While all wood veneer enhances the look of a project, there is a difference between premium grade and standard grades of veneers. Premium wood veneer has a well-defined grain with few to zero natural marks and knots. Premium wood veneer generally comes from the center/larger part of the log which means it can have larger sequences (sheets that match each other). Both the beauty and availability of large sequences make premium wood veneer ideal for use in higher end projects.
Standard grade wood veneer has potentially more knots and a “dirtier,” less-regular grain. There are also fewer matching sheets in the standard grade range.
If you have a large job, you can do “high show, low show, no show” to keep your veneer costs down. For example, you would not need premium veneer on the back of kitchen cabinet doors. But it would be advisable to use premium sequenced veneer on the fronts of cabinet doors, especially if these doors are all visible in one area. Another cost cutting measure is to use standard veneer throughout and then finish with a dark stain.
When choosing wood veneer for your projects, assess the visibility of the surfaces to be veneered, as well as the customer or end-user’s choice of wood stain color. At Oakwood Veneer, we have an unsurpassed selection of both standard and premium wood veneers.
