Performance. While production of standard wrapped components remains prominent in the industry, increasingly, profile veneer wrapping comes as a design solution to an architect's or other end user's request. Some manufacturers maintain that a large part of their annual output represents one-of-a-kind solutions to unique situations, which may never be used again.

“While the specific details of a product often are unique, we frequently find that once an application has been utilized, such as real wood veneer applied to a roll-formed aluminum substrate, others in the design community find new ways to utilize that same technology,” McKibbin said.

With today's sophisticated no added formaldehyde (NAUF) polyurethane moisture curing adhesive technology, veneer-wrapped products have eliminated de-lamination concerns, enabling them to be more dimensionally stable than solid wood, with less warping and cracking.

And profile wrapped products can often perform where a solid wood component cannot, because solid wood may be too heavy, unwieldy, and/or difficult to produce to a defined specification, veneered products offer a design solution that may not have previously existed.

Case in point: the veneer wrapped solution specified by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership as architects for UC Berkeley's new Stanley Hall. The Portland, Oregon-based architectural group was unable to use cedar wood soffits, as the International Building Code does not allow solid wood for this application. Design integrity was maintained and the fire-rating dilemma was overcome by profile-wrapping a western red cedar veneer over custom-formed aluminum profiles. Some 290 ten-foot long profile wrapped pieces were installed as third and eighth story soffits on the building, which is home to the Stanley Biosciences and Bioengineering facility, a key research center at the University.

Western red cedar veneer was wrapped over an aluminum core to meet fire codes while maintaining design integrity at the University of California's Berkeley Campus Stanley Hall. Photo courtesy of Contact Industries

 

"The substrate had to be non-combustible yet we wanted the look of wood, so veneer profile wrapping was a workable solution. The aluminum could be shaped according to our specifications and we were able to get the flat look of the wood from the underside that we wanted," says Renee Kajimoto, AIA, LEED AP, of the Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, noting that after four years, the soffits have held up well without cracking or other damage.

While the soffits were an exterior application, they were well protected from direct contact with the elements. It is strongly recommended that components made with real wood veneer not be used in weather-exposed exterior applications. This is not for fear that the adhesive bond will fail, but only because, like any exposed wood product, the wood veneer itself must be refinished regularly to avoid degradation from weather exposure. Because such required regular maintenance is typically not a priority for owners/users, manufacturers recommend only the use of "maintenance-free" wrap materials such exterior-rated films with UV-protected wear layers in weather-exposed applications. These films are available in a wide range of wood grains, solid colors and design patterns and a variety of thicknesses.

The design team for the San Jose International Airport adapted the veneer-over-aluminum technology displayed in the previous photo for their own use in providing the warmth of a wood interior combined with the safety of a class A fire rating. Photo courtesy of Contact Industries

 

The vast majority of veneer profile wrapped and laminated products are used in interior non-direct weather affected situations.

They have applicability particularly where a metal substrate is may be required for code compliance reasons, such as door frames.

The exposed parts of the veneered frame can then be stained to match the door itself or the surrounding woodwork for a consistent aesthetic appearance.

Historically, when fire ratings were required, hollow core steel doors and frames were the only choice. Today, fire-rated frames-- both MDF core with intumescent, as well as conventional hollow core metal frames for single and double door openings-- are widely available profile wrapped in any wood species with ratings of 20, 45, 60 and 90 minutes

These are particularly suitable for installation in new hotel construction, public spaces and foyers, among other applications.

Veneer profile wrapping allows manufacturers to offer wood door frames that match the wood finish of architectural fire doors while maintaining fire ratings up to 90 minutes. Photo courtesy of Contact Industries

 

Finishes. Veneer profile-wrapped products are often available factory pre-finished with stain and/or topcoat for color consistency, treated with an environmentally friendly durable ultraviolet (UV) cure.

Painted and top coat stain with environmentally friendly UV cures can be spray-applied resulting in full coverage of part profiles, such as window and door parts, as well as custom moulding components.

With applied stain colors and UV curing, volatile organic compound (VOC) and hazardous air pollution (HAP) emissions are virtually eliminated, the material coverage ‘cure’ is nearly instantaneous, and the product end result provides resistance to scratches and chemicals. Typically, factory-applied stains and UV coatings are more cost-effective than jobsite finishing and often results in a better quality product without generating emissions at the worksite.