Veneered Furniture Of High Grade

Not all veneered furniture is less expensive than the solid, however. A fine veneer is more valuable than the solid wood which is less beautifully figured. The rarest French or Italian walnut is sometimes veneered on mahogany, as it lasts better in this condition than if it were solid, and large surfaces and thicknesses of walnut are difficult to procure in perfect condition. Very precious woods such as ebony or satin wood can only be obtained in small quantities, and other woods of especially handsome grain are cut from roots and excrescences of the trees which have produced unusual conditions of growth.

The Foundation Wood

In addition to the cost of materials there is the labor to be taken into consideration, for good veneering requires careful work. A valuable veneer is usually laid on an expensive wood as a foundation, and this unnecessary cost in manufacture adds to the price of the finished product. For example, a choice Spanish veneer is often applied to mahogany of a less beautiful grain. In the making of reliable furniture great care is taken by the manufacturers in the selection of wood which is to be veneered upon to be sure of successful results. The foundation wood is dry and free from all imperfections. Honduras mahogany is considered the best wood for the purpose, but Yellow Pine, White-wood, and oak are often satisfactorily used.

The Proper Application Of Veneer

Whenever possible, both sides of the ground wood are veneered to prevent warping, and the veneer used on either side is of the same grain and strength, so that the tension of the one side counteracts the tension of the other. When only one side of the foundation wood is veneered, it is laid on the heart side, or the side of the wood which lies nearest to the center of the tree before it is cut.

There are many other facts which should be learned before the amateur buyer could hope to be able always to detect imitations and frauds in the furniture which is offered for sale. Even though the purchaser may have a certain knowledge of woods, veneers, and construction, the best safeguard against imposition is in the choice of a reliable manufacturer and a reputable dealer. Furniture bearing the stamp of a well-known firm which is carried by a dealer who offers it for sale at a fair price is apt to prove to be what it seems.

References

Hough, R. B.

American Woods. Noyes, William Wood and Forest. Manual Arts Press. Robinson, L. Eugene Domestic Architecture. The Macmillan Company. Snow, C. H. The Principal Species of Wood. Wiley and Sons.