Veneer vs. Solid Wood

Some of our products are made from solid wood, others from veneer, some from a combination of the two. Which is better? There is no one answer to this question as it all depends upon the application, style, selection of wood, and the details within the design. Furniture builders have used combinations of both solid wood and veneer to create some of the finest museum pieces we have today. Some of our most famous furniture makers, Chippendale, Hepplewhite, Goddard, Townsend, and many others built pieces we see in museums and influenced our furniture designs we see today. All used combinations of solid wood and veneer to achieve the desired results in the pieces they were working on at the time.

Veneer gave furniture makers options in design that were not possible with solid wood. A starburst pattern in a table, a contrasting detail around a table-top, and intricate grain patterns on cabinet fronts all were made possible because of veneer. In the late 18th century, veneer became so popular that it was used to cover construction defects in mass production of furniture of marginal quality. This gave veneer, itself, an image of lesser quality that it has yet to live down.

Both veneer and solid wood still have applications today, especially when it comes to some of the exotic woods. It would not be practical to build many large furniture pieces of exotic wood, not only due to cost but due to construction techniques. Some exotic woods do not glue well, others swell and shrink excessively with changing environmental conditions. Burls have limited structural strength due to their ever-changing grain orientation. In these cases, veneer allows for beautiful designs using these woods where otherwise it would be impractical.

Cost also becomes a significant factor in solid wood versus veneer. With our limited availability of many hardwoods and exotic woods, the cost of some of these woods makes them impractical to use in solid form. For example, some ebony hardwood is now quoted in dollars per ounce. To achieve cost effective results, veneer can be applied at a lower cost than solid wood without sacrificing quality of construction. In some cases, the end result is a better piece because the wood chosen for the unseen structure is better suited for this purpose than if exotic wood had been used in solid form.

TechStyle continues with the same philosophy of these famed furniture makers; create a fine wood product for a reasonable price without sacrificing in design or structural integrity. That’s why you’ll find some of our products in solid wood and some in veneer. We offer solid wood computer mice and keyboard frames because our manufacturing methods allow them to be produced at a reasonable cost. Some are inlaid with veneer to create unique design details not possible with solid wood. We also offer some of these same pieces in a veneer design at an even lower price because of the savings in manufacturing costs.

While solid wood LCD screen encasements and solid wood keyboards with wooden keys are available, TechStyle has chosen not to manufacture these products. While the cost of the wood is not a major factor in the final price, the manufacturing of small quantities and special orders results in higher prices, so we have elected not to offer such products. Some of our customers have requested such items and we have redirected them to one of our competitors. Their products use only solid wood and are of the highest quality available.

Just like in “Miracle on 42nd Street” if we don’t have exactly what you’re looking for, we will send you to our competitor. It’s your satisfaction that we pride most.

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