Slightly OT - Price of veneered table versus laminated

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gedc

355 posts

Ultimate Geek

#251318 18-Jun-2019 23:32

Finalising a new kitchen build with a standalone kitchen designer. Fair bit of engineered stone around the cabinet tops and a stone/ wooden table combo in the middle with bar seats around. The table part is mdf sandwiched together with a melamine or veneer finish. Got the melamime sample and the good lady didn't like the thin black lines you get between each laminated face so we asked for a quote for veneer. The melamime price was about $2k which I thought was on the higher side but then again, most kitchen cabinetry etc isn't cheap.

The veneered price from 2 different joinery firms was approx $8k. Yes. That wasn't a typo. We are talking 8K for mdf and a very thin wood finish. Is that realistic and I'm miles out or is there some mystic art of applying veneer to an mdf substrate that demands brain surgeon skills and hourly rates?

Thanks for any feedback on experiences with this stuff.

Bung

6397 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#2260617 19-Jun-2019 06:58

Are you talking white melamine vs some unspecified timber veneer? If so the white would be cheap to them as they use so much of it. The timber would depend on the veneer. The timber veneer also need finishing. If the difference in price is that much I'd be looking at examples you run across and seeing if the joint line really is that objectionable.

shk292

2842 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2260663 19-Jun-2019 08:48

How about using solid timber as an alternative? Timber salvage places can have some very nice pieces - a few years ago I bought a large slab of kauri for a project that looked amazing once it had been skimmed to correct thickness, sanded and varnished

gedc

355 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2260672 19-Jun-2019 09:03

Thanks folks. To answer a few questions. The laminate / melamime was pretty close in color to American White Oak. The veneer would be the real stuff. Have asked for a solid wood build price as well - again american white oak - as that ( according to the joiners) will likely be a good chunk cheaper than doing the veneer. It appears the cost is not in the materials as I thought it would be but in the labour for the veneer and finishing. The only issue I have with solid wood is movement / humidity changes etc as the stone top will be integrated into it. Basically half of the table top will be routed out about 20mm to allow for an engineered stone slab to be glued on which provides a 3m long flat feature bench in the middle of the kitchen.

mclean

581 posts

Ultimate Geek

Subscriber

#2260712 19-Jun-2019 09:56

Over a 3m length even white oak is going to move relative to stone, so the timber/stone joint needs to be carefully detailed to accommodate that. An MDF substrate will be more stable but if there's water around then securing the joint is critical. If you're not 100% sure of the joint and you think it might get wet then I'd go for solid timber.