My Veneer Dunk Experiment
Alright, so I decided to try out this thing folks are calling a “veneer dunk”. Heard about it, seemed like an interesting way to work with veneer, maybe make it more bendy or something. So, I figured, why not give it a go on a small project?
Getting Ready
First off, I gathered my stuff. Had some leftover paper-backed veneer from another job. Oak, I think. Nothing fancy. Needed something to dunk it in. Found an old plastic storage bin in the shed, cleaned it out real good. Big enough to lay the veneer sheet flat, mostly.
Then, the dunking liquid. Just used plain ol’ water from the tap. Some people talk about fancy mixes, but I wanted to keep it simple for the first try. Filled the bin maybe halfway, enough to cover the veneer sheet completely.
Doing the Dunk
Okay, moment of truth. Took a sheet of the veneer. Carefully, slid it into the water. It kinda wanted to curl up and float, so I put a small, clean rock on it just to keep it submerged. Didn’t want to soak it forever, just enough to make it less brittle. I checked it after about, say, 30 minutes? Pulled a corner up. It felt softer, more like damp cloth than stiff wood. Good enough for me.
Putting it Down
Pulled the whole sheet out carefully. Water dripped everywhere, so had a towel handy. Laid it flat on my workbench for a second to let the excess run off. The surface I was applying it to was just a piece of scrap plywood I’d sanded smooth.
Applied my usual contact cement to both the back of the damp veneer (yeah, right onto the damp backer) and the plywood surface. Let that tack up like normal. This felt weird, putting glue on damp stuff, but hey, it’s an experiment.
Then, carefully positioned the floppy veneer onto the plywood. Starting from one edge, I used a J-roller, the kind you use for laminate, and worked my way across. Put a good amount of pressure on it, trying to squeeze out any trapped water or air bubbles. Worked from the center outwards.
The Wait and See
Once it was rolled down good and flat, I needed to keep pressure on it while it dried completely. Grabbed another piece of flat plywood, put it on top, and then piled on whatever heavy stuff I had lying around – old paint cans, some bricks. Left it like that overnight.
How it Turned Out
Next morning, took all the weight off. Peeled back the top board. Well, whaddya know? It stuck. And it stuck flat! The veneer felt dry and solid. Trimmed the edges with a sharp knife, gave it a light sanding.
Honestly, it worked better than I expected. The veneer definitely felt easier to handle when wet, less chance of cracking, especially if you had a slight curve to deal with. Not sure I’d use it for everything, but for tricky pieces? Yeah, I can see the potential. It was a pretty straightforward process, really. Dunk, glue, press, wait. Done.
