What is Eveneer?

Eveneer is a range of sliced, real wood veneers made from Alpi wood*.
Eveneer is even in colour and pattern and free from the splits, knots , holes and discolouration found in conventional timber veneers.
Suitable for use on wall panelling, joinery, furniture, doors, floors, etc.

Advantages

• Supplied in standard sheet sizes for better yield.
• More suited to modern furniture manufacturing processes.
• Handled, joined and laid more easily than conventional veneers.
• Free from the splits, knots, holes and discolouration found in conventional veneers.
• Even in colour and pattern eliminating the need for progressive numbering to sequence match panels.
• Considerable saving of time, materials and labour.
• Future additions more easily matched, damaged panels more easily replaced.

*rotary peeled timber that is colour enhanced, reformed to a square log and then re-sliced into rectangular veneer sheets, made by the world’s leading manufacturer of reconstructed veneer, Alpi, in Italy from Poplar grown in agricultural plantations and timbers grown in sustained yield forests.

Square log ready for slicing Eveneer

Q&A

The following are some of the questions we are frequently asked. Though if you would like specific information relating to your project or would like one of our sales representatives to contact you please call the ELTON Group office from anywhere within Australia on 1300 133 481

Is Eveneer made from real wood?
Yes, it is made from veneers of natural wood and preserves all the typical characteristics of natural wood: its main advantages compared to natural wood are surface homogeneity, more even colouring and standard dimensions. The process of creating Eveneer comprises an initial peeling followed by slicing, that is why it is known as reconstructed, reconstituted, recon or recut.

Can Eveneer be finished using the traditional polishing systems used for other types of wood?
Yes it can, without causing any significant changes.

Does Eveneer require special polish?
No it doesn’t. It only requires a polish with high wetting power and good resistance to yellowing which has already been designed for deep pore wood or light-coloured wood such as maple and birch. Please note that the use of good UV absorbers in the topcoat increases the resistance of finished products to light.

Can Eveneer be finished with water-based polishes?
Yes it can, without causing any problems, but bear in mind that specific hardwood emulsion must be used, since this wood usually has a slightly acid reaction.

Is Eveneer as resistant to working environment exposure as the main natural wood species?
When used for internal cabinetry and finished using the correct quantity of polish with the aforementioned characteristics, the answer is Yes. Obviously, the quantity of polish applied and the polishing methods used produce substantial qualitative differences in terms of strength, abrasion, permeability, etc.

Standard Dimensions


Lengths: 2500 / 2800 / 3150mm (+ overtrim)
Width: 640mm +/- 20mm

Nominal Thickness


0.55mm (tolerance +/ 0.08mm)

Moisture Content


8% – 12%

Specific Weight


Depending on the base wood used varies from 450 – 650kg/m3 with 12% moisture content

Glues


Urea glues have been used in the manufacturing process, Elton Group suggests that normal OH&S timber veneer use practices are used when using Eveneer.

Fire Rating

Eveneer veneers achieve Group 3 when pressed onto MRMDF board according to Specification A2.4 of the Building Code of Australia, BCA C1.10a Fire Hazard Properties, Wall and Ceiling Linings/Coverings.

Samples were tested in accordance with AS/NZS 3837:1998 Method of Test for Heat and Smoke Release Rates for materials and Products using an Oxygen Consumption Calorimeter.

Manufacturing

Peeling
The logs selected are rotary peeled into thin sheets with a peeling machine and then cut into the sizes required for the manufacturing process.

Rotary peeling the veneer

Toning
The core of this process is in the toning of the sheets to obtain the required shades of colour. Thanks to the constant research on wood toning carried out by the manufacturer, toning systems based only on water cycles have been developed.
Wood sheets are impregnated by immersion into steel tanks at controlled temperatures with the addition of soluble colours made of an organic structure and therefore without chrome or other heavy metals.

Drying
During the retoning process, moisture reaches 100%. Through the drying of the retoned veneer sheets in hot air dryers, the excess moisture is eliminated. After coming out of the drying tunnel, retoned veneer sheets undergo a further quality selection.

Veneer blocks prior to pressing

Composition
According to the wood species to be reproduced or the selected design, the retoned veneers are mixed, superimposed with the same fibre direction and piled up for pressing.

Gluing
The pack of sheets is then put into a gluing roller that spreads some glue on each sheet.
The gluing operation serves two important functions: it transforms the pack of sheets into a monolith and determines particular patterns according to the colour of glue used.

Pressing
The block of glued sheets is put into a flat press or presses with particular moulds according to the design to be obtained.
The different moulds determine the crown and/or burl designs.
At the end of this stage we get a compact rectangular block a few metres long and about 700mm wide and high.

Slicing
The compact rectangular block is squared and sanded before being sliced or sawn to obtain veneers or boards.

