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How it's made

From log to leaf, in nine steps.

Every leaf of veneer starts as a log. This is the whole way, step by step.

  1. 01

    Preparation

    As soon as the logs arrive, they are kept at the right humidity: soaked in ponds of water, or sprayed, as each one needs.

  2. 02

    Debarking

    The bark is peeled off evenly, with great care that the log itself is not damaged.

  3. 03

    Cooking

    For an even slice, the logs stay fully submerged in steamers at 80 to 100 °C for 18 to 72 hours, and are cut within an hour of coming out.

  4. Logs beside the steamers, steam rising
    03 · Cooking: logs beside the steamers
  5. 04

    Slicing

    With the pressure and the knife bar set to an accuracy of 0.1 mm, a slicer or a peeling machine takes thin leaves from the log, while a heating system draws off the moisture it releases. Flat, quarter and rotary cuts give different veneers.

  6. 05

    Drying

    The still-damp leaves pass through a jet dryer, which dries them and flattens them at the same time.

  7. 06

    Quality check

    An expert looks over the veneers and grades them against strict quality standards.

  8. Bundles of veneer leaves on the factory floor
    Leaves, bundled
  9. 07

    Clipping

    The leaves are clipped into clean rectangles, and the glue machine bonds their edges.

  10. 08

    Splicing

    Leaves are matched to one another under heat and pressure, so the face is consistent from edge to edge.

  11. 09

    Packing

    Finally the veneers are measured, labelled with their length and width, wrapped in protective polythene and readied for the road.

  12. A sheet of veneer leaning on a stack
    A finished sheet
See the veneersSee the ply