Domestic, Exotic, & Burl Flexible Wood Veneer Made in the USA.
Domestic, Exotic, & Burl Flexible Wood Veneer Made in the USA.
Bring exceptional natural character to your next woodworking project with French Burl veneer sheets from Oakwood Veneer Company.
French Burl is a highly figured selection of Mappa Burl, sourced from the European Black Poplar tree (Populus nigra). It is known for its beautiful two-tone coloring, tightly clustered burl patterns, swirling grain, and distinctive pillow-like figure.
With its combination of light cream and tan wood tones and rich brown burl patterns, French Burl is an excellent choice when you want the wood itself to become a focal point.
French Burl adds distinctive character to projects ranging from fine furniture to decorative architectural features.
Common applications include:
Fine Furniture: Create beautiful tabletops, desks, cabinets, and decorative furniture accents.
Cabinetry & Refacing: Add rich natural grain to cabinet doors, drawer fronts, and other properly prepared surfaces.
Architectural Millwork: Enhance reception desks, feature walls, and decorative interior elements.
Furniture Restoration: Restore or refresh existing furniture with genuine figured wood veneer.
Specialty Woodworking: Bring distinctive burl patterns to decorative boxes, inlays, and custom woodworking projects.
Because French Burl is genuine wood, every sheet has its own combination of color, grain, and figure. These natural variations give each project a distinctive appearance.
French Burl is part of the Mappa Burl family, but it is selected for its particularly decorative grain patterns.
While other Mappa Burl selections may feature more open, flowing grain, French Burl is known for its concentrated burl clusters, strong color contrast, and unusual pillow-like figure.
These characteristics make French Burl especially appealing for furniture and decorative surfaces where a bold, natural wood pattern is desired.
For other figure selections, explore our Mappa Burl Veneer Sheets in High, Medium, and Low Figure.
Unlike rigid veneer panels, flexible French Burl veneer sheets are designed to be applied to a suitable substrate.
Choosing the appropriate backing is important because different materials have different flexibility, adhesive, and installation requirements.
Oakwood Veneer Company offers several backing options across its wood veneer products.
| Backing Option | Best Applications | Installation Method |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Mil Paper Backer | Furniture, cabinetry, and architectural panel faces | Press application only |
| Bubble-Free Veneer (BFV) | Cabinets, furniture, and architectural surfaces | Hand scraping or press |
| 3M™ PSA (Peel & Stick) | Cabinet refacing and furniture resurfacing | Pre-applied adhesive; hand scraping |
| Phenolic Backed | Counter fronts and applications involving difficult substrates | Press or hand scraping |
| Wood-on-Wood (WOW) | Certain curved panels and solid-stave woodworking projects | Press or hand scraping |
Each backing has its own adhesive requirements, finished thickness, and minimum bending radius.
For detailed specifications and installation recommendations, consult the Backer Selection Matrix Guide available on our individual product pages.
Backing availability may vary depending on the selected product, size, and quality options.
Our French Burl Wood Veneer Sheets are available with selectable quality, size, and backing options.
The best combination depends on your project's dimensions, surface preparation, and installation method.
If you're working on a larger installation, need multiple sheets with a similar appearance, or have particular sizing requirements, we recommend contacting our team before ordering.
French Burl veneer is supplied unfinished, allowing you to select a stain, sealer, or protective finish that complements your project. We recommend testing your finish on a sample first to see how it affects the wood's natural color and grain.
If your project requires veneer-faced panels rather than flexible sheets, explore our French Burl Veneer Panels.
Our panels offer another way to incorporate French Burl's distinctive grain into furniture, cabinetry, and custom woodworking.
Not sure which sheet size, quality, or backing is best for your project?
Call 800-426-6018 or email info@oakwoodveneer.com.
Our team is happy to help you review available options and choose the right material for your project.
