Veneer Edge Bandings
When you’re trying to achieve the appearance of perfect solid-wood effect the weight or expense of real wood, our real wood veneer edge bandings are the perfect solution. They provide a high quality wooden effect in a range of quality wood veneer species for the perfect finish every time. Produced using asymmetrical finger jointing with colour coordinated, homogeneous veneer selections throughout, our veneer edgings are guaranteed to provide the characteristics of solid wood.
All veneer edge bands are fine surface sanded for maximum clarity and quality. The wood-effect side of the edging is available pre-stained or lacquered to your desired finish on request. Meanwhile the reverse side is supplied either fleeced, primed, or pre-glued depending on thickness and your preference.
They’re available in as traditional single-layer pieces for a budget-friendly solution, or as thick multi-layer edgings for the highest possible quality. This gives you the best of both worlds, and the ability to match your edge banding to the needs of your project and length of your purse strings.
Wood veneer edge bands are suitable for straight and curved panel processing. Internal and external radii are achievable dependent on the required thickness of the veneer, offering almost unlimited application ability. Choose from a wide range of options, with standard wood veneer species are available from our stock range, and non-standard, bespoke veneers available for production on request.
Real Wood Veneer
Real wood veneer edge bandings for the perfect solid-wood effect without the weight and expense.
Budget Friendly
Easily match the thickness of your veneer edgings to your project needs and budget.
Bespoke Veneers
Select one of the standard wood veneers from our shop, our request a bespoke veneer for a totally unique look.
Perfect Finish
Choose from a pre-stained or lacquered finish to ensure the final look and feel of your edging is spot on.
The Benefits Of Veneer Edge Banding
When you want the look of real wood but not the expense or the weight, veneer edge banding is the perfect solution. It’s the perfect solution: flexible, versatile, high-quality, and available in a broad range of wood finishes. Creating the best possible product always means paying close attention to aesthetics, and veneer creates a distinct, chic finish.
Using veneer edge banding is a great choice for many reasons, but the BIG one is that it prevents your wooden surfaces from absorbing water, protecting it from damage. The aesthetic value of veneer edge banding is also highly prized, as it gives a sleek, smooth finish.
A Deceptively Natural Finish
Veneer edge banding is frequently used to create that perfect finishing touch on your furniture. A lot of the time a veneer band can create the appearance of real wood on non-wooden surfaces. The visual difference between real wood and veneer banding is quite superficial, meaning a lot of people don’t notice the difference between the two unless they’re really looking and trying to figure out which it is.
This look is easily achieved by adding veneer edging to the exposed sides of your wooden boards, giving it the look and feel of natural wood.
Protection For Your Material Beneath
As we said, one of the big benefits of veneer banding is protection. Covering the raw edges of your furniture materials ensures they’re protected against common problems that would arise otherwise due to exposure. When left exposed the edges of both wood and non-wooden surfaces are unprotected and prone to absorb moisture. They’re also susceptible to decay, and damage from spills, wear, and tear, all of which can irreparably damage your furniture.
There are other options for protecting the edges of your furniture, including moulding and face frames, however, these solutions do not offer long-lasting protection. Instead, they are a quick fix that will regularly need to be replaced as they become ineffective. Edge banding is the better option in terms of effectiveness and longevity.
Seamless Blending
Due to the nature of edging tape and the ability to create veneers in a wide range of thicknesses, textures, materials and patterns, veneer is the perfect way to match the exact appearance of your furniture. This creates a perfectly blended finish, so seamless you may not even notice you’re not looking at a piece of solid wood.
Advanced techniques for applying edge banding also mean that your edging will easily affix to your boards, and stay there, ensuring there are no bubbles or bumps in the finish, or areas that peel away from the board.
FAQs
Oak is a popular wood to use in the construction of furniture and other projects, but it’s not without its problems. Weight and expense often make solid oak an impractical solution, leading designers and creators to turn to oak veneer instead. But what are the benefits of oak veneer edge banding, and why should you choose this finish for your designs and projects?
The Thing About Real Oak…
Solid oak, hewn from trees of the genus Quercus (including several hundred different species of tree) is a type of wood native to the northern hemisphere. Its plentiful supply and hard nature have made it very popular. The specific genus most commonly used in the UK – white oak – has a closed grain appearance that varies in colour from light to medium brown. Colour tones vary from yellows to browns, making it a sturdy yet versatile choice.
The thing about real oak, however, is that’s incredibly dense – around 0.75g/cm3. This is great for ensuring it is strong and resistant to rot or damage, but it does make it incredibly heavy. The natural properties of the wood are also very high in tannin content, which gives it a natural resistance to insect activity. Again, this makes it a popular choice. The problem is that combining popularity, durability, and an aesthetically pleasing finish means oak is also rather expensive.
