Veneer on Solid Wood

Nothing wrong with that ... January 15, 2008
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Question
I have to make two leaves for a table. They are to be QSWO veneer, which means that they need a substrate. I will first band the substrate with 1/8" oak, then veneer top and bottom. I would love to use solid wood, but my understanding is that the grain needs to run perpendicular to the veneer. That would mean gluing up a 48" board. I feel funny using MDF on a nice antique. What are the downsides to using a multi-ply plywood?

Forum Responses
(Veneer Forum)
From contributor P:
There's nothing wrong with veneering solid wood, with the grain of the veneer running in the same direction as the grain of the substrate. You just need to do top and bottom the same way. You end up with something that acts like a piece of solid wood - which is what it is. For your leaves, use your nice oak veneer over plain sliced red oak - it will work fine.