Wood Veneer Matching Part 2

Slip Match

While the most common way to match wood veneer tiles or leaves to make up a veneer sheet is book matching, there are alternative ways that can produce either slightly or dramatically different appearances.  Slip matching is not quite as common as book matching, but is still a widely used technique in creating a wood veneer sheet.  In slip matching, the leaves are placed in sequence but every other leaf is not flipped over as in book matching.  The result is a repeating grain pattern for each leaf but the grain does not match at each joint.  This technique will greatly reduce the "barber pole" effect found in book matching.  Slip matching is very commonly used when the wood veneers are quarter cut or rift cut which yields a very straight grain pattern.



Random Match

Yet another matching method to produce wood veneer sheets is called "random match".  In this case, the veneer leaves are randomly selected from a variety of wood logs.  Random matching produces a rather unique and rustic appearance as a conscious effort is made to mismatch the grain at each joint.  Typically, rotary cut veneers are used as the grain pattern in rotary is typically very bold and difficult to match.

Balance Match

Balance matching is an added characteristic in the creation of a wood veneer sheet.  Balance matching requires that the veneer tiles in the sheet are all of uniform width.  There can be either an even or odd number of leaves, which means the pattern may end on one edge.  Other than the way the pieces end on one edge, the sheet is basically symmetrical.

Center Balance Match

Center balance match is a step up from balance matching and is considered the premium way to match tiles in a sheet of hardwood veneer.  Just as in balance match, the leaves are required to be of equal size but there is always an even number of tiles in the sheet.  This results is a seam in the center of the panel and an almost perfect symmetry of the pattern.  Center balance matching is the most labor intensive form of matching and is highly preferred in the production of doors due to it's symmetry.

As illustrated in these examples, wood veneer sheets offer many different faces beyond the differing species alone. The appearance of a wood project can be influenced by the technique used in assembling the tiles of the panel.  Through a greater understanding of these varying methods of matching, woodworkers are able to achieve the exact look they imagined when completing their carefully contsructed work of art.

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