Beautiful and elegant wooden kitchens are suitable for various types of interiors and look very expensive. But they cost accordingly. A modern alternative to solid wood is the use of veneer.
At first glance, veneered kitchens cannot be distinguished from sets made of natural wood.
In this article, we suggest looking at a selection of photos of various kitchens using veneer and understanding the features of this material.
Veneer can be very diverse.
What is veneer?
Veneer, or veneered MDF, is finely divided boards covered with a thin layer of natural wood up to one millimeter thick. Due to the fact that MDF shavings are impregnated with paraffin or linguine and then pressed under the influence of temperature, the panels are durable and can withstand harsh operating conditions in the kitchen.
A thin cut of natural wood provides a beautiful appearance and is similar in appearance to natural wood. It is glued onto MDF and then coated with varnish or a special paint coating.
Thanks to the protective layer, this headset is very durable
At the same time, veneer can be very diverse: different shades and patterns of wood decorate both traditional and modern kitchens.
What is veneer?
Veneer is a very thin plate of wood, the thickness of which cannot be more than 10 millimeters. It is obtained by cutting plates from a round log or beam. From German, the concept of “veneer” is translated as “chips”.
Craftsmen highly value the presented material, since its appearance is original and it fully conveys all the beauty of natural wood. Each drawing is unique, and it is very difficult to convey it; other materials will not allow this to be done.
Veneer is used in many areas - furniture production, door production, production of decorative panels, and so on.
Preparation method
It is important to understand that veneer facades are also different. A lot depends on the manufacturing method. In total, there are three methods for producing veneer panels.
Depending on the manufacturing method, different types of veneered kitchens are obtained
The most common method is peeled veneer. For it, a special peeling machine is used, which cuts the logs using a special technique, in a spiral. At the same time, manufacturers strive to select the most beautiful wood with unusual patterns.
The thickness of the veneer sheet is regulated directly by the master and it can range from 0.3 to one and a half millimeters. Mass production made such veneer affordable. The unusual appearance also adds to the attractiveness - the machine allows you to preserve the structure of the wood and its characteristic stains.
This method allows you to preserve the texture of wood even on the thinnest layer of veneer
For sliced veneer, special types of saws and wood are used. It is noteworthy that this particular technique makes it possible to process the most valuable types of wood - mahogany, alder, oak. Different directions of the cutting edge allow you to emphasize the beauty of the pattern and give it texture. This way, graceful and elegant veneered facades are obtained, however, they are quite expensive.
Dark oak veneer panels are made in this way
The sawn method of making veneer is considered one of the most inconvenient. Wood boards are processed with a special plywood saw. However, with this method, a lot of wood is used for sawdust, so the cost of manufacturing it is much higher than in the two previous cases. The method is used because it helps preserve the beauty and characteristic pattern of coniferous wood.
Light pine wood is best treated this way.
Application of veneer
The scope of application of veneered material is amazing. It is suitable for use in the process of repair, decoration, creation of new or restoration of old furniture. In the production of some types of plywood, matches, doors and much more, veneer is needed.
The area of use depends on the type of material. Hardness, color, characteristics artificially obtained as a result of various processing: everything can have a meaning.
Facade type
Like most non-monolithic kitchens, veneer fronts come in different shapes. A solid facade will be cheaper - in fact, it is a simple panel covered with veneer on all sides. It looks beautiful and externally such surfaces resemble solid wood.
However, you should use them carefully in the kitchen: veneer may be thin, but it is still wood. This means that it has all the disadvantages and can be blown away and deformed from contact with water and constant temperature changes. If the facade is covered with veneer carelessly, it is unlikely to serve you for more than a couple of years.
The solid veneer facade looks beautiful, but it is not particularly durable
A framed or paneled veneer façade will cost you a little more. In this case, the panel is covered with veneer, and the edges are trimmed with metal, plastic or treated wood. Of course, they are not too cheap. However, such a frame reliably protects the surface from drops of water and grease getting under the veneer, which means the set will last you much longer.
