This post is part of Plyco’s Guide to Veneered Plywood
Every day we get sent photos of the projects that our extremely talented customers have worked on, and while each one is incredible the ones that always stand out the most involve Veneered Plywood. Just the extra touch of a natural timber veneer can take a great build and transform it into something truly extraordinary. Not every project requires it, but when used correctly a little touch of veneer is truly special. To help give you some ideas and hopefully spark those creative juices the team at Plyco have come together to create a guide to their favourite and most popular Veneered Plywood applications
The first thing to know about Veneered Plywood is that it can essentially be used for every single application that a regular sheet of Plywood would be used for. Fundamentally, a standard sheet and a sheet with a veneer applied to it are the same. They still have the same physical qualities, and it’s almost purely an aesthetical difference. This means anything from joinery and shopfitting, to ceiling and wall finishing go hand in hand with any Veneered Plywood sheet you purchase at Plyco.
Plyco's Tasmanian Oak Veneer used for a bathroom cabinet by Will Brennan Designs
You might be asking yourself “if Premium Birch Plywood can get the job done why would I choose a veneered option?” Well, the addition of a natural timber veneer increases the finishing capabilities of your board exponentially. For a slight increase in price, your board can be transformed into almost any colour or pattern, allowing you to perfectly match your artistic vision. As you may have picked up on, Birch Plywood is used quite heavily in projects that generally require a nice finish. The standard Birch face is gorgeous, but it’s not always going to fit the aesthetic you’re going for. A Veneered Plywood sheet allows you to make that new wall or joinery job look the best it can possibly be.
One of our favourite uses for various veneers on Birch Plywood is upholstery. You could build the exact same piece 20 times, but by using a different veneer in each one they would genuinely feel like a completely different product. A seat utilising the Jarrah veneer is just so vastly different than one using Tasmanian Oak. We also find that reupholster jobs are becoming exceedingly popular projects for our Veneered Birch Plywood. Got an old piece of furniture that needs a little TLC? Then perhaps a sheet of American Oak is all that’s needed to restore it to its former glory.
Tasmanian Blackwood Veneer used to create new speaker boxes
Benchtops and kitchen counters are also a perfect way to utilise a sheet of Veneered Plywood. While we often wax poetically about how perfect our Laminated Plywood is for these applications (see the posts as part of our Laminated Plywood guide for proof), it’s a lesser-known fact that combining our Birch with a veneer is a perfectly acceptable alternative. While our laminated options mostly cater to those who want a solid colour option, veneers are great for the designer who wants that natural earthy feel.
As we mentioned earlier, shopfitting is one of the most popular Birch Plywood applications and this is no different when the veneered variants get involved. The number of veneers available means you can pull off whatever vibe you’re going far. We’re particularly big fans when we see architects pull of a fit-out that utilises multiple different veneers in perfect harmony.
Feeling inspired and ready to spread that veneer magic around? Jump over to our online store where you can shop our entire range of Veneered Plywood. If you’re looking to brush up on your knowledge a little more take a look at our post explaining each of our stock veneers, or our guide on how to cut Veneer Plywood.