Swirl Veneer, the Special Veneer with Beautiful Look

Swirl veneer is the veneer that is taken from the wood part around the crotch or knot. It is a special veneer, which is quite popular in the woodworking industry. Swirl veneer has nice and special pattern of grain look. Its grain pattern and character is very similar to crotch veneer but with less “flame effect." Swirl veneer is most used together with crotch veneer to make a special look at the wood product. Sometimes the swirl veneer is used to replace the crotch veneer. Although it is less costly and comparatively more stable, it shares a similar pattern with the crotch veneer. The crotch veneer is premium veneer; it has very strong patterns, a very bright base color, and a strong "flame effect," but it is very brittle, fragile, and expensive. People who use the crotch often have to face the problem with the crack and rupture veneer. Meanwhile, the swirl has a very similar grain pattern to the crotch, but he is relatively more stable and flexible. Many woodworkers prefer to use the swirl to make the "crotch appearance," but with less problem and price. 

swirl veneer

How to manage the swirl veneer. 

Although the swirl veneer is relatively more stable than the crotch, it is not really safe, and the veneer is still at risk for rupture or crack. The proper handling and process is needed to avoid the risk of rupture and wrinkling problems. 

Here are some tips to handle and manage the swirl veneer. 

• Use the proper thickness veneer. 

For wood panels, it is recommended to use the veneer with a thickness of about 0.4 mm. Too-thin layer veneer is highly risky to get cracks and shrinkage in the lamination. The veneer panel will need good sanding, which is quite difficult to be done with to thin veneer. Veneers that are thin have a higher risk for getting into trouble, but too thick veneer will be expensive and create more difficulty in the laminating process

• Use conditioner veneer. 

The veneer conditioner is the solution that works to soften the veneer. It will help to lay down the veneer at the core and make the lamination better. To view more about the sizing process, you can go to our previous post: veneer conditioner.

• Use the sizing process. 

The swirl veneer still has high risk for cracking and rupturing problems. To minimize the crack problem, we still need the sizing process. To find out more about the sizing process, you can go to our previous post: glue sizing in the wood finishing.

• Use the proper finish. 

To enhance his special beauty, the veneer needs the proper finishing. The transparent color finish is the proper choice for this veneer. Avoid too-thick stain application since it may block and reduce the beauty and character of the grain. The antique finishing or clean-looking finishing can be generated, but the thin or light stain is recommended. We can do highlights at the stain and glaze step to enhance its grain pattern. The hand pad can also be applied to give a more life appearance to the finish. 

Swirl veneer for inlay panel