A set with a frame will cost more, but will also last longer.
Differences between artificial and natural materials
What is the difference between fine-line veneer, multi-veneer, eco-veneer and natural planed material? The main differences between artificial and natural veneer:
- all sheets of artificial material of a specific article will have an exact match of color, texture, and picture. This makes it possible to make products that are perfect in color, without inclusions or knots, and with complete matching of wood patterns. Artificial veneer sheets are interchangeable, so such products can be easily repaired or complemented with other furniture, and the color match will be perfect;
- When veneering furniture with natural materials, additional steps are required to select a pattern and color. Each product will be individual in texture and color; shades of the same veneer article may not match;
- furniture made from natural veneer looks excellent, such products are visually practically no different from furniture made from natural solid wood;
- natural veneer is durable and highly wear-resistant;
- a modern artificial analogue is eco-veneer, it costs much less than natural veneer, it is based on polypropylene, which is more environmentally friendly, unlike PVC, it does not emit harmful formaldehydes and phenols;
- eco-veneer is resistant to various chemical cleaning agents, which greatly facilitates the care of such veneer furniture.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like any other facades, veneered ones have both advantages and disadvantages. We suggest you study this aspect in detail so that you know what problems you are likely to encounter.
Veneered kitchens look stylish and have a lot of advantages
- No matter how high-quality plastic or PVC film is, they can only imitate wood . This means that upon closer inspection the fake will be noticeable. Veneer is completely natural wood, albeit very thin. Even with meticulous study, high-quality veneer facades are indistinguishable from kitchens made of solid wood.
- If the veneer is treated with varnish or a special paint coating, it will be resistant to any of the most unpleasant influences that occur in the kitchen - high temperatures, mechanical damage, moisture and steam, drops of fat and various acids.
- Like any wood, veneer can be restored. Of course, we are not talking about serious damage - in this case you will need to install a patch. However, small scratches and abrasions can be easily hidden and the kitchen restored to its original appearance.
- It cannot be denied that veneer facades look truly luxurious. A set made of solid wood looks exactly the same, but costs several times more.
- The material is environmentally friendly, does not contain harmful impurities and is non-toxic to humans even when heated. This means that veneered facades can be installed even in close proximity to the stove - there will be no toxic fumes that often occur with plastic or PVC film.
- Caring for veneer kitchens is very simple : just wipe them regularly with a damp sponge and then wipe dry. Some people use special polishes that add shine to surfaces. However, in the kitchen we recommend avoiding such products: they attract dust and other debris, which means maintenance becomes more difficult.
However, if you thought that a veneered kitchen was the ideal solution, we will disappoint you.
- It is almost impossible to visually determine the quality of veneered furniture . This means that if you were sold a not very high-quality headset, you will most likely find out about it already in the process of using it. You can avoid the problem if you contact only trusted furniture stores and craftsmen who value their reputation.
- The problem stemming from the previous drawback is the low quality of some veneered kitchens. Veneer can become deformed, peel off... This happens due to the influence of moisture, fat, steam and constant temperature changes. Therefore, we emphasize once again that you should not save on buying a kitchen set.
- In any case, its cost will be higher than that of film or plastic facades. However, you pay for a spectacular appearance, quality and environmental friendliness.
- Like any wood, veneer does not tolerate direct sunlight very well. Under their influence, wood can darken and change shade. This can be avoided by varnishing the veneer. We strongly do not recommend leaving it without a protective coating.
As you can see, most of the disadvantages of veneered kitchens can be avoided if you purchase high-quality sets from trusted places. As for expenses, if you have a good kitchen, they will pay off very quickly.
In general, we strongly recommend veneered kitchens: they are worth it!
