Edge banding is the perfect way to finish furniture, doors, and other objects you want to look like wood without actually crafting them from wood. Why not just use wood? Well, natural wood is expensive, heavy, and can (depending on the wood) pose practical issues. It can be brittle and lack flexibility. There’s also a tendency for natural wood to be porous and absorb various substances. Wood veneer is a great way to get the appearance of real wood without all those downsides. The problem, of course, is that when you cut a piece to create a tabletop, the edges of that piece expose the truth: it’s not a piece of solid wood.
Using Edge Banding To Disguise The Fact You’ve Not Used Solid Wood
Nobody wants to see the insides of your piece of wood veneer. Veneer edge banding finishes things off nicely, neatly covering those exposed edges to give more of a ‘real wood’ appearance.
Does edge banding look like real wood?
No, not entirely. It does, however, look very similar. If you’re not scrutinising the edges of a piece, you can easily mistake it for real wood. Many people happily use furniture edged with wooden banding and never notice the difference.