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What We Do
Designers often gravitate toward wood because it softens modern interiors and brings an organic warmth to spaces filled with glass, concrete and steel. Yet sourcing high‑quality wooden surfaces can be confusing. Should you buy solid lumber or veneer? How do you translate board‑foot pricing into square‑foot coverage? And what does it cost to commission a bespoke table or headboard?
At Portland Veneer Studio, we use shop‑sawn veneer—veneers sliced from solid boards in our own shop—to produce furniture, headboards and panels with seamless grain and long‑lasting finishes. This guide consolidates our pricing structure and explains your options in plain language so you can confidently specify custom pieces.
Veneer Made Simple
What is shop‑sawn veneer?
Wood veneer is a thin slice of wood glued to a stable base (such as plywood or MDF). Shop‑sawn veneer is sawn from solid boards in our shop rather than purchased pre‑sliced. Because it’s thicker (typically around 1/16 inch or more), it can be sanded and refinished over time, and the grain can be sequenced across large surfaces. For comparison, industrial veneers are often less than 1/40 inch thick.
How do board feet relate to square feet?
Lumber is sold by board feet (BF)—a volume equal to a board
12″ × 12″ × 1″ thick. To estimate how many square feet of veneer can be produced, divide by the thickness:
Square feet (SF) = Board feet (BF) ÷ Thickness (in inches)
For example, a 1″‑thick board covers roughly 1 sq ft; and a 1/2″‑thick board covers about 2 sq ft per board foot. In practice, cutting veneer wastes material at each pass of the saw blade. To avoid shortages, we conservatively estimate that one board foot yields about 3 sq ft of 1/16 inch veneer. A full 4 × 8 ft panel (32 sq ft per side) requires two faces—so for 64 sq ft of veneer we plan on using about 22 board feet of lumber.
Why choose a custom table?
Mass‑market tables often use thin veneer over particleboard. Our custom tables are built using solid hardwood frames and shop‑sawn veneer tops. The thicker veneer allows refinishing if your table gets scratched, and our craftsmen can sequence boards so the grain flows continuously across the surface. We design around real use—no flimsy catalog parts or shortcuts.
Working With Us
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Bring a concept: Whether it’s a size, a mood board or a rough sketch, we’ll discuss how wood can support your design.
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Discuss materials: We’ll suggest species, veneer methods and cores that balance beauty and budget. Flexibility in species or grain selection can keep costs close to our starting ranges.
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Request a quote: Once we know the size, species and any special features (lighting, storage, edge details), we’ll provide a clear quote. Because our pricing is transparent—run fees plus per‑board‑foot lumber costs—you’ll avoid project overages.
Our mission is to make the uniqueness of real wood accessible to designers who may not have woodworking backgrounds. By understanding the basics of veneer, board‑foot conversions and how different species and methods affect price, you can confidently incorporate bespoke wood surfaces into your projects.
