What is the "best" substrate for marquetry?

[Don C Peterson]

I'm building a chess table that will have a chess board inlaid into the top. I know (thanks to Dewey) that I need to veneer both the top and the bottom. My question is what should I use as the substrate for the top? My first inclination is to use good quality Plywood, but I've heard some things that indicate that MDF is actually better for this.

I should add that the table top will be about 28"x28" and well supported from underneath so sag shouldn't be a problem.

So far I've avoided using veneers and made my projects out of solid wood. Any guidance?

Thanks.

[Dewey Torres]

Plywood is great as is MDF. MDF is flatter for sure and both are plenty stable for marquetry just make sure as you stated above to treat both sides for balance. Don't be afraid of veneers. They are fun and beautiful!

[Chris Padilla]

MDF is cheap, stable, and has no grain. It is the almost perfect substrate for veneering. Do you plan to edge-band your substrate with hardwood? I would do that first and then veneer (but it really depends on your design). Make your edge-banding "decent" thickness (1/4"+) and you can route edge details into it.

Where are you getting your veneers? Commercial or shop cut?

[Don C Peterson]

I will be edge banding with about 1/2" band, like you said, so I can put some nice detail on it and protect the corners of the veneer etc...

I'm using purchase veneers. The board will be Walnut burl and Maple burl with about a 4" border of sequence matched Walnut that will be ebonized. The table frame and legs will be ebonized Walnut as well.

I'll probably use MDF but I still kind of recoil at doing so. It just reminds me a bit too much of all the particleboard/veneer junk furniture. I know, MDF isn't the same as particleboard but it still worries me a bit...

Chris, as I re-read your post are you suggesting that the edge banding should be applied first and then the veneer is applied over both the substrate and the edge banding? I was planning on doing just the opposite; get the veneer applied to the table top and then apply the edge banding, thus kind of bounding and protecting the edges of the veneer. I'll probably do a simple string inlay on the seam of the edge banding.

[Jon van der Linden]

MDF is known for being extremely flat and stable as long as it doesn't get wet. The high end traditional solution would be laminboard. It is made up of solid strips with the heart/bark side alternating. For laminboard the strips should be about 1/4" or less in width. Thicker strips result in what is called blockboard, or when you go even thicker, battenboard. Once this panel is laid up it needs to be crossbanded, i.e. a layer of veneer across the grain on both sides. Once complete you then have a stable panel ready for veneering.

If you don't want MDF, then that's the way to go... unless you want to make your own plywood, which I would only advise if you needed a very thin substrate.