Final Control
Every sheet undergoes accurate quality controls and, if necessary, is repaired by experts using cabinet making techniques.

Quantities


Please contact us when your project requires large quantities of veneer so that we can work with you to ensure stock availability.

Panel Stability


To prevent your veneered panels from warping or bowing, they are backed with a timber veneer of similar thickness and strength (balancing veneer). For surfaces that will not be seen any colour veneer may be used, this is known as Good One Side (g1s) with BAMO back (back at manufacturer’s option). If the surface is sometimes seen, for example the back of a cupboard door it is better to opt for Good One Side (g1s) with a colour matched back. If both surfaces will be visible the face veneer should be used both sides, good two sides (g2s).

Lengths


Eveneer veneers are available in 2500mm, 2800mm or 3100mm lengths, please refer to the individual item for it’s length. If longer lengths are required it is necessary to specify whether the veneer is to be joined end to end or perhaps the veneer would be better run in a different direction and joined side to side. If joined end to end the joint will be obvious so should be dealt with as a design feature and may be best book-matched, but when joined side to side the joint is virtually invisible. The direction of the veneer grain should be indicated on your drawings.

Matching + Joining


The method used to slice veneer results in a tight (smooth) side and a loose (rough) side. Eveneer should be pressed with the tight side to the panel, so that the loose side is sanded back towards the tighter/ smoother grain. It is generally recommended that Eveneer sheets be slip matched (joined side by side), however, if you are using a burl pattern, e.g. Coco-Burl, to simulate the look of natural burls, it is recommended to cut the sheets down into halves or thirds and book-match the sheets to achieve a symmetrical effect (one piece tight side down, the next, tight side up).

Colours


Eveneer ‘logs’ produce approximately 1000 leaves of veneer. Within these logs the variation is minimal, however, as with fabric, carpets, etc, logs from different colour batches can vary in colour by up to 10% due to natural variations in the timbers, their absorption of the dyes and different dye batches. Different coating systems can also change the finished colour of the veneer. In large or lengthy projects it is important to manage the integration of a new log into the fit-out to avoid noticeable variations, e.g. do not use veneer from 2 different logs in the same section of wall panelling.

Crowns


Most Eveneer veneers exhibit a straight (also known as quartered) grain, while some have a pattern known as crown. In conventional veneers, the crown is caused by the tapering shape of the tree and in Eveneer this pattern is replicated in the manufacturing process. Our pattern diagrams give an indication of the full leaf pattern. Please indicate on your drawings direction of the grain and how you would like your crowns to appear on the finished joinery item. It is possible to change both the direction and spacing of the crowns, if the application requires, in which case you should discuss the layout of the veneer with your joiner.

Pattern Diagrams

Edging


Matching veneer edging is available for Eveneer products in 0.5mm and 1.5mm thickness.

Reaction to light


All timbers change colour over time when subjected to direct and indirect light, both natural and artificial. In addition, heat and humidity will accelerate the ageing process and finished colour may also be affected by such things as staining, polish, excessive heat in panel production and reaction to glues and other chemicals. Some timber colours change more than others. To minimise this change we recommend the use of a toner in the finishing system as well as sufficient amounts of UV inhibitor in each coat of polish at a percentage recommended by your qualified polisher. However, we stress that no timber products or finishes will withstand prolonged exposure to light without exhibiting some change over time, therefore, we do not recommend the use of Eveneer in areas subject to high light exposure.

Finishing

Veneered surfaces require finishing to protect them from marking and the effects of humidity and light. There are many finishes available from Oils and Waxes through to Acid Catalysed, Polyurethane, Acrylic Modified Polyurethane, and Polyester. The finish you use will generally be determined by the appearance and/or hardness required. Your cabinet maker or polish supplier should be consulted on the product most suitable for your application. Some important points to discuss with your polisher.

Isolator Layer
We recommend the application of a polyurethane isolator layer to separate the salts and tannins in the timber from any chemical reactions with the polish.

Choking
Eveneer is an open pored timber and can be finished to achieve either an open pore or closed pore (smooth) look. For a closed pore look the finish should be described as fully choked.

Gloss Level
As a general guide: matt can be described as 0 = 10% gloss level, low sheen 10 = 25%, satin 25 = 50%, semi-gloss 50 = 80% and high gloss 80 = 100%. (Source: Master Painters Institute).

Yellowing
Some polyurethanes are more yellow than others and may also become more yellow with age. To minimise this, we recommend the use of non-yellowing finishes. To date, the clearest finish available is acrylic modified polyurethane.

UV Protection
It is recommended that Eveneer be finished with a polish that includes suitable quantities of UV inhibitors or absorbers in each coat of polish.

