Hi guys, any carpentry sifus can give suggestions on what to use to protect and seal a wood veneer surface? I want to retain the natural colour as much a possible and not make it darker. I asked a few carpenters but all they use (they say lah) is shellac?

I tested one and even the lightest shellac they use makes it a tone darker.




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Wood veneer is not hardwood, hence the treatment could be different from normal wood. They are sheets which is laminated on top of other wood.

What do you want to protect it from - water? Termites? Scratches? This would decide what you can use to protect it ...e.g. linseed oil, water based protection, natural oils, wax, etc

All of the above? It's going to be used as door panels in my kitchen.

Where to buy wood oil to maintain rain tree wood slab?

I know what you need to achieve. But to achieve what you want, you need to understand the thing you trying to protect. Wood veneer is is merely a layer of thin wood. It is not solid wood. Veneers are already treated with water-resistant properties.

If you want to further protect it, I would recommend a thin coat (or maybe 2, max) of lacquer.

Forget shellac. These are coloring from the lac bug found on trees. You will never get a consistent color from 2 different bottles. Imagine your cabinet have different tone of color... yucks.

Oil, or namely mineral oil is not a permanent protection. It has to be reapplies every few months 3-4 months. You sayang the cabinet now coz it is new. You rajin go oil it now. I see you still rajin after 1 year or not laaa. Anyway, mineral oil is for use to protect such end-grain cutting board.

You can refer to this site for the different types of wood protection. Some of these brands can be purchase at Houz Depot, Kota Damansara or some decent hardware stores

https://www.ewarehouse.atkc.com.my/paint/wood-care

Linseed Oil is a bit challenging to find in Malaysia.

Wood itself is a very difficult thing to retain it as original form for the long time. When is dry, is getting lighter colour, when wet is become darker, so when you apply something, that must make the wood become darker, usually they will use lacquer, but that still will make wood become darker.

If you really like that original colour, maybe you can think of give up veneer and using High Pressure Laminate with that colour. Anyway, still not sure what you going to do for that veneer.

Hey lawrencesha, thanks for the response. Yeah, I understand the veneer is just a thin layer. When I get it straight from the supplier it doesn't look as if it has any treatment done to it though, that's why I wanted to apply another layer of protection. Will lacquer give it a matt finish?

Hey thanks bigred, will check these out! Yeah, I tried looking for linseed oil before also, can't find it...

This post has been edited by subaiku: Jun 19 2017, 11:43 AM

Hi Eleganz, thanks for thanks suggestion, but I specifically want to stay away from laminates, that's why I chose veneers.

you dont need to put a coat over wood veneers nor have I heard of people doing so because they usually have a protective coat already when supplied - but each to his own right? soo...

1. when ever you use any oil coating the colour will change - no getting around it.
2. Ace hardware store and ikea has some of these oils like boiled linseed/teak oil for sale.
3. Tung oil sold by some craft shop in Klang Valley area but super difficult to use - takes about 3 months to properly dry - also expensive. www.multifilla.com ; shop.craftiviti.com

If its veneer, why need to add an additional layer of protection? Should already have something applied from the factory, its not raw timber.

Maybe you can try to paint it with polyurethane?
Its a type of coating that has both shiny or matt look.
ACE hardware got sell Minwax brand poly but damn expensive. There are many local equivalent but I only know PYE brand, ATKC has many other brand but you need go so some testing tho.

not shellac...

but use clear varnish type...

something like this

A real timber Veneers as kitchen cabinet door panel? I suggest you don't use it if the panel is yet to fabricate. Cause it is way to easy to get scratches.

For rain tree wood, what kind of oil is good to prevent cracks?

Cracks are usually due to fluctation of heat and cold continuously or impact from other objects.

Don't think any oil will help to prevent cracks.

How can I prevent more cracks on the surface?

1. Got picture? How bad is bad?

2. Where is it located? Indoor / Outdoor?

3. Where is it being used? Dining table, coffee table, countertop, side table?

Hey thanks for the further recommendation guys, I think the polyutherane is what I'm looking for...


You might be right, just that to my layman's eyes, doesn't seem to have any coating. Thanks anyways.