Why Oakwood's Price List Can Save You Time and Money

If you don't have a copy of Oakwood's latest price sheet, be sure to let us know. It can be a huge time and money saver. Here's why:

The procedure for other guys with no veneer price list might go like this:
1. Find out you need a quote on a certain species.
2. Call up company, person is not there, will call you back.
3. Person calls you back, you're busy.
4. You call back, finally reach the person. They give price.
5. Price too high for your client, so you go back to client to pick a new wood.
6. Repeat steps 1-5 until satisfied.
7. Finally after 7 or even many more steps, you have settled on a wood choice.

For Oakwood's selection, with the price sheet right in your hands you can:
1. Find out you need a quote on a certain species.
2. Check the price in your hand.
3. Change the wood if necessary to fit the budget.

With the Oakwood website, you can also see pictures of all of the species at our Samples page. Also, there is now a quick reference Price List that you can view right here on the blog, either on the right side bar, or by clicking the "ordering page" towards the top.

Remarkably Beautiful Figured Wood Veneer at Remarkably Moderate Prices

Often the mark of an elegant piece of wood is the figure. It can sometimes mean the difference between a good looking or an extraordinary looking project. But builders and designers sometimes shy away from using figured woods simply because they believe the budget won't allow for it.

This is why lately we have been highlighting fantastic, upscale looking woods that only land in the mid-priced range. Here are some medium to highly figured beautiful woods that you might find you can afford to enhance your next project:

Figured Anigre Veneer - Anigre generally comes in a range of colors, from a dark blond to a medium brown. It can be found with or without figure. Anigre is often used for architectural panels, cabinetry, and casework. At Oakwood, we stock both medium figure quartered anigre for just $3.99/sq. ft. for 10 mil and architectural anigre (highly figured) for just $7.84/sq ft with a bubble-free backing.

French Figured Ash Veneer - Ash also generally comes in a variety of colors, from blond to brown to blackened. However French Figured Ash is close to the blond color and has a very thin and understated but still quite noticeable figure. French Figured Ash is only $6.99 per square foot.

Avodire Veneer - Avodire is a light colored wood with a very interesting and unique-looking figure. This is often used in high end architectural panels, and can be a good idea for this purpose because it is usually similar looking from sheet to sheet. Avodire is only $5.69 per square foot.

Figured Bosse Veneer - Bosse is generally pale and pinkish, resembling mahogany. It therefore is often used in boat interiors. The figure in Figured Bosse is understated, however if a overstated figure is desired, Pommele Bosse is also available. Figured Bosse runs at just $6.99 per square foot, and Pommele Bosse is $7.99/sq. ft.

Curly Maple Veneer - Curly Maple can range from cream colored to reddish brown. It has scattered curls and sometimes blisters. Curly comes from flat cut trees as opposed to fiddleback maple which has figure over a quartered grain. Curly Maple comes in three grades, as does fiddleback. The medium figure is $3.99, the high figure is $5.99, and the premium is $7.99.

Wood Veneer Flexibility from Oakwood

People often ask how we ship our wood veneer, whether on pallets or otherwise. Actually all of our veneer ships in boxes with the veneer rolled up inside. For example the box might be 8"X8"X50" for a standard 4'X8' sheet or wider or taller for more sheets or for our 5' wide veneer. They are rolled against the grain, and the boxes are shipped via UPS or FedEx.

The veneer rolls easily because it is flexible wood veneer. For this reason, builders often use our veneer on large, round indoor building pillars, or curved wall corners. This makes for a very elegant look which can often be achieved for much less money than it appears.

Flexible veneer can also go on the rounded edges of desks or bookshelves, on dashboards, dining room tables, and the list goes on and on. This allows designers and builders to be creative. So the next time your project requires a little extra flair or a rounded wood look, be sure to consider flexible wood veneer.

Veneering Secret - Carpenter's Glue and... A Household Iron?

Many people would be interested in using wood veneer for their small projects, but they think that the process is too complicated, or needs to be done with huge tools and a lot of space.

