Thread: Repairing veneer - where to start?

Originally Posted by Woodwork123

I'm restoring an old barrister's bookcase. It's a mix of solid wood and veneer. The drawer on the bottom and the top piece have a lot of damage to the veneer. The current finish on the veneer is dark and alligatored. Even if I can match the color, I'm not so sure about the finish. Should I strip it first, before patching the veneer?

Have a look at Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration YouTube videos.(He lives Gorham,Maine)

A lot of his restoration work deals with damaged/worn/missing veneer. His approach is quite systematic: glue up lifted veneer with hide glue, fill the gaps with matching veneer, tap the surfaces to identify where the veneer has lifted and glue, stain if/when required, clean the surface but sand as little as possible then apply a finishing coat(s).

As usual, a picture is worth a thousand words!!

Cheers
Yvan

Originally Posted by yvan

Have a look at Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration YouTube videos.

Thanks. It looks like he replaces the missing veneer before working on the finish.

Originally Posted by Woodwork123

Thanks. It looks like he replaces the missing veneer before working on the finish.

Yes he does! Allows him to stain the new veneer to match as closely as possible the original "colour".

That as well .
Main reason is you don’t want washed off finish or anything getting under the veneer that’s going to be re glued down. If you get stuff in between where the veneer rejoins the wood it’s harder or sometimes impossible to clean it out. You’re a lot better off not going there.

Originally Posted by auscab

That as well .
Main reason is you don’t want washed off finish or anything getting under the veneer that’s going to be re glued down. If you get stuff in between where the veneer rejoins the wood it’s harder or sometimes impossible to clean it out. You’re a lot better off not going there.

Woodwork123, you'd better listen to the expert here!!!

I hasten to add that I am watching Thomas Johnson's YT videos simply because they are interesting to watch how he approaches the restoration of a wide range of old and antique pieces and that I have no practical knowledge of working/repairing veneer(s).

Cheers,
Yvan

Someone asked for a photo. Here they are:IMG_1255.jpg and IMG_1254.jpg

Looks like its a Mahogany veneer on to solid Mahogany backing.
You will never match to 100% the look of that aged cheap Jam finish that has crazed and cracked. Best job would be repair lost and lose veneers and then strip and re polish.
Your going to need a curved convex caul to press the new veneers on. Easy to make. It wont repair well without one . One fast way is to shape a piece of wood and use a rubber sandwich to press it on . Another very good/ best way is to rough out a concave form and use a skin of wood filler on the wood under a sheet of plastic or wood and filler in a plastic bag to take the form. let it set in place and you have a perfect form for pressing.

Rob

What about a vacuum bag?

Originally Posted by Woodwork123

What about a vacuum bag?

Not as easy to use on this small area of repairs as the curved pressing caul / block but vacuum pressing is a good thing.

What glue would you recommend? I'm interested in hide glue because it's reversible and seems very tolerant of errors. What do you think of Titebond's "Genuine" Hide Glue?

Originally Posted by auscab

Another very good/ best way is to rough out a concave form and use a skin of wood filler on the wood under a sheet of plastic or wood and filler in a plastic bag to take the form. let it set in place and you have a perfect form for pressing.

I've had success using this method with builder's bog. Lay glad wrap on the original and spread some of the bog onto it. Load an appropriately shaped timber 'carrier' with bog too. Press them together. Uses a lot of bog, but it's quick and accurate. It makes very accurate sanding blocks too.