Oak veneer in the kitchen: warm, timeless and stable

Veneer is a thin layer of real wood on a stable core. You get the grain and warmth of solid oak, without the cabinet doors moving with every change in humidity. That is why I often choose it for kitchens that need to stay beautiful for years.

What exactly is veneer?

A veneer sheet is usually less than a millimetre thick. It is glued onto MDF or plywood and then lacquered or oiled. The result is lighter and more stable than solid wood, and one tree trunk yields much more surface.

Choosing the cut

The cut determines the pattern. Crown-cut oak shows the familiar flames; quarter-sawn wood is calmer and more linear. In Project ST we used crown-cut oak with a band-saw pattern: subtle grooves that catch the light.

Choose the pattern based on the whole room, not on a ten-by-ten sample.

Combining it with ceramic

• Ceramic worktops are heat-resistant and scratch-resistant.
• A matt finish keeps the whole warm next to the wood.
• Let the grain of the veneer run across the fronts.

Not sure which materials to choose? In a first meeting I lay samples side by side in the light of your own home.