Varieties
Veneered furniture is made from materials of varying quality and production methods. The price category of furniture depends on the type of veneer. There are the following types of veneer of natural origin used for furniture production:
- peeled;
- planed;
- sawn
Peeled Sawn Planed
Natural peeled veneer is the most common and affordable type of veneer, with a thickness of 0.1 to 10 mm. Depending on the quality of the wood and compliance with the production technology, such veneer may be as good as planed veneer. It preserves the natural texture, unique pattern of wood, and has excellent aesthetic qualities.
Sliced veneer is used primarily in furniture production. Valuable wood species are used in its production. It is characterized by richness and variety of patterns and textures, which is achieved thanks to the production method. Wood blanks can be planed in different directions, at different angles, achieving unique, original natural patterns.
Sawn veneer is the first type of material that began to be produced back in the 19th century. It is of high quality and is not cheap. Today it is not made on an industrial scale, but is used to create musical instruments, inlays, interior decoration, expensive parquet floors and individual sets of custom-made furniture.
Modern varieties of veneer, subtypes of natural material, include:
- multi-veneer;
- fan line.
Multispon
Fan-line
Multispon is made from natural wood of various species, without the goal of preserving the natural pattern. This type of material is limitless in its colors, textures, and has a palette of rich wood patterns. Geometric shapes or any other design pattern can be depicted on its surface.
Fine-line is made from inexpensive species of fast-growing trees using several technological combinations:
- peeling and drying;
- painting and gluing;
- pressing and secondary planing or peeling.
The sequence of the above actions allows you to create a material of the required texture, pattern, structure and color. Fine-line often imitates the natural veneer of expensive types of wood. This type is less durable, has increased fragility and porosity.
There is a distinction between artificial veneer, which is a plastic film (PVC) with an imitation of wood pattern. A modern version of artificial veneer for furniture is eco-veneer. This material is made from multilayer polypropylene.
Veneer color palette
If you think wood is a boring and monotonous material, then you are absolutely wrong. A wide variety of types of wood are used for veneer, which allows us to provide customers with a wide range of coatings of the most unusual appearance.
Veneer kitchens can be very diverse
Luxurious oak facades will suit both classic and modern interiors. Oak wood can have different shades, but its characteristic feature is its unusual rounded patterns that add gloss and nobility to even the simplest furniture.
Black oak veneer kitchen - for lovers of expensive elegance
Alder veneer is distinguished by its delicate, light color and velvety-looking texture. It is perfect for kitchens in country style, Provence. Another advantage of alder is its high resistance to mechanical stress. Very often, such a coating is not even varnished, since it already tolerates moisture and temperature changes very well.
Alder is ideal for most interiors.
A set with a rosewood facade will cost you quite a lot. However, unusual patterns and textures of wood are definitely worth the expense - the kitchen will look truly luxurious and elegant.
The peculiarity of cherry veneer is its reddish tint. It is perfect for a Baroque style kitchen. Moreover, cherry panels do not fade over time, but, on the contrary, the shade becomes much deeper and more noble.
The peculiarity of a cherry kitchen is its deep color
The cool, light shade of ash is ideal for small kitchens or south-facing spaces. Ash must be treated with varnish or a special protective coating, otherwise the color very quickly becomes dull, losing its charm.
Walnut veneer has a rich structure. Depending on the type and age of the tree, the shade may vary, but always remains consistently warm. Such facades will decorate kitchens facing north and will slightly dilute the lack of light.
Walnut kitchens are always distinguished by warm tones
A fashionable way to process veneer is zebrawood. The unusual striped color looks very expensive and unusual, and therefore will suit both classic and modern interiors.
Zebrawood is a modern and very fashionable type of veneer
As you can see, choosing the right option for a veneered kitchen is not difficult - the main thing is to find the type that you like.
Veneered kitchens are easy to find to suit every taste
In addition, you can radically change even the appearance of the familiar alder by applying a special varnish or protective coating to the facade. Depending on your choice, veneer can acquire a matte or glossy texture. The first option is ideal for classic kitchens - it looks elegant, restrained and rich. Shiny glossy options will fit well into modern interiors and visually enlarge a small kitchen.
