restoring a gerstner tool box that had veneer for the back side. bad shape so i removed it. going to replace it with new oak veneer. what adhesive should i use?? self adhesive veneer is not in the picture. too large of a piece is required for purchase and too expensive.
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Adhesive for veneer
- Thread starter porthos
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2022
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- 1,468
Formica adhesive
I’ve done some very large and tiny veneer projects with plain old white wood glue!
When I was tasked with this elevator shaft, I knew that 10’ sheets of veneer, ladders and contact cement were a recipe for disaster! After failing to find a good technique on line, I started reaching out to some old school guys I knew and someone suggested this.
You want to use thin coats so some thinning is required, a small hotdog foam roller is perfect for even and thin. Roll the first coat on both surfaces and let it dry, one hour or overnight, it doesn’t matter! Use a sanding block to sand off any bubbles or debris that may have settled and roll on a second coat. Let that coat dry for an hour or so and knock off any bubbles.
Now you can place your veneer without a slip sheet or worries about it sticking. Lay it down, line it up and cover it with a piece of paper. Set your iron for cotton and iron the veneer down! The heat creates steam in the joint and reactivates the glue for a perfect bond.
This is the way to deal with tight radius work as well. I’ve done 4” inside and outside bends in Formica and 1” outside with wood. This is the project that made me ask around, sorry for the crappy pictures! The veneer is continuous from the windows to the door.
When I was tasked with this elevator shaft, I knew that 10’ sheets of veneer, ladders and contact cement were a recipe for disaster! After failing to find a good technique on line, I started reaching out to some old school guys I knew and someone suggested this.
You want to use thin coats so some thinning is required, a small hotdog foam roller is perfect for even and thin. Roll the first coat on both surfaces and let it dry, one hour or overnight, it doesn’t matter! Use a sanding block to sand off any bubbles or debris that may have settled and roll on a second coat. Let that coat dry for an hour or so and knock off any bubbles.
Now you can place your veneer without a slip sheet or worries about it sticking. Lay it down, line it up and cover it with a piece of paper. Set your iron for cotton and iron the veneer down! The heat creates steam in the joint and reactivates the glue for a perfect bond.
This is the way to deal with tight radius work as well. I’ve done 4” inside and outside bends in Formica and 1” outside with wood. This is the project that made me ask around, sorry for the crappy pictures! The veneer is continuous from the windows to the door.
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2014
- Messages
- 8,717
For that job, white PVA, AKA Elmers, will do just fine. The yellow PVA like Titebond are a little too thick for veneers, they are made for joinery. Traditionally, hide glue is used but totally unnecessary, and stinky, unless you are faithfully restoring an antique piece of furniture.
Resorcinol glue, is a good choice for veneer or wood joints that might be in a damp-wet environment.
You can make Iron-on Veneer, by coating both surfaces with white glue and allowing them to dry throughly then use a cloths iron to press the pieces together. The glue must be applied evenly, a small paint roller works well.
Edit, Cross post! Firstram, has a more detailed explanation above.
Resorcinol glue, is a good choice for veneer or wood joints that might be in a damp-wet environment.
You can make Iron-on Veneer, by coating both surfaces with white glue and allowing them to dry throughly then use a cloths iron to press the pieces together. The glue must be applied evenly, a small paint roller works well.
Edit, Cross post! Firstram, has a more detailed explanation above.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2014
- Messages
- 3,433
The most commonly used adhesive for veneer is contact cement. It’s normally brushed or rolled on both surfaces then allowed to dry for a few minutes.
Once tacky the veneer can be attached to the base material by just lightly contacting it. Be sure to be accurate on placement as it will immediately adhere to the base material.
Once in place the veneer should be rolled from the center out to eliminate any gaps and/or air bubbles.
In years past we used to restore antique furniture. Often times the original veneer was damaged or missing. Contact cement was always the go to adhesive. Some of the restorations are 50+ years old and the contact cemented veneer is in excellent shape.
Once tacky the veneer can be attached to the base material by just lightly contacting it. Be sure to be accurate on placement as it will immediately adhere to the base material.
Once in place the veneer should be rolled from the center out to eliminate any gaps and/or air bubbles.
In years past we used to restore antique furniture. Often times the original veneer was damaged or missing. Contact cement was always the go to adhesive. Some of the restorations are 50+ years old and the contact cemented veneer is in excellent shape.
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Thanks, that house took months to trim out!
There are a lot of factual/product errors in this thread. Veneering isn't terribly complicated thankfully. I have done quite a bit of veneer work for work - furniture to large panels. My personal preferred veneer glue is Unibond1 available from vacupress. It is designed for exactly this sort of veneer project: you can order small quantities, it works great, and no mixing required. In a pinch titebond 1 or even an epoxy work fine. For small panels you can probably use lots of clamps and cauls over your panel. If you can spring for/borrow a a vacuum bag system those make it almost too easy.
I have not done the hide glue/iron on method so cannot speak to that or those products.
You do not want to use a PVA glue or contact cement - both are too flexible and 'creep'. Contact cement is used for sythentic sheet bonding like formica, but not good for real wood. Titebond1 is an aliphalic glue (which does not creep) Titebond 2 and 3 are modfied PVA, which creep. You want a glue that dries hard, brittle in chunks hard. Not one that dries gummy. The foam roller tip is a good one, or use a v-notch glue scraper. Try a couple small test panels to get the amount of glue right, its a big bummer to clean up after the fact. Unibond1 self seals in the veneer and doesn't come through the veneer as much as other glues readily available, nor does it affect finish as much. Good luck - veneering is fun!
I have not done the hide glue/iron on method so cannot speak to that or those products.
You do not want to use a PVA glue or contact cement - both are too flexible and 'creep'. Contact cement is used for sythentic sheet bonding like formica, but not good for real wood. Titebond1 is an aliphalic glue (which does not creep) Titebond 2 and 3 are modfied PVA, which creep. You want a glue that dries hard, brittle in chunks hard. Not one that dries gummy. The foam roller tip is a good one, or use a v-notch glue scraper. Try a couple small test panels to get the amount of glue right, its a big bummer to clean up after the fact. Unibond1 self seals in the veneer and doesn't come through the veneer as much as other glues readily available, nor does it affect finish as much. Good luck - veneering is fun!