How to Veneer a Giant Table Top

Measure the width and length of the tabletop. If the table has a curved edge, do not deduct any inches from your measurement to allow for curvature. Extend your tape measure beyond the curve, as if the table had straight edges. Add 20 percent to your measurements and purchase enough veneer sheets to accommodate the adjusted measurements.

Remove the tabletop and put it on a sturdy work table. Clamp the tabletop to the work table to keep it from moving while you work. Use a wide butt chisel to remove any existing veneer, if you are re-veneering the tabletop.

Use a spackling knife to fill any holes or gouges with wood putty, according to manufacturer’s directions, and allow to dry. Sand the entire tabletop with course-grade sandpaper, being sure to remove any remnants of old veneer or glue.

Spread the veneer sheets onto the tabletop to layout the design and “face” for the tabletop. Position the sheets so the grains align as you want them to appear. For example, you can create what is called a “book match” look by taking two sheets and turning them so their front sides face each other, like a book. Then, open the sheets and lay them on the tabletop surface. When you open the sheets, the grains will align and match. Butt the edges against each other and adjust as needed to get the grains to match. Or, you can go for a random pattern and line the edges of the veneer sheets as you wish. You can even cut the sheets in varying widths for a creative tabletop look.

Take a pencil and trace an outline to serve as a cutting guide for the edges for each sheet once you settle on your design. Use a table saw and fine tooth, carbide-tipped blade to cut the veneer sheets, but leave a 1-inch safety border. You will trim the final edges after the sheets are glued and dried. Put a piece of plywood on top of the veneer to hold it steady as you make your cuts.

Tape the sheets in position with short strips of veneer tape. Run the strips horizontally, taping the right edge of one sheet to the left edge of the sheet next to it. You are not taping the sheet to the tabletop, only taping the edges of the veneer sheets.

Work on one sheet at a time to apply the contact cement. Lift the sheet up and apply the glue to the tabletop surface. Lower the sheet onto the surface and press it down with your hands. Follow with a hard rubber roller, applying pressure as you roll, so the veneer sheet bonds with the tabletop surface. Allow the contact cement to cure according to the manufacturer’s directions. Once the contact cement has sufficiently cured, use a veneer saw to trim the edges of the tabletop to complete your project.