Chen Chen Veneer, Satinwood, Louro Preto, Lyptus, and Sen - Veneers Belonging in the Limelight

This week, we thought you might be interested in even more wood veneer choices that aren't the highest on the popularity list, but really should be.

Here are five veneers that deserve a shot at the limelight:

Chen Veneer (Also called Chen Chen Veneer) - Chen is another one of the super value veneers, because it has a beautiful blond ribbon effect that can make any area appear more upscale. Yet it is only $3.99 regular price. Chenchen Veneer is perfect as an accent for doors, drawers, or furniture, and is also an excellent choice for paneling.

Satinwood Veneer - Also sold under the name Movingui Veneer, Satinwood (or Nigerian Satinwood) is usually a blond to yellow color with quartered grain and diagonal, straight but unevenly spaced fiddleback figure across the sheet. Satinwood Veneer is a beautiful choice at only $5.99 per square foot.

Louro Preto Veneer - This is a rich dark brown flat cut wood with cathedral grain lines and streaks of blond to tan adding a unique effect. Louro Preto generally comes from South American and tends to darken with age.

Lyptus Veneer - Lyptus has a unique solid color look that varies from sheet to sheet. Some are light pink, while others are dark pink (dark enough to be almost brown). Lyptus is grown under controlled, sustainable guidelines. It also has a price tag that's easy on the eyes; just $3.49 flat cut and $4.19 quartered per square foot.

Sen Veneer - Sen is a veneer that is often overlooked, and certainly without good reason. It has beautiful quartered multi-shade pale to medium grain lines that look stunning with the right stain. Sen has been used in Japan for generations on casework and furniture, and also comes at a surprisingly low cost of $4.99 per square foot.

Bamboo Veneer - The World's Fastest Growing Veneer

Pop Quiz: What's the only wood veneer that doesn't come from a tree?

Answer: Bamboo Veneer, it comes from grass.

Well it's actually a very thick grass that can be nicely sliced into an exotic-looking wood. Bamboo Veneer is considered by many to be the ultimate environmentally friendly choice for wood veneer. This is because it grows so quickly, and therefore is an extremely renewable resource.

There are four types of Bamboo Veneer: Natural Vertical, Natural Planked, Carbonized Vertical, and Carbonized Planked.

Natural Vertical Bamboo Veneer: This is a nice beige to blond color, with thin straight grain in strips of 1/4". Natural Vertical Bamboo is the most popular of the four varieties and is probably the type you think of when bamboo is mentioned.

Natural Horizontal Planked Bamboo Veneer: This has the same beige to blond color as Natural Vertical Bamboo, but the grain structure and pattern is different. Instead, Horizontal (also called Planked or Horizontal Planked) has wide grain of about 3/4" strips. Within the strips are Bamboo style darker patches at regular intervals.

Carbonized Vertical Bamboo Veneer: This has the same thin 1/4" grain pattern as Natural Vertical, but its main color is a buckskin tan darker shade.

Carbonized Horizontal Planked Bamboo Veneer: This has the same thicker 3/4" grain and the characteristic Bamboo patches as the Natural Horizontal Bamboo, but its main color is the same buckskin tan darker shade as the Carbonized Vertical version (slightly lighter in some cases, as the pictures show).

In addition to it's green appeal, Bamboo Veneer is moderately priced, with Planked being priced a bit higher than Vertical. If you have any questions about Bamboo Veneer or you'd like to place an order, be sure to give us a call at 800-426-6018 today.

Pecan Veneer, Bosse, Obeche, Madrone, and Mahogany - Veneers to Remember

With flashy veneers like Birdseye Maple, Bamboo, or Walnut Burl stealing the headlines (of your newspaper's veneer section), we thought it'd be a good time to highlight the veneer species that don't always get top billing.

Five Species that You Shouldn't Forget: Pecan, Bosse, Obeche, Madrone, and Mahogany Veneer.

Pecan Veneer - Pecan is a nice, reasonably priced veneer that comes in two varieties, a vaguely rustic two-tone, and a premium single tone. The two-tone wood is mainly medium-brown with flat-cut grain and evenly spaced pale tan smaller sections. The two-tone effect is usually used in rustic or old-fashioned/retro situations, but Pecan in general looks a bit more modern based on the smooth appearance. Premium Pecan Veneer is completely tan colored with a nice subdued grain pattern.

Bosse Veneer - Bosse can add a nice amount of character to any type of setting or project. With a pinkish base and an overall look similar to Mahogany, Bosse Veneer would be a perfect choice for anyone looking to use an "enhanced" standard wood. By that, we mean the base can be compared to the standard Mahogany, but the figure has a head-turning appearance comparable to Ropey Cherry. It's like ropes draped across ocean waves.

Obeche Veneer - A very nice looking cream-white to pale-yellow wood with ribbon stripes, Obeche is sometimes called the Blond Sapele. Subdued multi-shade grain lines of pale to light brown add to its slightly exotic undertones. Obeche Veneer is a great choice to lighten up any room.

Madrone Veneer - Madrone is very similar to Pearwood, and is often called Faux Pearwood. It has a reddish hue that would look nice in many different settings. Madrone Veneer is significantly less expensive than Pearwood, and is sometimes similar enough that experts would have trouble telling the difference.

Mahogany Veneer - Mahogany is one of the most popular veneer species used worldwide, and comes in several varieties. The original popular Mahogany Veneer was Honduran Mahogany which has been used for cabinetry applications for centuries and including today. Lately, African Mahogany Veneer has become more available and has gained popularity. Other types, include, Ribbon, Silky, Crotch, and Plum Pudding Mahogany.