Q: (Jack, ) I have an old coffee table with a damaged veneer top. Can I repair the rough spots, or better yet, replace the whole veneer?A:(Bruce Johnson, woodworking expert) Well, Jack, as you're finding out, veneer can be tricky ? not only on new pieces of furniture, but on antiques as well. Here are a few tips!
Veneer is simple a thin piece of wood glued to another piece of wood. It doesn't mean it's inferior piece of wood, necessarily. Often it was used on large surfaces such as drawers or doors. With time, the veneer will sometimes separate from the surface below. One way to remedy is to inject glue under the veneer with a syringe (figure A). Add a pad wrapped in wax paper (to prevent glue from leaking and adhering clamps to wood), then clamp (figure B). Remove excess glue and allow to dry for 24 hours.
If your coffee table veneer is beyond a small repair, you should replace the whole top. To adhere a large piece of veneer (cut slightly larger than the surface to which you'll adhere, you'll need to use contact cement. Brush a coat onto the furniture surface, as well as the veneer (figure C). Allow contact cement to dry for 15 minutes before adhering the two pieces together. Be careful with alignment, as you won't be able to reposition. Press with fingertips, then use a roller (figure D) or block of wood and hammer to ensure good contact and eliminate air bubbles. Use a razor to trim excess veneer.
Keep in mind that finding an exact-match veneer might be difficult, so you might consider replacing the entire piece.
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