29 May 2025

Wood or veneer – does anyone else make the difference?

Natural wood versus veneer – similar from a distance, different up close

At first glance, the difference may seem small. A beautiful grain, a warm colour, a minimalist shape – a piece of furniture made of veneer and one made of solid wood can look very similar. But if you ask: Are they the same? – the answer is: No.

Solid wood is an authentic, durable and living material. Veneer is just a visual copy of it – a thin layer of wood glued to a furniture panel. It can look good, often even better than solid wood – wide “planks”, beautiful grain, no knots. But in the long run, it’s worth opting for solid wood – veneer can crack, it can dent, especially if it’s made on an inferior board, and it can’t be refinished.

At Szyszka Design we work exclusively with solid wood – because we believe that it has a value that cannot be falsified.

See the solid wood table collection

What is the difference between wood and veneer?

Veneer:

is a thin piece of natural wood (or imitation wood) that is glued to MDF or chipboard,
looks aesthetically pleasing, but is not suitable for intensive use,
It is difficult to restore, sand down or repair them,
it flakes off more frequently, becomes cracked, loses its appearance.

Solid wood:

is a completely natural material – a board that was part of a tree,
has its own weight, its own texture and its own odour,
changes over time, but can be regenerated,
Every piece of furniture is unique – no two tops or fronts are the same.

👉 Get to know the Lino RTV wardrobe – made of solid wood, unmistakable.

How do you recognise the difference between solid wood and veneer?

The easiest way is to look at the edges of the furniture:

If the grain looks the same on both sides, it is veneer,
If you can recognise a different grain on the different sides (on two sides that are perpendicular to each other), this is a sign that it is real, solid wood.

It is often the edges that reveal what we are dealing with – it is worth taking a closer look at them.

What about laminated worktops?

Cross-laminated worktops are becoming increasingly popular as they offer better dimensional stability and reduce the risk of cracks caused by woodworking. This is a good solution – provided the entire core is made of solid wood.

Care should be taken with products where the inside of the top (i.e. the layers underneath the top) is made of furniture board or cheap wood species such as pine. Such a construction significantly reduces the durability of the furniture – even though it may look elegant from the outside, there is a greater risk of surface damage due to the soft core.

At Szyszka Design, we manufacture furniture exclusively from solid wood, thus combining the stability of the construction with the authenticity of the material.