Hardwood Veneer
Columbia is the largest manufacturer of rotary hardwood veneer in North America. Specializing in Northern Appalachian hardwoods, veneers from 1/28" to 1/42" in thickness are produced for both domestic and export markets.

The leading supplier of hardwood veneer in North America

ANSI/HPVA defines veneer as "a thin sheet of wood, rotary cut, sliced, or sawed from a log, bolt or flitch."

Birch, red oak, maple, ash, poplar, cherry and other species of fancy veneer are supplied throughout the decorative plywood, furniture, cabinetry, door and profile-wrap industries.

• Types of Veneer
• Whole Piece Veneers

  

  Continuous pieces of veneer peeled from a log using a rotary process.
• Book Matched Veneers

  

  Every other strip of veneer is turned over. This produces a grain pattern that is matched at the veneer joint.
• Slip Matched Veneers

  

  Each strip is laid out side by side (without turning over). This produces a repetitive pattern.
• Spliced Veneers

  

  Composed of several pieces of veneer varying in width that are glued together to form a whole sheet. The way they are laid out determines the final look of the veneer.

• Veneer Grades
• Select Veneer is composed entirely of heartwood or sapwood and is matched for both grain, pattern and color.
• Uniform Veneer is also composed of entirely heartwood or sapwood, but is matched for color only.
• Natural Veneer is composed of both heartwood and sapwood and is generally less expensive than select or uniform veneers.
• Paint Grade Veneer has a smooth enough finish so none of the wood grain characteristics show through the paint.
• Stain Grade Veneer is meant to take a clear or tinted stain and still show the natural characteristics of the wood.

• How Veneer is Cut
• Rotary Cut Veneers

  

  Entire log is peeled producing a continuous ribbon of veneer.
• Plain Sliced Veneers

  

  Log is cut in half lengthwise. Each half is then sliced lengthwise producing a veneer with a unique grain pattern.
• Rift Sliced Veneers

  

  Log is cut into quarters lengthwise then sliced at a 90-degree angle to the grain. This produces a fine pencil stripe effect. Both plain and rift sliced veneers are reserved for high-grade "fancy" panels.
• Half Round Sliced Veneers

  

  This is a variation of rotary cutting. This effect results from the log being mounted off center in the lathe so only one side of the log is sliced at a time.
• Quarter Sliced Veneers

  

  The quarter log is mounted so the growth rings strike the cutting knife at right angles. This produces a series of stripes in the veneer.

Product Sheet (PDF)