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Build Your Own Vacuum Press

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How to Tape a Veneer Seam
Methods for taping veneers together before the panel goes into the vacuum press

The first step of the veneer joinery process is to cut the edges of the veneers straight and clean using a handheld veneer saw and straight edge board. Once completed, you can move on to taping the joints. There are two common ways to use veneer tape. We'll start with the traditional method and then move on the easier modern method.

Part 2a: The Traditional Veneer Taping Method


Some of the Items You'll Need When Taping Veneer Edges Together

3 Hole Veneer Tape
Veneer
Tape

 

Seam Taping
Kraft-paper veneer tape is used to keep the veneer edges tight while inside the press. The beauty of this type of veneer tape is that it shrink as it dries. This shrinking action helps to hold the seam together while in the press. There are a variety of veneer tapes available. The most common veneer tape is 3/4" wide.

These tapes are available in a solid version and versions with 2, 3, or more holes. The solid tape is suitable for thick and unruly veneers that require a bit more strength to maintain a tight joint. The easiest veneer tapes to use are those which are perforated with 3 holes. Three hole tape allows the user to see the seam under the tape which allows for adjusting/tightening of the seam before the tape dries. Additionally, this type of tape is thinner and will not create a thick buildup if multiple pieces of tape are used for making complex joints. And three hole tape can be used on the glue side (as opposed to the face side) of the veneer if necessary.

Before you begin taping the seam, make sure the edges are clean and true. This is typically done using a veneer saw and a straight-edge board.

Most veneers are smooth on both sides so technically speaking, there is no back or front side. The "back" of the veneer is which ever side you choose to be glued to the substrate.

  1. Mark the "back" side of the veneer as shown in figure 1. There are two markings on each sheet. The first is the blue tape indicating that this is the back of the veneer. The second marking is light chalk indicating which two edges are to be taped together. Blue painter's tape is available at your local hardware store in the paint aisle. You can find a stretchable version of it on our website. Our tape is even better than regular painter's tape due to its elasticity.

  2. Align the two veneers that are to be joined so that the grain patterns of each are visually pleasing. Carefully pull the two veneers together tightly and place small pieces of blue tape across the seam as shown in figure 2. Remember, the blue tape goes on the back of the veneer. The tape can be stretched a bit so use that to your advantage.

    If the veneer is being stubborn and does not lay flat across the whole length of the seam, place a strip of blue tape longitudinally on seam as shown in figure 3.

  3. Next, flip the lay up over so that face side is on top. Tear off a few small "cross strips" of 3-hole veneer tape. These will be placed perpendicular to the veneer joint about 3-4" apart on the face side of the veneer. To activate veneer tape, simply slide a piece of it along a very wet sponge or wad of paper towels (figure 4).

    Remember... the adhesive is on the shiny side of the tape. Be careful that you don't saturate the tape with water. Excess water on the veneer tape will cause the adhesive in the tape to bleed into the wood fibers and that can create issues with the project's stain and top coat.

  4. Roll the veneer tape smooth with a seam roller (figure 5).

  5. Place a piece of veneer tape along the entire length of the joint. Lay a piece of dry paper towel on the seam line and firmly smooth out this last piece of veneer tape with the seaming tool (figure 6). The paper towel will absorb any excess water in the veneer tape. By doing this, you'll prevent the veneer from absorbing the water which might cause it to get swollen and ripple up.

  6. Let the assembled veneers sit for 10 minutes so that the veneer tape can set up. Then carefully flip the veneers over and remove the blue tape by pulling at a low angle and 45° away from the direction that the tape is attached, as shown here.


Quick Note: Since veneer tape shrinks as it dries, it will pull the joint tight when the water has evaporated. It can help to place a scrap board along the length of the seam and place a weight on top of that. This prevents the veneer edges from stacking on top of each other as the tape pulls the seam together. Leave the seam under the weight for at least a half-hour.

Before the veneer is placed in the press, check the seam for any areas that do not fit together correctly. If the veneer has rippled up a bit, the seam may look bad. Check to see if the veneers have truly separated by pressing down the veneer where it is rippled. Usually, you can press the veneer flat with your fingers and see the seam go back together. If it does, you are in luck because the pressure in the vacuum press will force the veneer flat and once again, the seam will come together.

  


1: Mark the back side


2: Blue tape across the seam


3: Blue tape along the seam


4: Prepare the kraft tape



5: Roll it out


6: Final rolling


7: A perfect seam line


8: Ready for the press

Removing the Tape
The tape can be removed after the veneered panel has been removed from the vacuum press. For standard cold press glue, it is a good idea to wait a few hours before doing this. This will give the adhesive time to fully cure outside the vacuum bag. If the veneer was adhered with a PPR glue, the tape can be removed immediately after pressing since the adhesive curing takes place inside the bag.

There are two options for veneer tape removal.

  1. Since the tape is thin, it can be sanded off. A cabinet scraper tool can also be used to remove veneer tape. In either case, wait until the panel is completely dry to avoid the risk of smearing the adhesive from the veneer tape onto and into the veneer.

  2. A better method is to lightly re-moisten the tape with a sponge or paper towel, let it soak in for about a minute, and then peel the tape off the panel. If it doesn't peel off easily, allow the tape to stay moistened longer. Some adhesive from the tape may remain on the veneer. Let it dry first and carefully sand it off.

  • After the tape is removed, you can wipe down the area with denatured alcohol to remove any residual tape adhesive. Be sure to let the panel thoroughly dry before sanding it. Otherwise, any remaining adhesive will gum up the surrounding veneer when you sand the panel.

  • Some woods have a tendency to develop dark spots from excess moisture around the veneer taped areas. This can be prevented in most cases by using distilled water to moisten the veneer tape for application.

  • Though it is uncommon, lightened areas can occur when veneer tape is removed. This is usually caused by the veneer tape because it blocks UV light (from the sun or even fluorescent lighting) which normally causes veneer to darken. This can be prevented by covering the veneered panel with a blanket or piece of cardboard until the veneer tape is removed.

  • When you are finished with the veneer tape, you can prevent it from unrolling from the spool by lightly dampening the loose end and sticking it back onto the roll.

Part 2b: The Modern Veneer Taping Method

The elastic tape offered on our website can also be used on the veneer face to keep seams tight. Traditional water-activated paper tape is not needed with this joinery method. Simply place it across the veneer joint. The force of the tape's "pull" is adjusted by stretching it more or less. It is very easy to apply and remove.

Use the same technique as described above to set the tape, but apply it to the face of the veneer instead of the back side. After the panel has been pressed, carefully remove the tape at an angle as shown below.

Removing Blue Tape

This process works on almost all species, but it's always a good idea to test on scrap materials first. Since this is a PSA tape, removal is more difficult if the panels are clamped with excessive pressure. For vacuum pressing, 21" Hg of vacuum is typically recommended.

Here is a picture of a multi-piece layup done entirely without traditional kraft-paper veneer tape.