APPLICATION GUIDELINES
FOR PAPER-BACKED, 2-PLY AND 3-PLY SHEET VENEER PRODUCTS

Preparation
Materials should be properly conditioned before they are used. The standard recommendation is that both the veneer and substrate should be stored in the same environment for 5 days to ensure their moisture content is in equilibrium. Extreme temperature/humidity fluctuations will affect both the veneer and substrate. High humidity levels will cause veneer to expand/buckle, while extremely dry conditions will cause veneer to shrink. Both the veneer and substrate should be free of paint, grease, dirt, dust, oil, or any other foreign matter. Substrate surfaces must be sanded with 80 grit sandpaper and entire area dusted clean. Good bonds depend upon smooth, clean, dry surfaces.

Glues/Adhesives and Bonding

Veneer Pressing Methods
To ensure intimate contact necessary for an adequate bond, sufficient pressure should be applied over the entire area using as much pressure as possible without damaging the veneer. If available and applicable to  your project vacuum bag presses and platen presses work very well. Our Monster Bond Powdered Urea Resin glue is highly recommended as the adhesive to use when working with all veneer type presses.

Contact Cement Method
If the above options are not available use a high quality contact cement and fiber knife or veneer scraper to bond your veneer. Solvent based adhesives work best with veneer products. Water based products should be avoided when possible. The adhesive should be applied uniformly to both the substrate and veneer. 100% glue coverage is recommended. This is especially critical to the edges and areas where veneer sheets butt together. Any areas void of glue adhesive can bubble. If the substrate is porous and absorbs adhesive, a second coat is required. The veneer back should be coated also. Follow the glue manufacturer's recommendation on open time before bonding the veneer to the substrate.

Applying the Contact Cement
Both veneer and substrate should coated with contact cement, we recommend two coats on each surface, especially when working with very porous substrate materials. Use solvent based contact cement only. Using water based products immediately raises moisture content and can cause de-lamination. Too little, too much, or uneven distribution of glue can cause de-lamination. Bonding before adhesive solvent has evaporated or after open time has expired can cause de-lamination.  Contact cement is NOT recommended for use on sheet rock or drywall.

Separators Because contact cement does not allow you to re-position the sheet (when it touches the substrate it grabs on contact) make sure you have a good supply of dowels or wood strips to use as separator between the veneer sheet and substrate. The separators need to completely cover the area coated with contact adhesive.

Pressing With the Scraper Tool
A veneer scraper is used to ensure that intimate contact necessary for an adequate bond is achieved. Sufficient pressure should be applied over the entire area using as much pressure as possible without damaging the veneer and the veneer scraper is the best tool for this operation. This tool should not be confused in any manner with a conventional scraper or other scraping tools that are commonly used to remove glue or wood from surfaces, this is a completely different tool. Always work in the same direction as the grain of the veneer. The edges should always be scraped twice. A standard "J" roller is not recommended due to the low pressure exerted with them.

Veneer Scraper	Start in the center of the veneer sheet and work out towards the edge of the sheet.

Keep in mind the open time is affected by humidity and temperature. Adhesives which contain higher solid contents perform better. Adhesives should always be stirred or agitated before use. This is particularly necessary with large containers. See manufacturer's recommendations.

Alternatively FSV Veneer Adhesive is a great environmentally friendly alternative to contact cement.  If choosing FSV Adhesive, do not use instructions below, instead please read the FSV Features and Application Guide for application instructions.

Finishing
Our veneers are real wood and once applied, can be stained sealed and finished. The adhesive should dry a minimum of 48 hours before finishing. A good practice is to apply a light first coat, this will seal the wood pores and fibers so that the chance of additional coats penetrating through to the glue line will  not occur.  We do not recommend using penetrating finishes such as natural oils. High grade petroleum based top coat finishes such as urethanes and acrylic based lacquers reduce the risk of veneer checking. These finishes provide a good moisture barrier. Always seal the back of panels if raw or unsealed. Follow the recommendations of the finish manufacturer.  

Note: Our veneers cannot be left un-finished, at the least you must apply some type of finish to seal the wood surface in order to protect the veneer from spills, dirt, dust, moisture/humidity and abrasion. If not properly finished, real wood veneers will check and crack and most likely will not be able to be repaired.  The only exception is our Pre-Finished PSA Veneers, no stain or finish should be applied over these veneers.

If you require more detailed information on Application, Fabrication and Installation, please contact us.

For additional source of reference contact the National Electrical Manufacturers Association and request their Laminate Standards Publication LD 3-1995 at:

1300 N 17th Street, Suite 1847
Rosslyn, Virginia 22209
703-841-3200

Limited Warranty

Seller warrants merchandise to be free from defects in material and workmanship. Customer assumes all responsibility and liability for use and results of materials purchased under this agreement. Seller makes no other warranty, expressed or implied, except as stated herein. Seller's liability under this warranty is limited to the purchase price of material and/or merchandise proved defective. No credit or claim for material returned to Seller will be allowed until such return has had prior written approval. Terms for return of merchandise will be stated when written approval is sent. Seller will not accept any claims for adjustment under its warranty or any requests for return of material after ninety (90) days following shipment of such material.