1 A log is softened with steam and then mounted on a lathe.
2 A long knife peels off a thin layer of wood in a continuous veneer sheet. Once dried, a thin veneer sheet like this is very strong in one direction (along the grain) and very weak in the other (across the grain).
3 Several layers of veneer (generally five or seven) are layered together with the grain direction alternating between the different layers. Glue is used between the layers.
4 The stack is heated and pressed to form a rigid panel.
Because the grain direction of the layers of veneer alternate, the panel is extremely strong in all directions.
