How to Cut Wood Veneer

Adding a good wood veneer to an existing piece of furniture is an excellent and inexpensive way of sprucing up an item as well as changing its look, feel, texture and perceived value. Cutting wood veneer is relatively easy, provided that you follow just a few simple rules.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• T-square or tri-square
• Craft knife
• Scrap board for a cutting surface

1. Choose the right-sized craft knife (such as a number 11 X-acto blade) to cut the veneer. Most modern wood veneer is only 1/32 inch thick, so it is easily cut with a craft knife. Lay your veneer on a cutting surface that can be scratched since you will be cutting through your veneer and into the surface beneath it.

2. Carefully mark where you want the veneer cut, being slightly generous in your measurements since it is generally best to cut your veneer just slightly too large and then trim it to the precise size after it is glued in place.

3. Lay your T-square or tri-square on your veneer so that your knife blade will cut just outside of your marked line.When cutting with the grain, be especially careful to keep your knife firmly against your T- or tri-square since variations in grain and density of the veneer tend to pull the blade away from your square.When cutting across the grain of your veneer, make cuts from both edges, cutting toward the middle of your piece of veneer. This prevents chipping along the edge of your piece.

Tips & Warnings

• Be certain to start cuts at the edges and cut toward the middle of your veneer when cutting across the grain of your veneer. This is not necessary when cutting with the grain.
• Be especially careful that your knife blade is not pulled away from the edge of your square when cutting with the grain of your veneer.