Skip to main content

Rotary peeled vs. Sawn Faced veneers


Most veneers used for engineered hardwood flooring are either rotary peeled or sawn faced. In this article I will cover these two types of veneers and attempt to explain the differences. There are other types of veneers available for hardwood flooring; however these two are the most common.

Rotary peeled veneers are peeled from the log starting from the outside working toward the center (Similar to peeling an onion). The logs are first boiled, then peeled and pressed flat to make the veneers. The rotary peel method is the least expensive and is more prone to face checking and other problems. Face checking is when the finish starts to crack from stress within the veneer. The look of rotary peeled floors tends to resemble the look of plywood. Most of the woods flooring manufacturers in the United States use the rotary peel method.

Sawn face veneers are sawn across the log just as a solid hardwood is. It has the same visual appearance, is more dimensionally stable and less prone to face checking or other inherent problems associated with rotary peeled veneers. The Sawn face engineered hardwood is more expensive than the rotary peeled floor, however it is worth the money.

The method of cutting the hardwood veneer could be the single most important aspect of any engineered hardwood floor and should be considered. If you have any further questions you can leave a comment or send me an email at cooperjm68@yahoo.com
Thanks
The Floor Man

Comments

  1. OSr GroupMay 13, 2014 at 10:36 PM

    Any way I'll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon.A fantastic presentation. Very open and informative.You have beautifully presented your thought in this blog post.

    Veneer Manufacturer in India, flush door Manufacturer in India


    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Solid Vs. Engineered Hardwood. Which is better?

In this article I will cover the difference between engineered and solid wood flooring. I often get asked; is engineered hardwood actually real wood? The answer to that question is: Yes! There are some who think that engineered wood is inferior to its solid counterpart. Solid wood has its benefits, however it is not necessarily better than engineered. Actually, the opposite just may be true. Engineered hardwood has a cross-plywood construction, with a solid wood veneer laminated to the top. Solid hardwood is just that, solid. Both styles range in thickness from 5/16 to 3/4 inch. Both types of floors come prefinished or unfinished and come in a variety of widths and styles. There are several benefits to engineered hardwood. Here are just a few. Engineered hardwood is more dimensionally stable than solid wood flooring. Engineered floors can be glued down directly to concrete, floated or stapled. They can be installed above, on, or below grade. Engineered floors are less prone to cupping
33 comments
Read more

Urethane vs. Acrylic adhesives

If you are about to install engineered hardwood using the glue down method, I recommend that you read this article. One of the most important factors when installing engineered hardwood is the adhesive. Using the proper adhesive is critical to a successful installation. In this article I will briefly cover the differences between Acrylic and Urethane based adhesives. Let me start with acrylic adhesives. Acrylic adhesives are resin based and contain a certain percentage of water in them. The main problem with resin based adhesives, is the lack of tensile strength. In order for Acrylic adhesives to perform at their optimal level, the sub-floor needs to be well prepared and extremely flat. If the sub-floor is not level and flat and you choose to use an acrylic adhesive, I guarantee you will have hollow spots once the job is complete. Hollow spots are areas in which the wood floor is not adhered properly to the substrate. This problem is common and can be recognized by a popping or hollow
2 comments
Read more

Hardwax Oil vs. Urethane Finishes

In the early to mid 1980's,  a new type of urethane fini sh entered the market; water-base urethane was the new craze. With the entrance of water-base into the market-place, contractors quickly began to realize its value. The new water-base finishes added extra durability, dried much faster than its counterpart, and reduced the amount of labor hours. Prior to urethane finishes, hardwood floors were often sealed with multiple layers of shellac (lacquer was also popular); contractors would apply a coat of hot wax, which acted as a protective barrier. Finally, contractors would then polish the floor; finishing it up. Now, almost after a half of a century, the new craze is here; "Hardwax Oil".  Made from waxes and oils, such as carnauba and parrafin wax, and natural oils, such as sunflower and linseed. Hardwax Oil is quickly gaining favor in the hardwood finish industry. So, the question is, which is better. Urethane or Hardwax Oil? The following material will compare the tw
10 comments
Read more