So, while it’s the perfect material to use to create outdoor furniture, build boats, or use for architectural features like beams and flooring, it can be a very impractical choice if you’re designing cabinets, tables, and other surfaces or furniture.
The Benefits Of Oak Veneer
So, what’s the alternative to solid oak? Oak veneer boards create a finish that looks almost identical to real wood but without the expense or weight of solid White Oak. They’re created by applying a thin layer of Oak to the surface of a board material like MDF or plywood. In addition to being lighter and more economical, the boards are also relatively free of flaws – meaning you have far less waste – and they don’t warp as solid wood can in changing atmospheric conditions.
The drawback of boards, however, is that while the surface looks stunning the edges give the game away. Enter oak veneer edge banding, the solution that uplevels any project using oak boards by concealing the innards of your plywood and MDF and creating a finish that makes your oak boards almost as hardy as their solid wood counterparts.
With oak veneer edge banding you’re getting all the benefits of using an edged board rather than solid wood, while maintaining a real-wood aesthetic and feel. The banding is extremely resilient, making it tough and unlikely to chip, scratch, or succumb to damage. It’s also incredibly flexible, enabling you to easily apply it to straight and curved edges alike.
Edge banding is the perfect way to finish furniture, doors, and other objects you want to look like wood without actually crafting them from wood. Why not just use wood? Well, natural wood is expensive, heavy, and can (depending on the wood) pose practical issues. It can be brittle and lack flexibility. There’s also a tendency for natural wood to be porous and absorb various substances. Wood veneer is a great way to get the appearance of real wood without all those downsides. The problem, of course, is that when you cut a piece to create a tabletop, the edges of that piece expose the truth: it’s not a piece of solid wood.
Using Edge Banding To Disguise The Fact You’ve Not Used Solid Wood
Nobody wants to see the insides of your piece of wood veneer. Veneer edge banding finishes things off nicely, neatly covering those exposed edges to give more of a ‘real wood’ appearance.
Does edge banding look like real wood?
No, not entirely. It does, however, look very similar. If you’re not scrutinising the edges of a piece, you can easily mistake it for real wood. Many people happily use furniture edged with wooden banding and never notice the difference.
Picking the perfect edge banding can be a bit of a minefield. We field a lot of common questions about the various types. One that comes up particularly often is acrylic vs veneer edge banding. What exactly is the difference? Here’s everything you need to know…
Acrylic Edge Banding
Acrylic edge banding is the go-to for many when it comes to plastic edging, and for a good reason. It ticks plenty of boxes, being hardwearing, versatile, resistant to scuffs and scratches, and applicable to almost any product. Acrylic edging will do an admirable job whether you’re finishing your office furniture, perfecting a kitchen design, or building a coffin. It’s ideal for furniture in high-traffic areas like washrooms and food halls, keeping your products in tip-top condition for longer.
Beyond the hardwearing nature of acrylic edge banding, it also has many design benefits. Capable of imitating pretty much any material or pattern you can think of, Acrylic banding can give you the appearance of wood, granite, and so much more. Colourful options are never an issue, patterns are easily achieved, 3D effects are regularly incorporated, and shiny finishes for depth illusions are entirely possible.
Veneer Edge Banding
Veneer edge banding is a high-quality edging solution that emulates the appearance of real wood. It’s the closest you can get to using solid wood without the expense, weight, and inherent issues that crop up. The appearance of your veneer can be tailored to the specific qualities of the wood you’re trying to emulate, from colour to texture. The surface of veneer edging is sanded – just as you would sand real wood – to create the best possible clarity.
You can also obtain a range of finishes for your veneer banding, including lacquered and pre-stained finishes.
Acrylic Vs Veneer Edgebanding: What’s The Difference?
The biggest difference between acrylic and veneer edge banding is that while veneer banding only imitates wood effects, acrylic can create a wide range of effects. The materials they’re created from also differ. While both are strong, acrylic is generally the more hardwearing of the two. You can also create wood effects from acrylic edge banding. While these won’t be as close to real wood in their aesthetic as veneer, they tend to be tougher.
When you do decorative wooden projects, edge banding is an essential finishing touch. It is a process where a thin strip of wood veneer is glued onto the exposed edge of a plywood or MDF substrate. This gives the illusion that the piece is made out of solid wood when in reality it is not. This is where edge banding comes in.
So, what exactly is edge banding? Is edge banding real wood? The answer to both of these questions is yes and no. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Is edge banding real wood?
