# Routing Wood Veneer Flush to Pantry



## spta97 (2 mo ago)

Hi All,

I am seeking some assistance with attaching/routing wood veneer to a pantry cabinet. Here is the situation:


I am going to install a pantry cabinet, the left side is not flush
Plan was to install wood veneer to make it flush so the granite will have a strait edge flush against the pantry rather than a squiggly cut
The veneer seems slightly thicker than 1/8" thick, but the gap is 1/4" deep

My plan was to use contact cement on both pieces and then route the edge smooth with my new Milwaukee portable router and flush bit. Two issues with this:

1) The back of the cabinet (where I would rest the bearing of the bit) is not flush. I am thinking here to put double sided tape with an appropriate thickness wood to make it flush so I can have a good edge to rest the bearing - thoughts?

2) Even with the veneer the cabinet will not be flush. I am thinking to get just regular unfinished veneer, then put the finished veneer on top - thoughts?

I will take my caliper and measure the veneer but it looks just a hair thicker than 1/8" on my combination square. Last thing I want to do is create the opposite problem (veneer sticking proud of the cabinet).

Below are some pics to help frame the discussion. Thanks for your input!

*Design with pantry in question on the right:*









*Here's the gap - goal is to even that so the granite sits flush:*










*This is the veneer panel. Seems slightly thicker than 1/8":*


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

G'day @spta97 , welcome to the forum...


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Hi and welcome. Looking at the pictures really helps. I have a different suggestion. How about cutting a stile or crosspiece, and attaching it to the side of the pantry? That way you can make a clean, straight pass to trim the veneer and it will be flush with the cabinet top next to it. I think it will look better than having a funny shaped lip on the side cabinet top. 

You will have to match the finish as close as possible and make sure the cross piece is exactly the right thickness, but that is much simpler that a fiddly counter extension that looks like an afterthought fix. 

In fact, I'd place the cross piece an inch or two higher than the counter top and let it show.


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## spta97 (2 mo ago)

DesertRatTom said:


> Hi and welcome. Looking at the pictures really helps. I have a different suggestion. How about cutting a stile or crosspiece, and attaching it to the side of the pantry? That way you can make a clean, straight pass to trim the veneer and it will be flush with the cabinet top next to it. I think it will look better than having a funny shaped lip on the side cabinet top.
> 
> You will have to match the finish as close as possible and make sure the cross piece is exactly the right thickness, but that is much simpler that a fiddly counter extension that looks like an afterthought fix.
> 
> In fact, I'd place the cross piece an inch or two higher than the counter top and let it show.


Thanks for the reply Tom (and everyone else for the welcomes!). Can you elaborate as I am having difficulty following?

Do you mean attach this cross piece to the front of the cabinet for looks or the back for trimming?

I should note, if I get 1/4" thickness (veneer and 1/8" plywood) that "lip" should then be flush.

Thanks!


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## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

I must say that I'm a little confused by what the pictures are of but I think Tom meant something like this:


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## spta97 (2 mo ago)

TenGees said:


> I must say that I'm a little confused by what the pictures are of but I think Tom meant something like this:
> View attachment 402877


Oh wow that is a great idea!

Thanks for illustrating that!


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

TenGees said:


> I must say that I'm a little confused by what the pictures are of but I think Tom meant something like this:
> View attachment 402877


*Exactly. It will look reptty normal when done and finished.*


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