Engineered veneer is made from wood that has been subjected to manufacturing processes. Often referred to as engineered, reconstituted, reconstructed, recomposed, manmade, manufactured or composite wood, this type of wood is essentially real wood taken in strand, particle or fibre form and mixed with adhesives to create a composite wood material. The end product still contains real wood mixed with other materials.
Veneers can be made from natural timber logs as well as reconstructed wood composites. When it comes to choosing between a natural or reconstructed timber veneer for your project, the two top considerations are usually aesthetics and cost.
Natural wood veneers, such as the Sliced Veneer range from Matilda Veneer, offer bespoke design outcomes because each log has unique grain and figure. There can also be wider variance in colour between natural veneer sheets that designers may, or may not, desire for their project. These variations make it difficult to predict the final design outcome.
On the other hand, veneer made from reconstructed wood, such as Matilda Veneer’s Truewood range, offers consistency in terms of colour and grain, which might be preferable to designers for some projects.
Reconstructed wood veneers are sometimes the only option when a scarce species cannot be sourced for a natural veneer. The colour and feel of a precious timber can be replicated by a reconstructed veneer. For example, the Truewood collection includes species such as Ebony and Teak which, due to the scarcity of quality veneer logs, are both increasingly expensive and harder-to-find as a natural veneer.
Additionally, with the transition to certified timbers, doubts about the sustainability of some species can make it almost impossible to produce veneers that comply with Australian logging laws.
Generally, reconstructed wood may be made from the same species used to make natural veneers, or a cheaper specie dyed to look like another specie. Reconstructed veneers may be the perfect fit for designers seeking more uniform aesthetic outcomes.
The Truewood range veneers are all made from the specific specie, which bears their name. Truewood Teak, for example, is made from real Teak. As a result, it bears not only a similar colour to Teak but also other qualities that Teak is famous for, such as smell and a waxy feel.
Since Truewood veneers are not dyed, they can be enjoyed for the natural warmth of the veneer without fear of fading. This solution offers natural, straight grain that presents uniformity as well as beauty.
The manufacturing process also means the Truewood veneer range is excellent value for money when compared to Sliced Veneer of the same species.
Matilda Veneer manufactures over 30 different species of Truewood in a diverse colour palette.
