Tales – Poet

Wood Veneer: an Advantageous Material or just a Cheap Alternative?

Stories, passion, and fine craftsmanship are at the heart of Nordic Tales. All of our designs honor these qualities but with a clever construction made possible by wood veneer, our handcrafted Poet Desk has a distinct focus on solid craftsmanship.

Wood veneer is thin strips of wood that have been peeled or sliced out of tree trunks and joined into wood panels. Originally, wood veneer was used to cover up less valuable woods with a thin facing layer of more expensive woods. Consequently, veneer is often unjustly associated with cheaper products – but most people do not know that producing quality veneer is a quite demanding craft: All components, all of the graining, has to be puzzled together – and regrettably not all joiners are able to achieve a result that does the material justice.

Advantages of Wood Veneer

By using veneer instead of massive wood, you get a product with an even structure and color, obtained by joining many thin strips of wood – but first and foremost the use of veneer reduces the weight significantly. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Without the low density of the veneer, we could not have produced our Poet Desk – a desk with an exceptionally thin desktop that gives the design a sleek finish. Read more about the design process here.

Maintenance

Contrary to massive wood which is a living material, veneer is a stable material that does not change due to humidity and temperature. In other words, you avoid most tensions in the wood by using veneer – but the static nature of veneer requires a gentle treatment. To protect the surface, avoid abrasive detergent and scouring pads – these will scratch the veneer and give it a dull expression. Just remove dirt and fingerprints by dusting your Poet Desk or other veneer items with a slightly damp cloth in the direction of the grains and wipe it off with a dry one. If your desk becomes really dirty, clean it with a mild detergent formulated for wood furniture before wiping it with a damp cloth.

The final result: A maintainable product in an advantageous, lightweight material that is so much more than just a cheap alternative to massive wood.