Veneer Storage

[sihollies]

Hi
A would like a bit of advice if you please?
I am a hobbyist, making relatively small items, and in the main use veneers to decorate items such as jewellry boxes, Marquetry pictures etc.
I have recently boarded my loft with the intention of making it into a small workshop, the goal being I wont need to sit at the kitchen table to make my projects and it will also to keep others happy , if you get my gist :roll:
I have quite alot of A3 - A2 size veneers that I intend to store in the loft. These are currently in artist's folders in a bedroom, which throughout the year is a pretty constant temperature. However I do have several perfectly sized cardboard boxes with lids that I intend to store them in when I get organised and in the loft.
My main concern is the pretty extreme change in temperatures that occur in my loft. During Summer it is very dry and hot, but in Winter it is quite cold, but not damp.

In anyone's opinion, would the veneers store well in the loft environment as I have stated above?
I don't know if it will be beneficial but I was thinking of perhaps popping a few silica gel satchets in the boxes to help manage moisture/humidity levels??

Any advice on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

Simon

 

[woodbloke66]

With small sizes like that I would keep them in their folders and store them under a bed in a coolish bedroom - Rob

 

[Inspector]

If the loft was the choice I would put a sheet of cardboard on top and maybe a few throughout the stack and put a few sheets of plywood/OSB on top to keep the veneer flat. The cardboard will help with air circulation but with them being in boxes the movement of air will be minimal. If you don't like the way the veneer behaves up there you can always bring it down for storage and just take it up to work with.

Pete

 

[sihollies]

Thanks for the input.
I think I may be leaning towards keeping it out of the loft unfortunately.
I ideally wanted to get out out of the living space but through your advice and reservations feel that would be the best place for it.
Would it benificial to cut holes in the cardboard boxes to promote better circulation perhaps?

Many thanks again
Simon

 

[Steve Maskery]

I'm not an expert in veneers, but I have done a bit in the past.
I would say that your biggest enemy is not the temperature, but the humidity.
Leaves of veneer are so thin that you can breathe on them and they can crinkle, especially if they are figured with interesting grain.
I'd say keep them in the dry, forget the temperature, but keep them well weighted down. I don't just mean a brick, I mean a pile of bricks.

 

[sihollies]

Thanks Steve,
After the previous feedback and advice, I think the best option is to keep them in the artists folders in our bedroom or similar.
As you suggested, I do have quite alot of figured leaves that are very fragile and use sheets of Rockwall plastic panelling at intervals within the pile to keep them flat when I use the artist's folder option .
I suppose, if necessary I can use a veneer softener prior to using the leaves if they are too dry??

Thanks you all very much
Simon

 

[Droogs]

If you must keep them in the loft, give them a going over with softener first and then keep them stacked with wax paper between each leaf and between 2 oversize mdf boards with a really heavy weight on top or some clamps to keep them flat.

hth