Hardwood veneer thickness

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Author Message David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI Senior Member Username: david_axt Post Number: 255 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Friday, April 02, 2004 - 01:28 pm:    What is the thickness for hardwood veneer on a finish carpentry panel of on a panel for custom casework? I looked in AWI and could not locate this information. William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS Senior Member Username: wpegues Post Number: 265 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Friday, April 02, 2004 - 02:08 pm:    David, Its not that the AWI Quality Standards does not list it, what they actually state in Section 200 about veneer thickness is "Wood veneer is produced by veneer manufacturers in a variety of 'industry standard' thicknesses. The thickness of the raw veneer has little bearing on the ultimate quality of the end product so long as show-through an sand-through is avoided." But, in the 1300 doors section, under Face Material Requirements, you can get a sense of thickness requirements for doors - which typically come under heavier wear and tear situations. There AWI states: "Veneer is required to be of sufficient thickness (minimum 0.5 mm (1/50th inch)..." I don't specify a minimum thickness for panel products, I specify the quality grade of the veneer (AA, A and B, which has nothing to do with thickness) and I specify the quality level of the panel product (premium, custom, economy) and the quality level of the finish (premium custom, economy). You have to reference separately all 3 (veneer, panel fabrication, finish) to correctly get what you want. In doing that, you get the quality standard that can be held against the veneer sanding through, telegraphing the core and other irregularities in the finished product. If you specify the thickness, you may be on your own, voiding the standards, or leaving you open because the veneer thickness and wood type it is made of influence how much pull it can apply to the core causing it to warp. They may say the architect specified an inappropriate thickness for the particular wood for the core and balancing veneer. That probably won't happen, but, any loophole (or port) in a storm. William David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI Senior Member Username: david_axt Post Number: 256 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Friday, April 02, 2004 - 05:53 pm:    Most domestic hardwood veneer manufactures cut veneer to 1/50 inch (0.5 mm). Overseas manufacturers cut veneers to 1/100 inch (0.01 mm). We have had a problem with veneers too thin. Anytime a contractor or mainenance person goes to sand the door, they sand through the veneer. Thus the reason for wanting to specify a minimum veneer thickness. WDMA mentions a minimum veneer thickness in I.S. 1A-97, but AWI does not.