Getting rid of veneer seams and edges

Question:

What is the best way to get rid of veneer seams? More specifically, I’m planning to veneer and edge band a tabletop. How do you hide the seam that is created when the top veneer meets the edging?

Will sanding hide the seam enough so the top looks like a solid piece of wood? Or should I get veneer tape?

Any advice on the best method will be appreciated – Thanks.

Answer:

Seams or edge joints are a simple fact of using veneer, however, in most cases they will not stand out or look unsightly. The proper way to veneer a top such as what you’re doing would be to edgeband first then veneer the top and bottom. By doing this you will change the orientation of the seam so that it is seen from the side view rather than from the top view.

Once the veneer is applied, light sanding will help soften the edge and make your edge joint less conspicuous. [2006]

Oakwood Veneer Tech Support