Wooden furnishings have been around for a long time now and you can find them all around you from offices and schools to homes. Most modern furniture is made from either a ply board or a particle board that has a wood veneer surfacing. Teak wood veneers and other species enhance the appearance of the furniture giving it a genuine wood look and feel. With time, wood veneers on furniture lose their shine and finish due to external impacts and require refinishing. While refinishing may seem like a simple task, you need to be careful not to damage the veneer surface. Let’s look at four steps to refinish wood veneer surfaces of furniture.
1. Make Sure it is Wood Veneer and Not Laminate
Wood veneer and laminates are both used to cover the plywood for aesthetic reasons. Veneer is a very thin layer cut from genuine wood and laminate is from kraft paper and resins. If you are not sure whether the top most surface of your furniture is a veneer or a laminate, try sanding a little. If you see wood grain then it is indeed wood veneer.
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2. Check the Thickness of the Veneer
Wood veneers are very slim and their thickness can be as small as one eighth of an inch. Whether or not you can sand any veneer will depend greatly on its thickness. To be sure of thickness, you can try sanding a little part of your furniture by hand. See if you can remove the old layer of varnish without sanding through the thickness of veneer. You can only proceed with the rest of the piece if your test results show that it is safe to do so.
Also Read: The Dos and Don’ts of Wood Veneer Furniture Maintenance
3. Take Extra Care While Sanding
Sanding veneer is a delicate process as even a slight mistake can ruin the entire look of the furniture. It is recommended that you start sanding gently by hand or using a palm sander. Make sure that you do not sand across the grain as it can ruin the veneer’s aesthetics requiring complete resurfacing.
4. Use High Quality Wax and Polish
To complete the refinishing of your veneer furniture, you need to apply staining with wax and polish. The wax is applied to give veneers a darker look. The wood stain wax is applied for a longer time so that it is absorbed properly and evenly by the veneer. Wipe off any excess stain wax with a dry cloth. After the wax is absorbed by the veneer, the last step is to apply polish. It is recommended to use a spray machine for even application.
Wrap Up
Surfaces such as teak wood veneer give furniture a premium look along with enhancing the overall appeal of the decor. If you are looking for premium quality teak wood veneers for furniture, look no further than Greenlam Decowood veneers. We offer a huge range of high quality wood veneers that give you endless design and style possibilities for all your surfaces. To learn more about available wood veneer textures and designs, call 1800-833-0004 or fill out our contact form.