Sliced veneer vs. peeled veneer

Many people have asked what is the difference between VENDIA marine plank and normal plywood. We will introduce more detailed the differences and features of VENDIA and normal plywood in a separate posting, but today we are introducing the differences in making the veneers. 

The both, VENDIA and normal plywood are made of veneer but the most significant difference is the way how the veneer is cut. VENDIA marine plank is made of sliced veneers whereas plywood is made of peeled veneers. What is the difference between sliced veneer and peeled veneer then?

Photo: hrzn.net

Sliced veneer is made by shaving veneer sheets from the log. By slicing, the grain pattern will remain natural. Also the veneer surface remains unbroken and it doesn’t include small micro-cracks such as in veneer made by peeling. The features of sliced veneer are better than peeled veneer, and therefore it is often used for more demanding purposes. The appearance of the veneer depends on the cutting direction. The face veneers of quarter cut VENDIA marine plank are sliced radially and face veneers of crown cut VENDIA are sliced tangentially. Appearance of radially sliced veneer is straighter and more regular than tangentially sliced veneer.

Surface of the sliced veneer remains unbroken.

Surface of the peeled veneer includes small cracks.

Peeling is cost-effective method to make veneers. When peeling, the log is rotating against a stationary blade. This method produces continuous “rug” of veneer. The veneer is curved and it has to be flattened before using, at the same time causing small micro-cracks on the surface of the veneer. This weakens the longevity and life of the veneer. Also the finishing is more difficult than in sliced veneer. The blade slices through growth rings and then the appearance of the veneer is not so natural than in sliced veneer.

Crown cut VENDIA marine plank.

Quarter cut VENDIA marine plank.

The most significant disadvantages of peeled veneer for boatbuilding are the small micro-cracks. The small micro-cracks of peeled veneer expose the plywood panel to decay fungi. As a result the paint or varnish can be damaged over the time. These small cracks allow also the water absorption to the traditional marine plywood. The most important advantages of sliced veneer for VENDIA marine plank are the beautiful and natural appearance and longevity.