The top though is either veneer or laminate which leaves me puzzled as to how to refinish it.
Veneer or laminate how to tell.
If you see any discolouration from water stains or faded spots in areas with a lot of light then you re standing on hardwood.
If you re sanding and it s just turning a white filmy color i m guessing it s laminate.
People can easily differentiate between furniture made up of laminate or veneer by the appearance of the wood grain.
Wood veneers give the impression of a more desired quality wood without being as costly.
Laminate in this case refers to a layer of man made material applied to a substrate.
Owing to origin and manufacturing process it s understable why veneer is more expensive than both melamine and laminate.
Examine the side of a door or along an exposed edge anywhere on the cabinet.
A sure way to recognize wood laminate is when the grain does not follow through your piece.
Difference between veneer laminate we often get confused while choosing the finishes for our house furniture.
Wood veneeris a sheet or thin layer of quality natural hardwood that is adhered to a lesser quality wood surface.
Still actually it is made up of plastic and the composition of other materials.
Furniture made up of laminate is usually polished to make it look like real wood.
A veneer on the other hand is usually wide enough to cover the entire area.
The majority of the desk seems to be wood i can feel the grain though it is fairly light and cheap feeling.
It s almost impossible to tell you whether you have laminate or veneer without being able to look at it myself.
It s in rough shape and i would love to refinish it.
This video lists the difference between venee.
The color is also specific to the type of tree but can be stained to achieve non natural colors.
But if it feels like you re sanding down.
If it s solid wood the grain pattern wraps around corners and edges and matches on the front and back of the door.
It allows designs and arrangements of the wood that are not possible with solid wood or laminates.
Most laminates have a protective layer so the flooring won t wear that much.
2 look for dents.
Side grain patterns on solid wood are elongated running parallel with the edge.
It typically doesn t display these lines and if it does they may be as much as 24 inches apart.