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Veneer


Manufacturing veneers is the most decorative and at the same time, cheapest way to produce high quality surface materials from real wood.

Modern production techniques make the comprehensive processing of wood into veneers possible.  Between 800 and 1,000 square meters of veneer can be made out of one cubic meter of wood.  No other type of wood production can achieve such disproportionate numbers.

Processing a veneer log depends on the following factors that must be evaluated in the round wood:

  1. Straightness
  2. Core and pressure splits
  3. Observable flaws (knots, knobs, decay)
  4. Dimension
  5. Colour    
  6. Structure
  7. Form     


There are various processing techniques and each has a different surface effect on the veneer.  This is because of different machines and settings.  For example, they talk about flat blades, faux quarter, or real quarter, pyramids, round hulled, struck flat, and so on.  These terms show us that there are many different elements involved.

The Silver Fir usually has a rift cut.  You can tell by the tight annual rings, one after the other.  The veneer cut is a cut across the grain.  Other cuts show a completely different picture of the Silver Fir.  When making veneers, the first step is to heat the veneer log.  This gives the wood the necessary suppleness which is a pre-requisite for a smooth cut.

The colour of the veneer is influenced by the length of time it is heated.  The longer it is „cooked“, the stronger the shimmer effect of the Silver Fir veneer is. The Silver Fir „cooks“ for two to three days in various temperatures.  Every veneer manufacturer has his own experience and has developed his own programme. The blade and the pressure strip have to be adjusted with an accuracy of 0.1 mm during processing in order to ensure the quality of the cut.

Sharpening the blades in various angles is of equal importance because the optimal cutting angle differs from wood to wood.  There is a heater built into the blades on modern saws and husking machines which quickly and evenly dry any moisture released while the log is being cut in order to avoid condensation spots.

In modern veneer plants, they use jet dryers to dry and press the veneer panels.  The panels are taken out of the dryer in packets of 24 or 32 in order to make it easier for handling in the veneer storehouse.

The veneer panels are separated into different classifications and prices when they are appraised.  

The general classifications are:

  1. Interior accessories      
  2. Bedroom    
  3. Living quarters    
  4. Panelling     
  5. Doors     
  6. Corpus     


Silver Fir veneer is enjoying an increase in popularity thanks to its exotic appearance.  In many cases the rift cut is used because of its calm, uniform appearance.  If we look at different architectural examples we see that the Silver Fir veneer, with its flat cut, is refreshing and alive, but not chaotic.

If you are thinking about building, we would suggest that you ask an expert about the wonderful selections of design using Silver Fir veneer!

You can find out who to go to for advice in the chapter: Important Addresses.  t-guide wishes you all the best for the rest of your exploration tour.


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