Take a Fresh Look at Veneer and Elevate Your Woodworking Talents

Wood veneer has a public relations problem. Once considered a tradition of woodworking craftsmanship, it’s now perceived as something to avoid. To some, working with veneer is too messy and complicated. For others, it evokes cheap materials and shoddy craftsmanship. This is unfortunate, because upon a closer look, veneering is an accessible and versatile technique that offers stunning design opportunities. Veneering Essentials by professional woodworker and veneer instructor Steve Der-Garabedian is an invitation to discover just how straightforward, creative, and satisfying the process of veneering can be for today’s woodworker. Covering all the materials and instructions needed to complete a handful of projects, Veneering Essentials shines a new light on a storied technique that can elevate the talents of a woodworker to an entirely new level.

As a cash strapped teenager, making a wooden box as a gift for his mother started Steven Der-Garabedian on a lifelong journey of working wood. While that first box had more screws, nails, and glue than wood, he slowly picked up skills by reading books, magazines, and watching Norm Abram on “The New Yankee Workshop.” Later inspired by one of James Krenov’s books, he found his way to Rosewood Studio and discovered several key points. The first was learning what sharp really meant and the second was that veneering and bending wood opened up almost endless possibilities. It was also during his time at Rosewood that Steve was bitten by the teaching bug and its many rewards. Today he writes, teaches and takes on a few commissions all through his own Black Walnut Studio.

Steve Der-Garabedian's profile page

“Steve is a talented craftsman and instructor… Enjoy his book and prepare to learn all about veneering.”—Vic Tesolin, woodworker & author of The Minimalist Woodworker