The glossy structure is suitable for modern interiors.
Matte veneer looks very noble
Veneer colors
The palette of veneer shades depends entirely on the raw materials used to produce the material. Naturally, you can achieve light, almost white surfaces. These are maple, acacia, ash. Darker rocks produce sheets of various shades. The color may have a beige, gray, or pink undertone.
An additional decorative effect is created by the natural wood pattern.
Both the color and the natural pattern can be emphasized using various influences. As a result of all kinds of processing that natural data are subjected to, something special can be created.
Decor
Despite the fact that veneer itself is a material with a smooth structure, very often veneered kitchens are decorated with various decorative elements. For example, carved elements made of natural wood. They significantly increase the cost of your kitchen, but the appearance only benefits from it.
Curly veneer facades are expensive, but the appearance is stunning
Often, various ornaments are used as decoration for veneered kitchens: ethnic, floral, geometric motifs. We recommend choosing depending on the design style of your kitchen.
And sometimes the texture of the wood itself becomes a decoration
If you have a small kitchen, voluminous decorative elements may not be very appropriate: they will visually make the room even smaller. However, in this case, you can experiment with different textures. For example, a special primer helps to visually age the set - an excellent solution for classic kitchens or baroque-style rooms.
Aged veneer - another fashionable technique
As an option, try choosing a suitable shade and applying a patina. It makes even the simplest set look elegant and expensive.
With patina, veneer looks more noble
Why choose veneer
If a customer wants the visual and tactile characteristics of real wood, veneer is what they need. In fact, veneer ensures that designer furniture will last for many years because it will not tear, expand or swell in the most humid environments such as the kitchen.
In short, an effective, affordable material ideal for kitchen surfaces.
Today, not all companies specializing in the production of furniture offer this traditional process, which originated in the Renaissance, especially since it involves the use of natural wood and equally valuable imitations, such as melamine, laminate or treated cuts.
It is for this reason that modern veneered furniture is a piece of furniture of great value, characterized by excellent aesthetic appearance and excellent functional characteristics.
Wood species used to produce veneer:
- Red tree;
- Most types of walnuts;
- Red Oak;
- Ash;
- Birch;
- Maple tree;
- Cherry tree;
- Teak;
- East Indian rosewood;
- Parana pines, Scots and eastern white pines;
- Spruce, including Canadian spruce;
- Red cedar;
- Larch.
By the way, most of the textures and colors of laminate and chipboard came from the colors and textures of veneer.
How to care
When it comes to maintenance, veneer is not too demanding, but it has its own characteristics. It is necessary to take into account that this is, first of all, natural wood, so an appropriate approach is needed.
To prevent the kitchen from losing its appearance, you need to take care of it
For daily care, a soft sponge or lint-free cloth will be enough. Wet them in water and then wipe the surface. After this, wipe dry with a soft towel. If there are stains or stains in the kitchen, you can use a soap solution or a special wood cleaner.
It’s not difficult to clean veneer if you don’t start cleaning
If you decide to use polish, you will need to degrease the surface first. To do this, you can use a weak solution of alcohol or, if desired, a regular window cleaner. Gently wipe the set, wipe it dry, and then apply polish and let it dry.
Important! Never use abrasive detergents or hard sponges. They will scratch the surface and you will need to spend effort and money on restoring the headset.
Tips for selection and care
When choosing veneered furniture, the following main criteria are important:
- price;
- environmental friendliness;
- durability and wear resistance;
- aesthetic qualities;
- maintainability.
An important point is the design of the room. Modern artificial materials are excellent for implementing bold design projects, providing an unlimited range of shades, textures, and patterns. Natural material is perfect for classic room designs, combining the beauty of natural wood and the environmental friendliness of natural materials.
