Thread: Veneering help

What do you mean by tear outs? Are there holes right through where the timber is missing? A thick piece of veneer with pieces removed but holes not going all the way through? Something else?

Is the veneer flat or bumpy or warped?

A picture of the problem may help.

I will try and get some close-ups done of the problem.

A few photo's of the problem with my veneer, it is the same as when a piece of timber is put through a planer against the grain..

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They look very yummy and natural as is. Why do you want to fill them?

Just make sure your substrate has a dark stain over it and it wont matter.

Its always been one of my bug bears that woodies are so obsessed in filling natural cracks, holes and defects in timber. Go Au-natural... its the best way.

Andersonec, I don't know if you have you have a product , we know as Timber mate , it's a water based wood filler , I thin it to make it into a spreadable paste . It's made in all colours , pick the nearest colour that matches your wood,scrape it over the veneer , let it dry and sand to get a smooth finish, if necessary touch up any holes with full strength filler.
hope this helps your problem NF.

I'm with Lignum. Leave it alone.

If you must fill though, in my opinion fill clear with casting resin or epoxy. Adding coloured filler to burl is too complicated and the results often draw attention away from the burl and onto the filler.

We have grain filler here but you can only get it in 'natural' which dries grey, 'pine' (ish) and 'teak' you can add dyes but it all gets a bit expensive and complicated, The question was that as it's a small box lid and everything else has to be crisp (joints etc) would these defects subtract from the overall finish? I was worrying about filling as it is a small piece, and was dubious as to whether the filler would show more than the defects, seems like that would be the case, I just wanted some second opinions from people who know. I think I will try the natural look and if I can't live with it I'll give it to the mother-in-law. Thanks fellas.

I probably wouldn't worry about them unless they go through to the substrate.
You could use epoxy adhesive, tinted to the same tone as the veneer, but a little darker. It will come through to the surface if the tear-out comes right through, and you can then scrape and sand the excess off. It will finish with the same sheen as the wood.

Sorry Lignum, I am obssed with filling to 'water-smooth' !
I would either get veneer that does not have the tearout or would go ahead and finish it with clear coat and then use shellack sticks (color matched of course) and then another couple coats of clear.
Shellack sticks and the soldering iron type applicator have saved me in the past.