorable for the use of such doors in an apartment or house.

In conclusion, I would like to add that the veneering technique has advantages that will not go unnoticed, attractive appearance, naturalness and pleasant savings in comparison with the acquisition of solid wood doors makes many people opt for it.

Before deciding to buy, you should understand what veneer doors are, how reliable they are and how they behave during operation. On the market, such canvases are presented in an extremely large assortment and are in constant demand, because they have a spectacular appearance and affordable price.

Veneer is usually called thin layers cut from wood, the thickness of which can be from 0.1 to 10 mm. There are several types of veneer:

Natural veneer. Thin wood plates obtained from timber and logs. According to the manufacturing method, there are 3 types of veneer: peeled, planed, sawn. With the peeling method, a layer of veneer is removed from a log rotating around its axis in a horizontal plane. When sawing, timber (usually softwood) is sawn into thin slices. By planing, thin chips are removed from the tree along the entire width of the wooden workpiece. This veneer is the most expensive, because it completely repeats the wood texture. The quality of the veneered door with natural finish is high.
Reconstructed. Such veneer is also called fine-line. Its production uses thin layers of fast growing tropical woods, which are painted individually and glued together in a stack. Has colors that are not characteristic of natural wood materials.
Ribbed. The material is thin wood sheets connected to each other along the edges with glue. It has good performance and long service life.

Doors made of natural veneer are rightly considered an excellent imitation and a full-fledged replacement for doors made of solid wood. A layman might not even notice the difference.

The veneer differs in the way the workpiece is cut, which can be made at different angles and in different directions with respect to annual rings: tangential, radial, tangential-end, semi-radial. The pattern on the cut surface will be different.

Ecoveneer

Eco-veneer is the smallest fibers of natural wood, which are individually dyed and then glued together in several layers using synthetic binders by long-term pressing. An eco-veneer interior door has a strong resemblance to natural veneer, but is much cheaper. This material imitates various types of wood and allows you to make products of any shades, the colors of which will be exactly repeated in each batch. Eco-veneer can be called a multilayer plastic, characterized by abrasion resistance and increased impact resistance.

Types and characteristics

According to the type of construction, veneered doors are divided into types:

Hollow. The main part of such a door is a wooden (usually pine) glued frame with a cross section of 30x33 mm. Both sides of the frame are sheathed MDF panels 4 mm thick, the voids between them are filled with expanded polystyrene or corrugated cardboard. Then veneer is glued on both planes and ends. The design can be deaf and with glass or stained glass inserts. Doors are lightweight and affordable, but have insufficient sound insulation.
Full bodied. From a pine beam, a whole canvas is drawn in a single plane and glued together with a hot press into a monolithic shield. Then pasted over with MDF and veneer. Due to the absence of internal cavities, full-bodied veneer doors have good heat-saving and sound-proof qualities.

The thickness of the veneer used for gluing doors is 1-2 mm, sometimes 4 mm.

The main types of wood used

For the manufacture of veneer, different types of wood are used. Preference is given to those that have an interesting texture. Among the most popular are the following valuable tree species:

Cherry (American). Rather expensive veneer, has characteristic shades of orange-red and reddish-brown colors. Use wood in production original furniture.
Birch. Inexpensive material with poorly marked growth rings and frequent defects. In relation to moisture, it is not stable, but it is perfectly tinted. It is applied to facing of interroom doors.
White oak. Light brownish and sandy shades of veneer with characteristic small dotted inclusions. Oak veneer doors are characterized by increased strength and durability.
Karelian birch. Quite a rare and expensive material, a rare plant. The wood is beige with a light pearly finish, mottled with curls, zigzags and various spots of dark brown tones.
Pine. The material has light and pale pinkish shades, is resistant to fungus, but is soft and not wear-resistant. They get off with economy-class furniture.
Nut. All shades of brown with darker streaks, may even be slightly greyish. It is used for the manufacture of doors and furniture.
Makore (African tree). A variety of expensive mahogany with a smallish variegated or washed out texture. Interior doors macore veneer belong to the premium class.
Anegry (African tree). A valuable material with an indistinct pattern of uniform, even brownish-sand and whitish-brown shades. Perfectly tinted and polished. The high quality of the veneer allows it to be used in interior decoration.
Bubingo (African tree). With an unusual reddish-lilac color, decorative material. High quality veneer is characterized by high hardness and is used for cladding luxury furniture and doors.

These are not all types of wood that are used in the decoration of door panels. On sale you can find products with rosewood veneer, apple, tulipie, amaranth, teak, thuja, etc.

Fabric manufacturing technology

A veneer door can be produced using different technologies, depending on whether the product will be hollow or solid.

