When flexible paper-backed wood veneer was first introduced, most installers treated it as if it were plastic laminate, and applied it to the substrate, or surface, with contact cement. That was the tried and true method, so that’s what they did. Unfortunately, when treated like plastic laminate, paper back wood veneers often bubble or crack. Not a desirable result.
For years, experts tried to explain the problem. One theory was that the stain interacted with the glue or adhesive. That made sense. Another theory was that the wood veneer laminate had not acclimated to the installation environment, meaning that it was too cold, too dry, or possibly too humid, leading to the problem.
Eventually, new flexible sheet veneers, with wood-on-wood back, two-ply and three-ply back, laminate back, and the unique “bubble-free” back, came onto the market. While most flexible wood veneers at that time had been 5 mil or 10 mil in thickness, the new sheet veneers were as thick as 22 mil. The backers in these flexible wood veneer sheets act as a moisture barrier, preventing the stain from reacting to the adhesive. The bubbles and cracks? Gone.
If using 5-mil or 10-mil paper back wood veneer is your only option, make use of hard glue rather than contact cement. “Hard glues” include urea formaldehyde, white or yellow PVA (wood glue) or epoxy. Hard glues work best with a vacuum press or with a cold or hot press. There is no chance of bubbles or cracks when applying flexible wood veneer with these methods. The vacuum press is best for uneven surfaces. The hot and cold presses are best with flat surface adhesions. If you must use contact cement instead of hard glue, then opt for the bubble-free veneer or other two-ply or laminate back flexible wood veneer for best results.
If you’re worried about bubbles or cracks when installing flexible wood veneer, then stop treating the wood veneer like a piece of plastic laminate. Wood and plastic are very different materials. For a flat surface, make use of a hot or cold press. For uneven surfaces, use a vacuum press. Always use a “hard glue” when applying wood veneer with a press of any kind. If a press is not an option, use a contact cement for an instant bond with either the flexible, yet stable, 22 mil bubble-free wood veneer or other two-ply or three-ply flexible and laminate-back wood veneer varieties. Bubbles and cracks will become a thing of the past.
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