Prepping the Plywood and Veneer

• 1). Set your plywood sheet on a pair of sawhorses or another firm, level work surface. Sand the entire surface with 150-grit paper.
  
  
• 2). Roll out a full 49-by-97-inch sheet of veneer on a flat work surface. Set a clean board across each end to hold the veneer flat during the gluing process.
  
  
• 3). Roll a coat of contact cement onto the surface of the plywood sheet. Use a small, medium-nap roller for best results. Cover the entire surface as evenly as possible to avoid thick areas, or puddling.
  
  
• 4). Roll a coat of contact cement onto the veneer in the same manner. Shift the boards as needed to cover the entire surface. Allow the contact cement to dry thoroughly, usually 15 to 30 minutes. Cement is dry when it is no longer tacky to the touch and has no moisture on its surface.
  
  
• 5). Set ¼-inch dowel rods across the face of the plywood about every 8 inches. Make sure they are long enough to overhang on each side and position them starting from one 48-inch end.
  
  

Gluing Down the Veneer

• 1). Roll the veneer, glue side out, into a cylinder carefully. With help, unroll it on top of the dowel rods and adjust its position until it is lined up, slightly overlapping, on all four sides of the plywood.
  
  
• 2). Press and smooth the veneer with a 6-inch-wide drywall knife with the corners sanded round, starting at the center of one 48-inch end and working out to either side and down the length of the sheet. Press the veneer firmly to avoid bubbles and voids.
  
  
• 3). Remove the dowel rods one at a time, pressing the veneer in each section as you go. Remove each dowel rod in turn until the entire sheet is in place and pressed smooth.
  
  
• 4). Roll over the surface with a J-roller or rolling pin, pressing the veneer firmly to further adhere the contact cement.
  
  
• 5). Set a second sheet of plywood centered on top of the veneer and clamp it in place with C-clamps. Add weights, such as cinder blocks, exercise weights, or sandbags, across its surface to press it down. Allow the sheet to set in the improvised press for several hours before removing.