Wood Veneer Coffee Table

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“Genius is eternal patience.”

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475 – 1564)…Sculptor, painter, architect, poet, engineer.

This wood veneer coffee table was made and sent to us by an Italian woodworker and craftsman Vincenzo who lives in Sicily. The woods used to create this beautiful piece of furniture are ash, walnut, olive, and chestnut. Vincenzo chose a quality grade plywood as a choice for the substrate to which the veneer was laminated.

Vincenzo created a terrific design for his wood veneer coffee table. The central feature design is one of simple elegance which includes a defining inlay banding which contains a cross pattern of parquetry.

The shopmade wood veneers are all dimensioned to an even thickness. Typically, this can done by using a power planer and also by using a drum sander.

The parquetry pattern for the coffee table feature design is first laid out on the plywood substrate. Each wood veneer segment is then precisely fit to match the pencil layout. Notice how the woodworker, Vincenzo uses a dial caliper, sandpaper, and masking tape in this veneering operation. The dial caliper is used to to measure the fit needed. The sandpaper helps to fine tune the joinery. Finally, the masking tape holds the joinery in place.

The entire wood veneer pattern evolves from the center and expands outwardly. The veneer segments of the parquetry pattern is glued in place once a good fit is obtained.

In this picture we can see how Vincenzo secures the fit of the miter joints for the walnut border as they are being glued. Scrap blocks serve as clamps in this case as finish nails are tacked through the blocks and into the plywood substrate.

Olive wood borders are prepared for fitting.

A parquetry pattern is obtained for the featured design. Vincenzo reveals some of the woodworking tools he employs to get excellent fitting joinery. He uses a razor knife and a sharp pencil for marking the wood veneer. Then he uses a Japanese dozuki saw to make the precise cut. Any fine tuning of the fit can then be performed with the sandpaper.

The wood tones and grain pattern of the olive wood provides a nice contrast to the walnut. This photo reveals the completed feature design. Again, the woodworker has secured the border during glue-up by tacking finish nails through scrap blocks and into the plywood substrate.

(Notice the grain direction of the contrasting woods that comprise the parquetry pattern.)

This photo shows Vincenzo’s completed design for his coffee table. The furniture piece now includes bookmatched wood veneer, another walnut border, a walnut accent piece at each miter joint, and also a mitered moulding which conceals the edge of the plywood substrate.

Shellac is Vincenzo’s choice for finish and he has buffed it out for a great appearance.

Notice how the curved legs adds a distinctive and graceful  flair to this well designed table.

Congratulations my friend, Vincenzo for designing and creating this beautiful, wood veneered coffee table for his house. Also, I would like to personally thank Vincenzo for sharing his inspired furniture plan and woodworking techniques with us.

View “A Sicilian Walnut Table with Decorative Wood Inlay Banding” that Vincenzo created.

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