They are made according to the following scheme:

A frame is assembled from pine bars, which have a moisture content of no higher than 8%. If this indicator is greater, then drying and deformation of the material with the appearance of cracks is possible.
One side is sewn up with MDF sheet (4 mm).
A filler is laid out in the resulting cavity - cellular cardboard or expanded polystyrene.
The other side is also hemmed with a sheet of MDF.
The selection of veneer is carried out according to color and according to the pattern, while it is necessary to achieve its symmetry.
Veneer sheets are laid out with a margin for the size of the canvas and placed in a machine in which the blanks are glued together with a zigzag adhesive thread.
After covering with veneer, the remaining glue is removed from the workpiece, cleaned along the seams and precisely adjusted in size.
The veneer is glued to the door.
A layer of varnish is applied to the veneered canvas to protect it from environmental influences.

Veneered interior canvases can be made in a full-bodied version. In this case, not a frame is assembled, but a whole canvas. The collected bars are placed under a hot press and firmly glued into a monolithic shield.

metal door it is also possible to trim with veneer. MDF panels are attached to the metal with self-tapping screws, and then a decorative coating is applied.

The veneer coating is glued by 3 methods:

Cold pressing. PVA glue is applied to the front surfaces of the blanks and placed under a press. Bonding is carried out at a temperature of +30…+35°C. Then the ends are glued. After complete drying and hardening of the adhesive, dried residues are removed, then all surfaces are polished.
Hot pressing. The coating is glued using formaldehyde-containing adhesives at temperatures above +100°C.
Membrane-vacuum. A special press allows you to veneer not only flat surfaces, but also embossed ones.

Veneered doors

Veneered doors have become in demand, because repairs in any style cannot do without replacing them. Such doors have found application in residential apartments and houses, as well as in office premises. Veneering is a technology that allows you to realize a variety of design ideas and produce a door leaf that can perfectly match any interior. The veneer repeats the textures of valuable wood species in various colors and shades, each product is always individual and looks elegant.

Veneered door - what it is, many do not know. How to choose the right one, taking into account all the pros and cons - this issue should be thoroughly understood. The door leaf should not only be combined with the interior, but also be of high quality. Not all manufacturers treat their business responsibly enough and there are many low-grade products on the market.

Advantages and disadvantages

If you decide to purchase veneered doors, the pros and cons of this material need to be studied. The positive qualities include:

expensive and sophisticated appearance;
naturalness, safety and environmental friendliness inherent in all wooden products;
good wear resistance due to protective coating;
resistance to fading under the influence of ultraviolet radiation;
moisture resistance, which provides high-quality protective varnish;
a wide range of door designs;
light weight compared to wooden canvases;
long service life (10-15 years);
the possibility of carrying out restoration work;
ease of care;
reasonable cost, especially when compared with solid wood doors.

Among the shortcomings are the following characteristics:

it is difficult to pick up several products with the same texture;
veneered doors are sensitive to high humidity and are not recommended for installation in a bathroom.

How to choose a quality door

When it is clear what a veneered door is, there should be no problems with the choice. There are a few guidelines to follow:

Buy only from a reliable and popular manufacturer specializing in this product.
Carefully examine the canvases on both sides for a complete match of texture and pattern. In natural veneer, they may be similar, but they never repeat. If the picture is a little blurry, then this should be alarming. Most likely, poor quality wood was used, and defects are masked with tinted varnish.
The lacquer coating should be even and smooth, without cracks, shells and bubbles.
A veneered door should not smell sharply and unpleasantly. A persistent chemical smell indicates that a cheap primer or low-quality varnish was used in the manufacture.
Carefully inspect all ends. The coating must be glued firmly and evenly, without bubbles and voids. When lightly prying with a fingernail, the veneer should not come off. Glue residues at the joints are unacceptable.
Evaluate Geometry door frame and canvases. If a curvature is noticeable along the end line, then the tree was poorly dried, and in the future the door will be deformed.
If the door is with glass, then you should check the reliability of its fastening (you can shake it).

Features of care

Competent care for veneered doors is carried out according to the following rules:

use specialized care products that work with natural wood;
wipe the dust not with a dry cloth, but with a product containing beeswax;
do not use hard brushes and abrasive substances;
take into account the location of the doors in the interior and prevent prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, as the veneer may fade;
in case of high humidity, it is necessary to additionally treat the door leaf with a special polish;
do not allow large amounts of water to enter the surface of the product;
use wax polishes with dust-repellent and antistatic properties;
care for the doors should be soft microfiber cloths.

Installation and replacement

Installation and replacement of doors require some skill. But this can be done with your own hands if you have the desire and patience. The technology is simple:

Dismantle the old door leaf and jamb.
Take measurements of the doorway and frame, then install another frame.
Apply markings, and then fix the loops with self-tapping screws.
Hang the canvas on the hinges and adjust the opening.
Finally fix the kolobok in the opening, having previously removed the canvas.
Put the canvas back in place.
Secure the cash with decorative nails.
Install the handle.

Restoration

Performance characteristics veneered doors allow you to carry out small restoration work yourself. Furniture varnish in tone or transparent, as well as polish, can be painted over shallow scratches and scuffs. In the presence of large defects, it will be necessary to completely remove the protective varnish, sand, then paint and re-varnish. This work is best left to professionals.