Evaluation of color variability of oak veneers for sorting

Abstract

Veneers are used as overlaying material for various types of composite substrates for the production of veneered panels and furniture. There is a strong correlation between color and quality for the acceptability of a product, which is currently an industrial preoccupation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the color variability of veneers produced from high-quality European oak logs exhibiting the best production yield. Defect-free logs cut from a Quercus spp. forest in Romania were sliced into veneers. Color measurements were made at various locations on veneer sheets. All data were statistically analyzed. As expected, heartwood highly influenced the final color of decorative oak veneers, in which yellow and red were highlighted. The statistical analysis also revealed the homogeneity of lightness and yellow degree within the veneer collectivity. The color homogeneity within the sectors confirmed the wood quality for veneer production. Therefore, individual veneer sheets can be segregated based on color measurement to provide accurate results for sorting pieces of different colors.