Expert: Eileen Cronk - 10/1/2007

Question
Hi Eileen,
I recently purchased an antique tiger oak veneer side table that happened to match my existing dining set perfectly. The top of this table is in need of some T.L.C.,with the veneer cracked and curling at a few spots. There are also a few very small areas where the veneer has chipped off over time and is missing. I don't really want to spend alot of $ in repair and would like to do the project myslf. I know all the joints will need to be reglued, but I'm not sure how to handle the  missing / cracked veneer problem. Is there a way to reglue portions of the veneer strips without having to risk taking all the veneer off?

Thanks in advance for the help,
Kevin  

Answer
Hi Kevin
Nice to hear from you.
Fixing veneer can be tricky, but as you say you want to make the repairs yourself.
I think you can do this as the damage does not sound severe.
First step is to reglue any curled pieces.
Before gluing though, think carefully of how you will hold the veneer down while the glue is drying.
Clamps and clamping blocks if possible, or if its an area where a clamp just can't be placed, you will need to get some weight.
And I mean weight. Books just won't cut it. Bricks or concrete blocks will.
Before gluing, gently push down the curled areas to make sure they will fit back in place. Funny enough they often will not as the veneer expands after it lifts. If its expanded, careful trimming with a sharp utility knife is needed.
Next is the gluing.Use a good carpenters glue.
The key to gluing veneer is the area must be completely covered in glue or the veneer will not stick properly.
I use a thin blade knife to force the glue under the veneer, but you may have a better way. Just make sure its all covered.
After gluing, place some paper towels over the area to collect any glue squeeze, then apply the clamping blocks (simply pieces of wood to protect the oak veneer from marking) then the weights or clamps.
Leave to dry 24 hours.
Remove clamps. The paper towel will be stuck to the wood, but when you strip the piece which I'm sure you will, this will come off.
Now if you have glued all the joints, and the loose veneer is secured, the stripping can begin.
After stripping and before any stain is applied is the time to fix the tiny chips and cracks.
Use dark color wood filler for this.
One coat, a gentle sand, another coat and a final smooth sand. Thats it. Your ready to stain and finish.
Hope this helps
Good Luck and great question
Regards
Eileen