Appearance
It is important to note that the colour of the timber will be changed by the application of a finish. The best way to determine the potential colour change on a piece of raw veneer is to moisten the surface with a damp cloth.

Staining/Toning
The colour of Eveneer can be changed to achieve a specific colour and/or to improve its light fastness. For larger changes in colour, staining is the preferred method. After sanding, an oil-based, wiping or penetrating stain is applied by hand, prior to polishing. For small changes in colour, toning may be used. Toning is achieved by adding colour to the first (closest to the timber) coats of polish. Finally, it is important for you to arrange for a polished sample of the veneer specified, indicative of the final finish, to be provided by the cabinet maker responsible for the project. It is recommended that you also run fabrication tests to determine the potential for colour change.

Specification

We have prepared a sample short form specification to help you specify Eveneer timber veneer. Please highlight and copy and paste the relevant details into your specification sheet. You can add other clauses as appropriate.
*delete as applicable.

Our commitment

Wood is one of our few renewable resources and those of us in the forest products industry have a responsibility to ensure protection and wise utilisation of the forests so that they will be available for future generations.
Elton Group is committed to supplying wood veneers in accordance with advanced environmental standards for forests, water utilisation and raw material utilisation.
All of our veneers are sourced from woods harvested in accordance with the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) International Trade Agreement.

Elton Group is FSC® certified (Forest Stewardship Council®) FSC Licence Code FSC-C020940. The FSC label indicates that the wood used in the production of veneer wood originates from sustainably managed forests according to strict environmental, social and economic standards and other controlled sources.

Another important milestone we have reached in forest management is attainment of OLB certification (Origine et Legalité du Bois OLB-CERT-090501) testifying to the legality and the traceability of forestry operations and industrial wood processing in Cameroon. OLB certification means we can assure our customers of compliance with regulations relating to forestry management, environment, hygiene, health, safety at work, taxation, employment contracts, procurement and export of wood; we also provide certification of the timber’s geographical origin and its traceability to primary processing. 

Office operations reduce paper use, we reuse or recycle all packaging and we maintain 800 acres of natural Australian forest in the Otway Ranges, Victoria for the protection of flora and fauna.

Raw materials

Harvesting of logs is designed to protect the environment and regenerate the species used.

Poplar
Poplar has been cultivated for decades in Italy using agricultural methods. The Italian plantation poplar, populus sp. euro-americana, is grown in high rainfall areas, mainly in the Pandania Plain, Northern Italy, as a crop alternative to corn, rice or soya. Trees are harvested every 10 – 12 years. The plantations are SGS (Societe Generale de Surveillance) certified for environmental sustainability. SGS founded in 1878 are the world’s leading independent environmental inspection, verification, testing and certification company.

Ayous
These veneers come from a single specie of tree and are not purchased on the open market but are sourced from the manufacturer. The Cameroon forest concessions are operated under a strict and detailed forest management plan in accordance, with Cameroon forestry regulation (Law No. 94/01– decree 95/531) designed to achieve maximum sustainability and the lowest environmental impact. The total volume of wood harvested is never greater than the wood volume regrowth in the same area.

In April 2009 the forestry and wood processing operations were awarded OLB certification.

Adhesives
The adhesive used in the manufacturing process is a special formula of low formaldehyde urea resin.

Dyes
Dyes are water based aniline, similar to those used in textiles with no organic thinners, chrome, heavy metals or chlorines. These dyes meet the strict German law of Aromatic Amine, Faberstoffeverboliste, DTD July 27, 1994.

Formaldehyde


Our veneer has European E1 certification = formaldehyde emission of less than 0.1ppm (according to European Norm EN 717-1) or less than 2.5mg/m2 per hour (according to European Norm EN 717-2). WFI and CATAS certificates can be downloaded from our website. E0 is also available subject to quantity and lead time. Birdseye and burl patterns may have emissions more than 3.5mg/m2 per hour due to more adhesive being used in the process. We suggest that normal OH&S timber veneer use practices are followed when using this product.

Operations

The manufacture of Eveneer is committed to pollution free processing with an operational policy in line with the strictest European Ecological Regulations. The health and safety of the work place is protected through state of the art wood-dust suction systems, purification systems for the water used in the dyeing process as well as environmental systems for the disposal of solvents from the plants. Innovative manufacturing assures maximum product yield and all wood scraps generated during the process are utilised.

Rotary peeling the logs for maximum yield

Terms and Conditions
Elton Group – Terms and Conditions of Sale

General Information
Info-Eveneer

Material Safety Data Sheet
Eveneer-MSDS

Technical Data Sheet
Eveneer-TDS

Fire Test on standard MRMDF
Eveneer Fire Certificate – Group 3 DEC 2016

FSC Certification
FSCcertificate – Elton Group Pty Ltd 001908 V3.0