The answer to this question is a bit more complicated. While the veneer itself is real wood, the substrate that it is glued onto is not. Plywood and MDF are both made from wood fibers, but they are not solid pieces of wood. They are composites, which means that they are made from wood chips that have been glued together.
So while the edge banding veneer is real wood, the substrate is not.
Edge banding is a real wood veneer that is glued onto the exposed edge of a plywood or MDF substrate. However, the veneer itself is very thin, usually only about 1/8 inch thick. So while the veneer is real wood, it’s not very thick.
What is edge banding made of?
There are several materials you can use for edge bandings, such as ABS edge banding, aluminum edge banding, acrylic edge banding, and veneer edge banding. Let’s take a deeper look into each type:
ABS Edge Banding: ABS, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, is a type of plastic that is often used for edge banding. It is a durable material that can be heat-formed to create different shapes.
Aluminum Edge Banding: Aluminum is another popular choice for edge banding. It is a strong metal that can give your project a more industrial look.
Acrylic Edge Banding: Acrylic edge banding is made from a type of plastic called polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). It is a clear material that can be used to create a seamless finish.
Veneer Edge Banding: Veneer edge banding is made from thin slices of wood that are glued onto the substrate. It is available in a variety of wood species, such as oak, maple, and cherry.
How is edge banding applied?
Edge banding is applied using an adhesive, such as PVA glue or hot melt adhesive. The veneer is then placed onto the substrate and trimmed to size.
To install edge bandings, these steps should be followed:
1. Cut the veneer to size
The size of the veneer edge banding should be measured properly. If you don’t cut it to the right size, it will be too big or small for your project.
2. Apply the adhesive
The next step is to apply the adhesive to the substrate. You can use a brush, roller, or spray bottle to apply the adhesive. Make sure that you evenly cover the entire edge with adhesive.
3. Place the veneer onto the substrate
After the adhesive has been applied, you can now place the veneer onto the substrate. Starting at one end, align the edge of the veneer with the edge of the substrate and press it down firmly. Continue until you reach the other end.
4. Trim the excess veneer
Once you have placed all of the veneers onto the substrate, you can now trim the excess. You can use a utility knife or a veneer trimmer to do this.
5. Apply pressure to the veneer
After trimming the excess veneer, you should apply pressure to the entire length of the veneer. This will help to bond the veneer to the substrate.
6. Allow the adhesive to dry
Once you have applied pressure to the veneer, you should allow the adhesive to dry. This usually takes about 24 hours.
What are the benefits of edge banding?
There are several benefits to using edge banding, such as:
It gives the illusion of a solid wood piece: Edge banding can make a plywood or MDF piece look like it is made out of solid wood. This is because the veneer is glued onto the exposed edge, which gives the illusion that the piece is made out of solid wood.
It protects the edges: Edge banding can help protect the edges of a plywood or MDF piece from chipping or damage. This is because the veneer acts as a barrier between the edge of the substrate and the outside world.
It is available in a variety of materials: As we mentioned before, there are several materials that you can use for edge bandings, such as ABS, aluminum, acrylic, and veneer. This gives you a lot of options to choose from so that you can find the right material for your project.
It is available in a variety of colors: Edge banding is also available in a variety of colors. This means that you can find the perfect color to match your project.
What are the disadvantages of edge banding?
While there are several benefits to using edge banding, there are also some disadvantages, such as:
It can be difficult to apply: Applying edge banding can be a bit tricky, especially if you are doing it for the first time. If you don’t do it correctly, the veneer can peel off or the adhesive can come undone.
It is not always necessary: In some cases, edge banding may not be necessary. This is because the edges of the substrate may not be exposed or they may not be susceptible to damage.
It can be expensive: Depending on the material that you use, edge banding can be quite expensive. This is because some materials, such as veneer, can be expensive to purchase.
Can edge banding be sanded?
Yes, edge banding can be sanded. However, it is important to note that you should only sand the veneer and not the substrate. Sanding the substrate can damage the material.
What are some common problems with edge banding?
Some common problems with edge banding include:
Bubbling: This is when the adhesive creates bubbles under the veneer. This can happen if the adhesive is not applied correctly or if the veneer is not pressed down firmly enough.
Peeling: This is when the veneer starts to peel off of the substrate. This can happen if the adhesive is not strong enough or if the veneer was not trimmed properly.
Gaps: This is when there are gaps between the veneer and the substrate. This can happen if the veneer was not placed properly or if it was not trimmed correctly.
Is edge banding worth it?
The short answer is yes, edge banding is definitely worth it! It can give your project a clean and professional look while also protecting the edges of your substrate from damage. Plus, it’s not very difficult or time-consuming to apply. So if you’re looking for an easy way to spruce up your project, edge banding is a great option!