Let me share this little known veneering trick: with the right type of glue found in any hardware store, you can use a household iron to apply veneer to many types of small projects, like a bookshelf or a small table. First, you need PVA type glue, such as Tight bond 3, Tight bond Extend, or Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Glue that is labeled to have an extended open time (yep, the same Elmer's brand from Kindergarten but not the same exact glue).

Your substrate must be clean and flat. MDF, particle board or cabinet grade plywood are good substrates. If applying to wood, all finish should be removed and scratches and gouges removed so that they don't show through. It's not a good idea to veneer over old veneer because it can cause the old veneer to delaminate.

Next, apply the glue to the veneer and the substrate with a roller or a brush (foam roller applicators are good). Be sure to make the glue thin and even, about 6-8 mil thick. You will need two coats of glue on the substrate because the first will soak into the surface. Let the glue dry out. This should take longer than most glues because your glue has an extended open time.

Place the veneer on the substrate. You will be able to move it into exact placement after it is on because unlike contact cement, it has some leeway to move. Take a household clothes iron and put it on medium or wool setting so it is about 160 degrees. Between the iron and the veneer place a cotton t-shirt or sheet, or a paper bag so that there won't be markings on the veneer. Start from the center and slowly go outward. Press down moderately with your body weight and be sure to spend time ironing all sections of the veneer. Be sure that all sections are bonding and iron more if they aren't. Let it all cool for two hours and then trim the veneer to finished size if necessary. Let it sit for 24 hours before finishing.

For more information and tips on veneer and veneer application, be sure to visit the Oakwood Veneer Tips page.

Low to Mid-Priced Wood Veneer With a High Priced Look

The recession may or may not be turning the corner, but one thing for sure is that folks are still looking to cost-cut wherever possible. However, they would also rather not sacrifice style when making necessary changes to the budget.

For this reason, we are highlighting some of our veneer that looks like it should be in the top of our price range, but is actually in the middle or toward the bottom of the price ranges. Here are four species you should pay attention to:

1. Iroko Veneer - This is a modern-looking wood with streaks of light and darker blond color, along with some very nice figure. It is often used in architectural panels, on high-end boats and furniture, and anywhere a nice blond figure might be needed. Thinking $9 or $10 per square foot? Nope, it's just $5.99

2. Kewazinga Veneer - This is a nice dark reddish brown wood that you'd almost believe was a burl if you didn't know better. The pattern is shimmering, wavy, and concentrated grain. This wood looks like $12 a square foot but it is actually $5.49.

3. Ribbon Mahogany Veneer - This is a very nice looking multi-shade wood that can complement many differ decor styles. It has nice straight grain lines and a very interested texture. It looks like it should cost about $8 per square foot. The real cost? $2.49/sq foot.

4. Tiama Veneer - This is similar to Ribbon Mahogany because it has straight multi-shade interesting grain lines. However, it has a bit more exotic flavor to it, and has thicker strands of shades that are more pronounced in tone. I would guess it to be about $10 per square foot. Really it's just $4.49.

February is Red Oak Veneer Month - 99 Cent Red Oak Veneer

If you haven't already heard, Oakwood is now running a 99 cent veneer of the month. This month, (February 2010), Red Oak Veneer is on special. Normally $1.49 per square foot, 99 cents is a real deal.

Just call 800-426-6018 and ask for the 99 cent Red Oak Veneer special today. Limit 10 sheets.

The Oakwood Veneer 2009 Wood Veneer Design Contest Winnner Is...

After reviewing dozens of great looking projects and being wowed by some stunning designs from all over the country, we at Oakwood Veneer have come to a final decision on our 2009 Wood Veneer Design Contest.

The Winner is... (drumroll) Schoenstein and Company from Benicia, California. Their winning design was a stunning pipe organ which is now in use at the prestigious Julliard School of Music in New York. A large picture of the organ is located just below this post - click on it to see a larger and higher resolution file.

The organ was made using Karelian Birch, Quarter-sawn Oak, and Honduran Mahogany Veneer, all purchased from Oakwood Veneer.

The Oakwood Veneer website gallery will be updated to show our winner and other honorable mentions. Stay tuned to the Blog for further information.

Click on the Picture for Higher Resolution (More Detailed)