Piallaccio Decoflex

Attributes and Applications: Decoflex is a real wood veneer that is glued to a special paper backing sheet; thereafter, the fibres are broken along the parallel in such a way that these breaks cannot be seen on the veneer surface. This gives the material an extremely high flexibility along the direction of the fibres and makes it very suitable for work on rounded shapes that would not have been able to be veneered beforehand (minimum radius is about 5 mm). The stiffness at right angles to the fibre of the veneer remains unchanged through this process, as does its resistance to splintering.

Apart from its use on the curved surfaces of diverse materials (see “Treatment” below) Decoflex is great for use on flat surfaces as well. The best argument for Decoflex veneer being use on flat surfaces is the time and cost savings that are realized because it can be worked with much faster and more efficiently than the classic veneers. On top of being used as veneer, Decoflex can also be applied as a “pure” material (i.e. on its own). Examples include as a book cover, for model making purposes, for producing jewellery and accessories (e.g. place mats) and much more.

The backing of Decoflex is made out of special brown paper whose tones are selected by the manufacturer to approximately match the colour of the veneer (e.g. chamois for maple, dark brown for walnut). The glue between the veneer and the paper corresponds to the E1 norm (ecologically safe) and is waterproof. Decoflex is nonetheless not suitable for outdoor use.

Veneer creating cutting techniques: All veneers are cut from a log. Picturing the work being done with a very broad chisel will make it easier to imagine the cutting process. The pattern on the surface of the veneer is primarily determined by the cutting technique used. Our veneers are cut in the following ways:

Quarter slicing: The log is cut in such a way that the veneer will have a design that looks like almost perfectly parallel lines running the distance. This regularity is a result of making a perpendicular cut through the annual growth rings.

Plain slicing: The design on the veneer is much more irregular than with quarter slicing. You must imagine a log that has been cut lengthwise – the veneer sheet is then cut parallel to the original lengthwise cut, i.e. in comparison to the quarter slice, a cutting angle that is turned 90 degrees. This produces what is called a “cathedral grain” pattern.

Rotary cut: This cut is pretty clear just from the name: the cutter essentially peels off a layer around the outside of the log whereby you can theoretically make the largest pieces of veneer because you can just keep on turning the log till the end – the cut is no longer limited by the diameter of the log. The resulting patterns are irregular and wavy.

Treatment: Decoflex can be glued to the most diverse surfaces. The choice of glue depends primarily on the carrier material chosen. If you are working without a veneer press, the manufacturer recommends the use of high quality contact adhesives (e.g. PATTEX). If the Decoflex is being applied with a press, normal PVA glues (e.g. PONAL EXPRESS) or formaldehyde glue can be used. In both cases the manufacturer recommends that you not be sparing with the glue.

If the glue is being applied with a GLUE SCRAPER instead of a spray gun you must be sure that the glue is applied to the two surfaces at an angle of 90 degrees to each other. Before the veneer is placed on the carrier material the external areas should be covered with paper or cardboard so that the Decoflex can subsequently be forcefully pressed down upon and smoothed out from the middle outwards during which time the paper is removed little by little.

Be sure when doing this work to follow the instructions provided by the glue and/or varnish manufacturers. The glues and varnishes used cannot contain any incompatible substances. The manufacturer also recommends that the Decoflex veneer, the glue, the carrier material and any other working materials be stored in the same room in order to avoid bubbles or cracks in the veneer developing. After the gluing you should wait 4 or 5 days before applying any varnish so that the glue has enough time to dry completely.

Despite the sanding already done at the factory (120 and 150 grit), if you want to achieve a perfect finish you must sand the surface with fine grit again before applying any varnish. Never use a water-soluble varnish; solvent-based varnish is always required.