Natural materials require careful care without the use of aggressive chemicals.
It is enough to wipe such surfaces with a cotton rag using a soap solution. Artificial analogues are not so capricious to care for. But it is necessary to use cleaning products without abrasives, alkalis, or solvents.
Reviews about veneered kitchen
Especially for you, we have collected several reviews from users of veneer sets. We are sure that after reading them, you will easily make a decision and understand whether you want to purchase such a kitchen.
The advantage of veneer is that abrasions do not spoil it, but, on the contrary, add charm.
Veneer is a simple and easy-to-maintain material that does not require special care.
The main thing is to at least occasionally wipe the veneer from dust and dirt.
Choose a high-quality kitchen and there will be no problems.
Peeling varnish is easy to renew, but durability is a definite plus.
Types of veneer
Sliced veneer is veneer obtained by cutting a block longitudinally or transversely to the grain. Peeled veneer is a veneer of a certain thickness obtained by peeling a cutout.
Eccentric cut-out sanding is used to make decorative veneer joints.
- Log veneer is a set in which layers of a single board, log or prism are stored as they were made in a row.
- Marquetry is an ornamental veneer made primarily by hand (or on a special embossing device) of various shapes and motifs for the purpose of decorating and presenting the woody plants used.
- Mosaic is a combination of regular, repeating patterns used to create ceilings, floors and tiles from agglomerated materials.
Veneer kitchen real photo examples
Types of doors
The essence of creating veneered doors comes down to gluing the veneer onto the frame. At the same time, both the frames and the methods of attaching the veneer covering to them can be different.
Veneer interior door with glass inserts
Veneered doors and eco-style
Features of natural veneer
This is a living material, which makes the presence of features inevitable: knots, waviness, stripes, sapwood, curls, eyes created by nature itself, which is not a defect, but only emphasizes the naturalness of the material. These features are especially clearly demonstrated by veneers made from old wood trunks, such as Retro oak veneer.
Features of working with natural veneer
The pattern of a wood cut is as individual as a person’s fingerprints. The uniqueness of the pattern and color of veneer, even of one type of wood, determines the peculiarities of working with this material:
- It is not possible to make a sample, because a product made from the veneer of another trunk will be different from it;
- It is not possible to create a warehouse program, because the veneer in different locks and knoles is different;
To emphasize the beauty of the pattern and create a harmonious piece of furniture or interior design consisting of individual parts lined with natural veneer, we offer to use the option of selecting a veneer pattern, which ensures a transition of the pattern across the entire surface of the product from part to part, from element to element. The pattern can be selected both horizontally and vertically.
When ordering products in natural veneer with or without a selection of patterns, you should take into account that additional ordering of parts is not possible, because newly manufactured veneered parts will differ in color, texture, and pattern. We will not be able to find veneer that exactly matches the main order.
Advantages of natural veneer
Originality
This is exactly the case when disadvantages are a continuation of advantages and vice versa. Originality, uniqueness, exclusivity - these are all the qualities for which we value natural veneer.
You have the opportunity to choose the pattern and color that best suits your furniture or interior, and you will get something unique!
Natural veneer is often compared to solid wood, especially with regard to price. But it is no less important that veneer patterns are much more diverse than solid wood due to the production technology of a tree trunk, which gives a variety of assortments.
And one more quality for which veneer is valued:
Environmental friendliness
This is not only an environmentally friendly material, safe for consumers, but optimal from the point of view of using natural resources.
With proper care and use, veneer products can last for many years, and there is the possibility of their restoration.
Wide range of applications
If previously veneer served mainly to decorate furniture or decorative items, now parts lined with natural veneer are used in many pieces of furniture and decoration of a wide variety of rooms:
- kitchen
- living room
- children's
- bathroom
Veneer can be used to veneer both flat and bent/radius products:
- furniture facades
- shelves,
- table tops
- furniture body parts,
- slats,
- beams
